People disregarding neighbourhood emergencies, ignoring traffic accidents, or reluctantly passing by someone in difficulty are all becoming more and more common. Young adults frequently separate themselves from their family obligations, particularly those of older parents, and teenagers appear less worried about their parents’ well-being. It’s getting harder to feel empathy. People seem to now view what was once regarded as social responsibility and basic human decency as a burden. These behaviours show a concerning drop in emotional intelligence.
The argument between emotional quotient (EQ) and intelligence quotient (IQ) has become increasingly important in today’s rapidly changing world. It is argued that increased exposure to the internet, artificial intelligence, and modern infrastructure has raised the IQ of the current generation, but reports show that EQ is dropping across the world. Between 2019 to 2023, the global average of emotional intelligence scores has declined by 5.54 per cent. The question must be raised: What socioeconomic factors have contributed to this change?
The initial years following India’s Independence were a time of intense passion. All facets of society were infused with the spirit of freedom, sacrifice, and patriotism. Poor infrastructure, casteism, poverty, and illiteracy were among the long-standing problems that we were facing. Nevertheless, there was a strong upsurge in group emotional responsibility amidst these difficulties. However, a common goal and a feeling of emotional commitment to the nation’s future were present.
To establish the framework for a welfare state, intellectuals from many ideological backgrounds came together. Public sector initiatives were given a lot of attention in the early decades. Through businesses like heavy industry, housing, transportation, healthcare, education, and nutrition, the government significantly contributed to the creation of jobs. Along with jobs, these industries offered a feeling of stability and direction. Working for the government was viewed as a noble contribution to the development of the country.
Social benefits such as healthcare, free education, subsidised housing, and pensions gave citizens a sense of security and belonging. Empathy dominated social interactions, and it was morally required to participate in the community.
However, over the past few decades, there has been a marked shift in this narrative. With the liberalisation of the economy and the expansion of the private sector, the role of the state in providing social security and basic amenities began to shrink. Government institutions were increasingly labelled as “loss-making,” and many were shut down or privatised. As a result, the sense of secure livelihood that once supported a stable emotional framework began to erode.
The emergence of the market economy was accompanied by materialism, individualism, and fierce competition. The younger generation was drawn into a competitive race for prestige and survival by new goods, fashions, and lifestyles. Emotional breakdown, estrangement, and increased stress were the outcomes.
IQ started to be rated more highly than EQ in this situation. Success was no longer determined by empathy or social contribution, but rather by technical or intellectual accomplishment. Relationships were transactional, mental health was frequently disregarded, and a culture of isolation resulted from the drive to perform better than others. The foundation of social interaction, which had been established through generations of shared obligations, communal living, and emotional attachments, started to fall apart.
The effects are evident: Rising rates of addiction, despair, suicide, criminal activity, and hostility. Indian civilisation has lost the emotional fortitude that formerly characterised it. A system that formerly promoted group effort now favours personal benefit, frequently at the expense of others. IQ and EQ have become dangerously out of balance, producing a generation that may be academically strong but emotionally weak.
It’s challenging to find the ideal balance in the current situation. But much can still be restored with a deliberate effort supported by more governmental determination, a secular and socially focused strategy, and restored public confidence in institutions. Reviving emotional intelligence can be achieved through public discourse that fosters togetherness rather than division, education that fosters empathy, and policies that put well-being first.
India’s heart — its capacity for emotion, connection, and concern — has always been its greatest asset. Our future will continue to be shaped by intelligence and technology, but our humanity will be preserved by emotional depth. A country founded on intelligence alone can never be as strong as one that remembers to feel, fight, and rise together. While a high IQ may aid in the development of machines and economies, it is a high EQ that fosters compassion and community.
The emotional depth of a country’s citizen, their capacity for compassion, camaraderie, and support, is what really makes it strong, not its GDP, innovations, or military prowess. In a world where speed, competition, and digital alienation rule the day, we must never forget that empathy is a strength that keeps societies strong rather than a weakness.
The writer is assistant professor, Department of Economics, Dr B R Ambedkar College, University of Delhi
