Why the Western narrative of Rags to Riches ambition is unsustainable for Indian hinterland.

When Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide news buzzed on my newsfeed at around 2 pm 14th June, I was still oblivious to the depth that this new-age Bollywood star had, and yet committed suicide. Death does many things to you. You become an angel overnight, your story becomes everybody's story, your flaws are hidden, and everything you did becomes justified in hindsight. While Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other social media handles were buzzing, debating, and squabbling with #RIP #gonetoosoon #nepotistbollywood. I went deep into my cocoon to question myself why, just why, a person with such educational, professional, and intellectual credentials fell into the trap of a narrative like depression, psychologically disturbed, or mental illness as had been oversimplified by many. If he was, then how are we any different from him?. And how do we know if, tomorrow we come across something that he had to face, none of us would take such an extreme step?

Western rags to riches dream is a struggle with destiny. You snatch away from destiny what rightfully belongs to you through effort and ability. You are the hero who strives through a sea of difficulties and overcomes this herculean task in the end by achieving your dream. You are perfect “an image of God” and imperfection lies outside you. You have to cut, clear, clean, purify the forest of weeds to create your garden of creation. You are dissatisfied and this dissatisfaction with the status quo is glorified aka “zidd karo duniya badlo” (be obstinate and change the world) to fire up your desire. This grand gap that lies between your ideal aspiration and realistic present is what makes your purpose grander, achievements greater, and ambition worth striving for.

However, the rags to riches stories are shaped by assumptions we take granted for, the assumption of one goal or purpose throughout life, of one life and its permanence, of the certainty of an outcome if effort is invested, of destination more important than the process of learning, of you and your destiny being at odds, and of disparateness between you and the system you are fighting against. This alludes you to believe that abstract concepts of human civilization are universal and true beyond belief, like equality, justice, humanity, truth, brotherhood, and other values. For only when these abstract concepts are true, you would be able to harness your resources based on your talent, ability, and effort. Unfortunately, these wrong assumptions leave you unprepared for facing failures.

Unlike the Western world where the effort is relentlessly to build institutions or do structural changes to re-affirm faith in abstract concepts. Such that climbing up the hierarchy of those institutions is analogous to winning. India’s vast history is culturally strewn with ideologies that are not institution based but rather faith-based. So while realizing rags to riches story is easier in western countries and that is where it ends, in India even if you rise to the riches you are still not a part of the existing higher social circle. Earlier these social circles would be based on caste, creed, gender, religion, etc. Now the norms have become more ambiguous and you do not understand who qualifies to it and who doesn’t like educated elites, socialist elites, uber-rich, CEOs, etc. In fact the more ambiguous the norms the more difficult it is for you to realize your story of rags to riches. In a country like India where institutions are not the only symbol of success, you simply cannot be a small-town guy with a big dream, realize it, and hope to join the brigade.

This realization had dawned into Indian’s long back. That is why Indian’s were drawn to spiritual practices against atrocities and structural flaws, rather than straightjacket effort and struggle approach. Our approach for the realization of our ambition has always been more feminine, adaptable, and resilient. It is the same reason that Mahatma Gandhi chose nonviolence over violence and Jagdish Chandra Bose diverted his attention to plant biology and life systems when his wireless communication was credited to Marconi, rather than resisting life and fighting for only one goal with one narrative. We understand the movement of external elements and the stillness of internal elements. Our other practices reflect the same too; you and your destiny is not at odds that’s why the practice of astrology; concepts like equality, truth, and justice have limitations that’s why the accommodation of corruption; there is no certainty of outcome with an effort that’s why risk-averse jugaad aka don’t invest everything into one idea; destiny is not more important than the journey that’s why the practice of meditation and mindfulness; acceptance of life beyond the present one that’s why the knowledge of rebirth; you and the system you are fighting against are not different that’s why the celebration of patience, tolerance, and love amidst dozens of regions, religions, and languages. The ambition model for the Indian context has therefore been rooted in detachment from outcome once you finish your karma.

Unfortunately, the ideals of success now are ever more dependent on quick fixes. Even meditation has turned into a game of quick 5 minutes silence rather than a deeper reflection on the principles of existence. And yoga has turned into body wrenching routine rather than mind-bending. That is why you shall find every western self-help book using this straight jacket approach to convince Indian readers that one method is a panacea of all problems. Albeit true, but only when “conditions apply” within the Indian context. That is why more than ever before there is an urgency to redefine our achievements and path to those achievements, our problems and our solutions uniquely.

Without redefining success we are failing our children. Our ideal aspirational world has a long-time to come. In between that our younger generation is getting crushed due to non-alignment between their expectations and harsh reality. That does not mean we teach children to compromise or lay placid. But teach them to understand, help them brace, and expect failures in the process. People can fail irrespective of how hard they try, how honestly they try, how true they are, if they have vision boards or dreams or goals. It is life it is real, raw, and unpredictable, and the most important skill now is to learn how to adapt to it. Especially in a country like India, heroes do not rise in a day. So even when success guru’s tell you to follow your heart, be passionate about your work, keep looking at the peak, and one day you will reach the pinnacle. I would argue developing multiple goals, value different aspects of life, cherish failures as learnings, reflect on reality, and be adaptable.

Amidst our unique ambiguities and uncertainties, India’s ambition have been to seek balance since time immemorial. Balancing your ambition with existence, success with service, looking outside with looking inside, and impermanence with permanence, like Shiva’s tandava on one foot, and is extremely crucial in current times. It is now time to redefine success as balance and adaptability within the Indian context and teach the same to our younger generation. Albeit hard work leads to success, and following your passion makes you happy. But if you skew all your resources towards one goal, one purpose, one identity, and one destiny, then you are bound to have a hard face-off with uncertainties, especially in India. Perhaps, if we knew this before we could have saved a young man with shattered dreams. 

Photo credits: https://www.storyberries.com/fairy-tales-arabian-nights-aladdin-and-the-magic-lamp/