Do it yourself

A friend recently remarked, “I don’t want to be young for the first time in my life”. He was alluding to the challenges Gen Z (born between 1997-2012) and Generation Alpha (born after 2012) children are likely to face in the coming years. I fully agree with him. The silver on my scalp gives me comfort that a relatively well lived life may end as comfortably for me, and many people my age. But young people in their 20s have no such comfort. The people in their late twenties have already stood witness to three massive economic/market crises (dotcom burst, subprime burst and Covid-19 pandemic) that (i) were not caused by a war or natural disaster; (ii) did not cause human suffering which was anywhere closer to the crises witnessed during 19 th  and 20 th  centuries; and (iii) were brought under control through monetary and fiscal stimuli within a short period of time. In the past twenty-five years, the governments across the world have increasingly become more socialist. While se...

“Generation gap” has perhaps been a subject of study, discussion and debate ever since beginning of civilization. The new generations have been adopting new ways and methods of living, and the older generations have been rejecting these ways and methods as degeneration. The human civilization has evolved, regardless of this persistent conflict between experience and experiment. It could be matter of debate whether experience is good as a guide or driver. But in my view, there is no doubt that the innovation (experiment) of new ways and methods of living and doing things has been the primary driver of the human civilization so far. With the advancement in science and technology, the life span of people has increased materially in post WWII era especially. This expansion in life span has material impact on the dimensions of “generation gap”. The gap which was historically visible mostly between grandfather and grandsons is now sometime visible even in siblings born 5-6yrs apart. In...