‘People got richer. Their diets got poorer’: Austrian man on how India has changed

‘Everything became a business case’

But he said economic growth has not necessarily translated into improvements in some of the basics of everyday life. He highlighted clean air and water, organic food, and privacy as things he feels people still lack.

“People got richer. Their diets got poorer,” he wrote, while raising concerns about the growing popularity of junk and fast food, unhealthy lifestyles, and the lack of physical activity.

He also said money has begun influencing more areas of everyday life. “Everything became a business case,” Bergthaler wrote, questioning whether relationships can still exist without people expecting something in return.

From social media to consumer expectations

Social media was another major concern for him. “The attention span went from hours to reels,” he wrote, describing conversations that, in his view, increasingly move from one subject to another before they have a chance to become meaningful.

Bergthaler also turned his attention to Indian workplaces. “India went global. Hierarchy stayed local,” he wrote, suggesting that although Indian companies have embraced global technology and working methods, traditional power structures and hierarchies have remained firmly in place.

On changing consumer expectations, he offered another blunt summary: “Rs 100 spent. 1000 expectations.”

Mixed reactions

His observations sparked a debate on LinkedIn, with some users agreeing with parts of his assessment while others felt his experience may have been shaped largely by India’s bigger cities.

“I was thinking that a polluted environment is the greatest challenge India is facing. But as you observed as well, a nation on reels might be an even bigger challenge,” one user commented.

Another pushed back against the broader picture, arguing that Bergthaler may have seen only one side of the country. “What you are writing is the reality of a few metro cities you visited – you will be surprised what exists outside those cities … snow … three different types of deserts … rainforests … plateaus … straits … and people who eat well and live well – farm to fork for prices you cannot imagine,” the user wrote.

A third user offered a different perspective, saying many of the changes Bergthaler identified are not specific to India but are part of a wider global shift.

“Many of these changes are not uniquely Indian. Convenience food, less cooking, endless scrolling, shorter attention spans, increasingly transactional relationships and a more demanding consumer culture are very much realities in Europe too,” the user wrote.

They questioned whether these changes should be seen as India going wrong, or as consequences of globalisation and economic growth.

“India has opened itself to global business, technology, investment and lifestyles. Naturally, the less attractive sides come along as well,” the user added.

They argued that it may be difficult to celebrate globalisation for the opportunities and prosperity it creates while criticising it for the changes it brings to people’s habits and social lives.

“Perhaps India is not moving in the wrong direction, it is simply facing some of the same contradictions that the developed world has been living with for quite some time.”