When the recession hit sometime in 2008-2009, Economic Times Chennai did a supplement on banking and I was roped in to do some of the articles after interviewing heads of nationalised banks. I met the chairman of Karur Vysya Bank, a very senior man, close to retirement or past.
He said: I am not worried about the recession or how India escaped. I am more concerned about the youth of today. My wife and I, we have seen tough times; if we lose money, we can still do without luxuries. We can sleep on the floor, we can walk distances and make do with what we have. But the youth of today, what will they do?
It set me thinking. Even my contemporaries would have seen tough days - when everything was budgeted and we knew to accept "No" from our parents. But do our children know it? My daughter wants to know when summer will start so that she can start using the AC - it's a strict no-no right now because even in Chennai it is not summer yet though the nights are warm. I never take them walking even short distances - preferring to zoom on my bike or take the car. Though they don't get everything they see and ask for - I am still probably old fashioned - nothing is beyond reach for them and they are aware of that.
No harm done...we earn better and to live better on hard-earned, honest money is no crime. But what if life goes topsy turvy? Are we prepared? Do we prepare our children? Can we prepare ourselves for it?
When I see the indulgence some children get - mobiles at 7 and 8 years, branded clothes and what not...I shudder for this generation. Birthday parties in five-star hotels, event managers stepping in to manage the event...is simple living, high thinking a thing of the past?
He said: I am not worried about the recession or how India escaped. I am more concerned about the youth of today. My wife and I, we have seen tough times; if we lose money, we can still do without luxuries. We can sleep on the floor, we can walk distances and make do with what we have. But the youth of today, what will they do?
It set me thinking. Even my contemporaries would have seen tough days - when everything was budgeted and we knew to accept "No" from our parents. But do our children know it? My daughter wants to know when summer will start so that she can start using the AC - it's a strict no-no right now because even in Chennai it is not summer yet though the nights are warm. I never take them walking even short distances - preferring to zoom on my bike or take the car. Though they don't get everything they see and ask for - I am still probably old fashioned - nothing is beyond reach for them and they are aware of that.
No harm done...we earn better and to live better on hard-earned, honest money is no crime. But what if life goes topsy turvy? Are we prepared? Do we prepare our children? Can we prepare ourselves for it?
When I see the indulgence some children get - mobiles at 7 and 8 years, branded clothes and what not...I shudder for this generation. Birthday parties in five-star hotels, event managers stepping in to manage the event...is simple living, high thinking a thing of the past?
living in nest does that to people, you know !
ReplyDeleteThose riding boats on narrow Chennai roads shouldn't cast the first stone ;)
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