The 'Lost Generation'?

The following program is a Tamil talk show that discusses cultural issues arising due to the "IT work culture" in India. While it is unfair to single out IT as the reason and easy to blame westernization for this increased trend, what is significant is that the psyche of the current generation is a tailored fit to exploit the opportunities opened up by the "IT work culture" and westernization. These things have always been around in our society but they have always been instances that were few and far between to leave them aside as a blot rather than a trend.

Today's 'liberated' psyche combined with a misplaced sense of freedom, increased cash flow and access to 'fun' is all responsible for this trend. In previous generations the access to such opportunities were less, and with India being a poorer country money was always a deterrent to such attitudes. The most important trend is the sense of liberation and the idea of freedom without responsibility or restraint.

Generation theory is uncommon in India, but considering various aspects of the Indian society today this current generation could easily be termed the 'Lost Generation'. Misplaced sense of liberation, a confused sense of westernization, confused priorities, a general lack of discipline driven by a feeling of freedom without responsibility and gross under-achievement define the makings of this generation. (An anecdotal statement, but there are tons of examples that could prove it.)

This is not westernization in its real sense. This trend is eerily reminiscent of the 1960's western culture. This generation is very similar to the 'baby boomer generation' raised in the modern technological world. This is the generation that was so 'liberated' that it led to a President having an illegitimate relationship in the Oval Office with a 21 year old unpaid intern, and not feel guilty about it!!!