Are we drowning from Aspiration to Desperation? The psychological cost of being "left out" now exceeds the financial cost of the EMI.

Dear Friends

Recently, I read an interesting article by Varun Aggarwal. Let's assume a massive auditorium with 362 million Indians. In this auditorium, the billionaire showcases his Rolls-Royce, the college student displays her new iPhone, the maid shares a photo of her daughter's wedding, the startup founder announces his "unicorn" status, and the retired uncle shares photos of his vacation in Goa. So nice, right? We all come to know each other regardless of our social status.

But, they are not just watching them. Psychologically, they are comparing each other. The post states that in real life, you typically compare yourself to people in your circle, usually including cousins, neighbours, and close friends, with a maximum of 50 to 100 people.

However, on Instagram, your comparison group became 1000 times larger, possibly 10 00,000 people. The 25,000 per month salaried individual watches the millionaire's Maldives trip, a Friend's new car, a Colleague's promotion, and an Influencer's brand deal. It doesn't put you in a positive mindset to work hard. It puts you into a competitive zone and tames you, drags you unknowingly into crooked competition. The middle class feels poor (compared to the rich), the Rich feel inadequate (compared to the richer), the Poor feel invisible (nobody's watching their stage performance)!!

As a Result, in 2024, India's personal loan market hit 710 lakh crores,

Credit card debt is at an all-time high. Loan apps are growing indefinitely!! Yes, many families are collapsing. Many young couples are opting for divorce after watching couples’ reels, assuming that the reel makers' lives are always fun, happy, and filled with togetherness. But in reality, there will not be a perfect couple and a perfect life. It is always a mirage! But reels portray perfectness and completeness!!

Many house tours showcase the best parts of their apartments, including the finest interiors and gadgets. They will not disclose whether they purchased through a loan or post-savings. It agitates and prompts us to make a purchase!

I don't get inspired by many of these Insta Reels, but sometimes when my classmates call me and share their 6- or 7-figure salaries, I get tempted. End of the day, I am a human being! It takes me back to my old memories!! Had I continued in my IT job, I would have been drawing the same. Or had I settled in the US in the late 1990s when I was deputed with L1 Visa, financially it would have given me a different comfort zone! However, I comfort myself that I could fulfil my father’s last wish to stay in his house for some time at least, and live with my single mother as far as possible. I have avoided unwanted corporate competition and sales travel, which has helped me stay in a Tier 3 city environment. This list provides some comfort in the wake of a huge financial opportunity loss.

Whether you agree or not, we must all be internally growing through these struggles. Nobody is an exception unless we are spiritually inclined and cultivate detachment. That is not an easy task. It is like a Bhagiratha Prayatnam.

Did you experience this desperation?

Ravi Saripalle

We Don’t Hear, We Listen: Lessons from Social Entrepreneurship and Science

Dear Friends,

This week, I discussed social entrepreneurship with our MBA students. As part of this, I was presenting about Mirakle Couriers, a National Award-winning courier agency that employs low-income deaf adults. I really liked their slogan, “We don’t hear, we listen.” The concept was amazing and forward-looking.

The WHO estimates that in India, there are approximately 63 million people suffering from significant auditory impairment. India is believed to be the country with the largest number of Deaf individuals. Approximately 1.5 billion people worldwide experience hearing loss.

For the first time, I learned that Deaf and deaf are different. ‘deaf’ with a lowercase ‘d’ refers to the medical condition of significant hearing loss. ‘Deaf’ with a capital ‘D’ extends beyond the medical definition to signify a distinct cultural and social identity.

I was also presenting in my class about Helen Keller, who was a remarkable American educator, disability activist, and author. She is the most famous Deaf-Blind person in history. Vint Cerf, known as one of the fathers of the Internet, a mathematician and inventor who co-invented the TCP/IP protocol, had hearing loss. Thomas Edison spent much of his life with little to no hearing. Having said that, sometimes it also provides an excellent opportunity—Edison was better able to concentrate on his work due to his hearing loss.

Louis Laurent Marie Clerc was a key figure in the development of American Sign Language and deaf education. He is considered the first deaf teacher of the deaf in the United States and is sometimes known as “The Apostle of the Deaf in America.”

Why am I driving this conversation?

Sheffield researchers are developing novel cell therapies that could repair the damaged inner ear, potentially reversing deafness for many. Currently, there is no cure or therapy for sensorineural hearing loss; the only treatments available to manage the condition are hearing aids and cochlear implants.

This research brings significant value to the community. It also has implications beyond hearing. The same regenerative principles could potentially be applied to vision loss, spinal cord injuries, and other neurological conditions where nerve damage is the primary problem.

Having said that, questions around stem cells—such as ethical issues, feasibility, and cost—still remain unanswered.

While we appreciate this research, in the mid-course, the only help we can render is to support individuals in all possible ways and not discourage them.

We never know what disability may come to us in our lifetime.

Ravi Saripalle

We are looking for Grandmoms!! A New Ad!

Dear Friends,

Are you surprised by this title? A couple of days ago, a hotel chain posted an ad looking for grandmas. They named it with a purpose, just like how we all used to visit our grandmothers' places as kids. No qualifications are necessary for this job. Job responsibilities include vacationing on the job, performing audits, suggesting improvements, and creating content. I really appreciate the founders’ naming of this stay and their hiring of grandmothers, which reminds me of their commitment to preserving Indian ethos and values.

Having said that, why is this situation arising? Recently, I wrote another article on Fake Wedding events, simulating the real experience without a bride and groom. Thanks to the growing number of nuclear families and migration patterns in search of better opportunities, a vacuum has emerged. A new business model is emerging.

How many of us can confidently say that we lived with our grandmother during childhood, and also provided this opportunity to our children today? Very few! Living under the same roof for two generations continuously (for 50+ years) requires tremendous patience from all family members. A country border appears peaceful for 300 days a year, but experiences vibration for 65 days. The field marshal on the ground cannot simply receive salutes from the force but not face the bullets during the war! It requires preparation for both angles!!

Similarly, while the individual enjoys the benefits of grandparents’ affection and love, once they become parents, living with their spouse, their parents, and children “under the same roof” comes with responsibility and resilience. We cannot say, “I wanted the grandmother’s love, but I will not provide it to my children.” A coin has two sides. It is not an easy task. A boat voyage gives you a pleasant experience, and sometimes it encounters a storm. There is no perfect happy experience. If one thinks so, he or she is foolish!

Why am I writing this article? Alarmingly, South India leads in nuclear family adoption, with 69% of households (Kantar, 2022), up from 50% in 2008 — a 19 percentage point rise in 14 years, an alarming rate! Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Kerala, etc., are leading this race. I am not here to say what is right or wrong; I am only presenting the facts.

Having said that, there is no perfect solution. We cannot blame one side. In some cases, the fault lies with the parents; in other cases, the fault lies with the children. On a lighter note, surprisingly, across the universe, no party owns the fault! The nuclear family is designed to promote independence — both personal and financial.

Recently, one of my friends told me, 'How can we judge someone who has lived a successful life?' He gave a beautiful answer — A few minutes before death, only he/she can give marks to oneself on whether they lived as per dharma or not. No one else in this world can certify today, and no one else has any moral right to evaluate as well! Because we hide half of our mistakes within us and hide most of life’s truth from ourselves.

No one is exempt from this golden rule.

Ravi Saripalle

Urban Growth, Human Comfort — and the Silent Crisis of Bees

Dear Friends,

I have discussed significant topics—technology, digital transformation, the importance of AI, tech innovation, and entrepreneurship—in many of my earlier stories. However, with all humility, I am now realizing that all of this becomes a bluff (I must admit) if we fail to address our basic ecological existence.

Recently, I read that “Bees pollinate approximately 75% of our crops and 90% of wild plants, and they help regenerate our natural forests. Bees and other pollinating insects improve the food production of 2 billion small farmers worldwide, ensuring food security for the global population.” What effort have we truly made to preserve them?

The other day, I witnessed an unethical way of removing a beehive. We should feel ashamed. We are entering their zones—thanks to rapid urbanization—and then asking them to leave their place. It is like buying a house and renting it out, only to have the tenant threaten to occupy it.

Habitat loss, pesticide use, climate change, and disease are contributing to an alarming decline in the numbers and diversity of pollinators. Pesticides intended to boost agricultural productivity are inadvertently poisoning these vital creatures, weakening their immune systems and disrupting their reproductive cycles.

We don’t need grand establishments, but we do need policies that prioritize habitat conservation. We can create landscapes and ecological corridors that allow bees to thrive.

Do we have urban bee towers the way we have parks for human recreation? The time has arrived to establish one.

Ravi Saripalle

The Hidden Cost of Attention – Are You Also Trapped by the Attention Economy?

Dear Friends

Recently, one of the spiritual personalities delivered a talk to MBA graduates of IIM Calcutta. He was discussing the attention economy and how it has quietly become a new form of currency.

Revenue in today’s world comes from training us to pay attention. The mobiles, ads, designs, and people around us are all working towards this new game. In this attention economy, our focus is constantly being captured and redirected, leading to intermittent attention. This is evident in schools, colleges, and workplaces, where people attend to tasks only sporadically, frequently distracted in between. Such fragmented attention is extremely harmful and can lead to a disintegration of the psyche.

Nowadays, when attending any meeting, training, function, or public gathering, you can often observe this issue. He was also referring to the book Deep Work, which emphasizes the tremendous value of focused and concentrated work.

For example, why does one song receive 1 million views, while another gets 1 billion? It’s not because the latter is a thousand times better, but because it captures attention far more effectively. Deep work—sustained, focused concentration—is increasingly rare today, yet it is highly energizing and productive.

He mentioned a boy who secured second rank in the JEE. This boy gives full concentration to every single activity. Once, somebody visited his hostel room at 6 AM in the morning, and he was meticulously cleaning every inch of the window corners, too, with intense focus and care. A small act—but it demonstrated the power of sustained attention. This boy gives 100% to everything he does.

On a different note, Dr. Ritesh, a leader of the World Economic Forum, posted an interesting real-life scenario:

“My cousin bought a ₹2.8 lakh sofa last month. Six months later, she'd spent another ₹1.45 lakhs. Coffee table. Curtains. Lighting. Rug. Wall art. ‘Everything looked mismatched,’ she said. ‘I need to repaint the walls now.’”

She wasn’t being indulgent—she was trapped in a 255-year-old psychological pattern.

Dr. Ritesh Malik highlights how the Diderot Effect explains why one premium purchase often triggers a cascade of additional spending. Your new sofa or car can make everything else feel outdated—leading to costly upgrades.

In India, this is amplified by Instagram’s 362 million users, who are constantly inspired by curated homes, the rise of easy EMIs and “Buy Now, Pay Later” options, and retail setups that tempt us to buy more. Durable, long-lasting furniture is being replaced every 5 years—driven not by need, but by attention-seeking upgrades.

In fact, why do we do all this? To draw the attention of others? Or to give our own eyes a fleeting feast? If you have the money, it may still be acceptable. But doing this on EMI or debt is a dangerous trap.

We bought our sofa exactly 25 years ago in Bangalore. It has now moved with us to a fourth city. Somehow, it didn’t break or scratch! Of course, it looks old-fashioned—not jumbo-sized or fluffy. But instead of replacing it, we just painted it—and we’re still using it.

Many homes are collapsing under the weight of debt. People are taking extreme steps, including suicides. If we earn 10 rupees, we should live with 9—not spend 20.

Prof. Chetan Singh Solanki from IIT Bombay is raising public consciousness about climate change. He’s encouraging local energy generation and consumption in line with Gandhian principles and has built a people-powered movement called the Finite Earth Movement (FEM). Prof. Solanki resigned from IIT Bombay to dedicate himself full-time to this mission. He has pledged not to return home until 2030, living fully in a solar bus.

The attention economy may bring immediate happiness, but it rarely offers lasting comfort.

Are you also caught in this trap?

Ravi Saripalle

Teaching, Research, Skills: The New Confusion Matrix in Higher Education

 Dear Friends,

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to attend the AACSB CEO’s Business Schools Meet in New Delhi. Ms. Lily Bi, President and CEO of AACSB, delivered an insightful presentation on the current state of management education and institutional readiness. In my view, these insights are not limited to management alone; they apply to several other domains as well.

Employers are shifting dramatically toward skills-first hiring — a 25% rise globally since 2022 — and 27% of employers have removed degree requirements (SHRM 2025). The top skill gaps identified across undergraduates, postgraduates, and managers include navigating ambiguity, communication skills, and the ability to apply feedback.

The most interesting and insightful data point was about what students value most. Faculty teaching quality is the top contributor (23%). Curriculum relevance to current business trends follows closely (21%). Experiential learning through projects and internships adds strong value (16%). Student community and networking matter significantly (12%). Career services and employability support are equally important (12%). International exposure—exchange programs and global faculty—adds moderate value (7%). Access to technology and AI tools influences learning (5%). Research opportunities contribute modestly (4%).

After understanding these priorities in the age of AI, as a teacher, I am left with new questions.

When institutions depend heavily on student fees, and when we are all living in a consumer-first world, what should be the priorities of a teacher? Undoubtedly, a teacher should be passionate about teaching. A teacher should be a storyteller who meaningfully engages the classroom. A teacher must possess strong conceptual understanding of the subject. They must demonstrate communication skills, classroom management skills, empathy and patience, a student-centred approach, and creativity.

In a small group conversation, we discussed the role of research.

The moot question was: Should a teacher also be a researcher in the age of AI? The underlying assumption is that AI’s intelligence is slowly surpassing human intelligence. Industry and research institutions are also simultaneously conducting significant research and developing advanced solutions.

The teacher’s required skill set is already demanding. If the teacher must also become a researcher (on top of competing with AI’s research capabilities and human researchers), when will they have the time to master those core six teaching skills? A school teacher is never a researcher, but rather a creative engager. Ten years ago, when AI was non-existent, higher education required a teacher-cum-researcher. However, today, do we really need this model, especially when students can independently leverage AI-driven research outputs? Or should the teacher’s role shift towards being a facilitator, motivator, or inspirer with strong application orientation?

This brings us to the big confusion matrix:

·       Many ranking frameworks demand research first.
·       Students demand teaching first.
·       Industry demands skills first.

If institutions don’t solve this puzzle thoughtfully, they may pay a hefty price. Those who solve it will create history. Those who ignore it will remain in history.

Note: These are my personal views.

Ravi Saripalle

The Rise of Artificial Happiness and the Fall of Real Experience

Dear Friends,

In our childhood, we used to dream about upcoming marriage events. We would think about when the celebrations would start, what we would eat, how we would play with all our relatives and friends, and so much more. It was always filled with emotion, action, and drama. I still remember one instance where there was a big emotional drama because upma was not served to one of the guests! In another event, the groom’s procession was stalled just minutes before the thread ceremony because of a demand for a ring. Once the promise was made, the procession resumed! The entire planning, execution, and celebration were no less complex than constructing a 20-storey building!

It was not just about happy occasions — I also had the experience of being one of the four or six people (vaahakas) carrying the body during a funeral procession. That place carries a completely different emotion. Sometimes it is shocking — especially when the deceased is the breadwinner of the family. Sometimes, it is an emotional departure filled with love and affection. And sometimes, it brings a silent sense of relief when the person has been suffering from prolonged pain or disease.

These two types of events are extremes, with many emotional moments in between — birthdays, family gatherings, and more. Each carries its own unique emotion. But why am I bringing this up today?

Recently, there was an interesting article about India’s “Fake Wedding” Party Market Size and Forecast (Coherent Market Insights). It is projected to be USD 12.9 million in 2025, expected to reach USD 175.8 million by 2032. BBC also reported an article titled “The Big Fat 'Fake' Indian Wedding – Gen Z's Latest Party Trend.” “Dazzling lights, glittering outfits, Bollywood hits, lavish food, and an atmosphere soaked in celebration” — all without a bride, groom, priest, or fire sacrifice. No relatives, no rituals, and no tearful farewells!

We once had professional mourners in India, known as Rudaalis. Their role was to publicly express grief — crying, wailing, beating their chests, performing dramatic displays of sorrow on behalf of families. But that was never treated as a business — it was employment born of circumstance. However, thanks to modern lifestyles, high salaries, and excess comfort, Gen Z seems to be moving toward artificial happiness. And when happiness is artificially induced, the chances of delaying real happiness only increase.

In reality, there’s never “perfect happiness” even in a real marriage — it’s filled with responsibilities, tensions, and adjustments. Many young people today do not want that trouble early; they tend to delay or avoid these responsibilities. I don’t say it’s right or wrong, but in my view — each age comes with its own responsibilities and emotions.

My emotional balance at 25 was different from what it is at 50. At 25, we work hard for a job, money, and marriage. At 50, we work hard for our children’s education, their future, and our parents’ care. These are time-tested life sequences, with a few exceptions depending on circumstances. They cannot be outsourced or delayed — they must be experienced.

Though this is my personal view, emotions cannot be commoditized on a full scale. Their value diminishes — especially in the age of AI and robotics. We are inviting robots into our daily lives. Can R.K. Laxman’s “Servants of India” hold relevance today when we invite robots to our homes — Swami, the cook; Anthony, the driver; Shanti, the maid; Ramaswami, the trusted retainer? Can Laxman’s trademark wit and sketches reappear when Midjourney or Perplexity now do this work?

I have been invited by Infosys to speak on this very theme on 28th November 2025.

My topic: “From UX to HX: Designing for the Human Experience in the AI Era.”

What is your view?

Ravi Saripalle