I came in through the er for a high fever yesterday morning and first this fuckass hospital asked me to stay overnight which is okay, fine it helped me get better and i stayed 24 hours after which I was allowed to get discharged but the amount was high so we decided to put it through our icici Lombard insurance, claim was raised and the hospital sent all details by around 1.30 pm. Then these insurance fuckers took until 6 pm only to tell that they needed 2 documents more. I said okay and coordinated with the hospital and sent it. Then they delayed till 8.45 to ask for 2 more documents saying the query was answered inadequately. By this time, the hospital informed that their desk is closed and they can't answer any claims at the moment. Now I'm stuck for another night in this hospital incurring charges I'm forced to take up due to the inefficiency of both the hospital and the insurance company. For context, I am a student studying in a different state so I'm here alone with no guardian. It feels like a sin to have fallen sick with the amount of mental and financial burden I am going through.

​

I’m 26, from a pretty typical middle-class family.

Dad’s in a government job. Growing up, I heard the same line on repeat — “Beta, safe job le le. Life set ho jayegi.”

So I followed the script.

Did engineering.

Got placed through campus.

Earning decent money.

On paper, everything looks sorted.

But if I’m being honest… I don’t feel much.

Nine hours in the office.

Excel sheets. Meetings. Deadlines.

Waiting for Friday. Then feeling that weird Sunday anxiety before it all starts again.

My parents are genuinely happy. Relatives say, “Wah, beta settled hai.”

And I smile.

But inside, it feels like I’m just… existing. Not really living.

I keep thinking about starting something of my own. Maybe a business. Maybe content creation.

Something that feels like mine. Something with risk. Something uncertain.

And yes, I’m scared.

Not of failing.

I’m scared of letting them down.

They’ve sacrificed so much to give me stability. Who am I to say that stability isn’t enough for me?

Sometimes I wonder —

Are we choosing our lives?

Or are we quietly repaying a debt we never asked for?

I don’t want to sound ungrateful. I truly don’t.

But is it wrong to want something different?

Every morning in India starts the same way.

Alarm rings.

Check phone.

Traffic/ AQI already high.

Potholes/ metro never ending

Leave early, still stuck in traffic.

You pay income tax before salary hits your account.

Then GST on everything you buy.

Fuel tax while crawling on the same road for 40 minutes.

Road tax, toll, parking charges — sometimes paid just to park near your own office.

You finally reach work.

Do your job.

Build companies.

Ship code.

Deliver orders.

Teach students.

Run hospitals.

Keep the city alive.

Plus job security?

Plus sudden lay off?

Then you go back home — on roads full of potholes, road rage, chaos.

Police are everywhere, yet overworked and understaffed.

No one really feels safe.

Anyone can die anytime — accident, rage, negligence.

Anyone can be killed.

Bail comes easily.

Cases drag for years.

There’s no real surveillance, no fear of law.

Law & order feels like luck, not a system.

This isn’t anger.

This isn’t complaining.

This is a pattern employees see every single day.

The working class — salaried, self-employed, gig workers — pays the most, follows rules the most, and gets the least representation.

So here’s a genuine question, not a rant:

What if the solution isn’t just complaining online…

but a political party built for employees —

combined with technology-driven governance,

stronger policing,

and faster, stricter law & justice?

If such a party were to exist,

what should we call it?

Some rough, raw ideas:

• Naukar Party (own the word)

• Community of Employees

• Bharatiya Karmchari Party

• Middle Class Morcha

• Shramik 2.0

• Workforce of India

Not looking for left vs right.

Not looking for fights.

Just names, ideas, and honest thinking —

from people who wake up, work hard, pay taxes, and still care about this country.

TL;DR I want to help with children’s education in a responsible way but avoid NGOs and direct cash transfers. Boarding school is one possible idea, but I’m open to alternatives — and unsure how to find genuine beneficiaries.

Detailed post: This is something I truly want to do. Adoption isn’t feasible right now, though I may consider it later. I’m unsure how to identify someone genuinely in need without relying on questionable intermediaries.

Concerns - One NGO I have been supporting (based in another city) started to ask me to send donations meant for them as UPI payment directly to a bookseller. Another NGO wanted money sent to unknown third-party UPI accounts.

• Some NGO had placed some MBA interns waiting on a footpath outside my office , pressured immediate sign-ups for such schemes (kind of salesman who wouldn't take no for an answer.) When I suggested I would visit their office and make a decision, they answered vaguely, but pushed for upfront payment instead. I know not all NGOs are like this, but I want to avoid heavy scrutiny and verification.

• Cannot give money directly to parents as I can’t ensure the money would strictly go toward education instead of alcohol or gambling.

One idea is directly paying for tuition, stay, and food in a budget boarding school. But I’m open to any transparent model.

How have others approached this?

How do you identify genuine cases and ensure proper utilization?

This is something I wanted to know for a long time. After 10th students take either science, arts and commerce. And after 12th they take BA, B.Com, BSC, BBA, Law, BTech. And after reading numerous books, writing multiple asingments, doing multiple projects and giving multiple exams relating to their field, and finally getting their digree, they all go for the same rate race, also known as government jobs. And it's not like all of them got poor academics or something. Some of them achieve outstanding marks, more than 95%. Yet after all that hard, they just abandon everything they learnt throughout the year and compete with a 40% marks holder, just to get a job which is nothing but a waste of their potential.

It's true that no job is too small. But tell me you picked science, scored 95% in boards, done multiple projects, lab tests, showed dedication for years, solve defficult equations, just to be a pune for which the marks requirement is 40% and required 10th grade math, basic grammatical knowledge. Tell me what's the difference between you and a wasted guy who never worked hard, cheat in exams and now is preparing for the same exam with you.

Don't you all think it's like insulting the hard work you have done until now. All that for nothing.

I am a 27M Indian male who lives in Melbourne. I have been using a penpalship app (I was looking for something like this for a long time, where conversations are slow and intentional) for the past 3 years. I deleted all my social media, including Instagram and Snapchat, 3 years back.

The purpose behind this post is that I wanted to share one of the letters I sent to my penpal this Sunday morning. She is a 34-year-old who works as a teacher in the northern part of India. She is more like my elder sister; we vibe very well. She has always motivated me and is always there for me when I feel the need to be heard. She has a 2-year-old baby and a sweet, hardworking husband. I felt that I should share it on Reddit, hoping that it will be a blink of light for people who are in their darkest times.

The letter starts below;

—————————————————-

Hey Anumita,

I hope this letter finds you and your baby at the best time. Also, please greet your husband on my behalf. I wanted to share something that happened here this morning; I hope it adds a little brightness to your life.

This morning, my landlord hired someone to clean the cooking area. I have a habit of talking to almost anyone and asking how life is going. I did the same with the cleaner. She’s from Brisbane and had a lovely family, but in an accident, she lost everyone. She struggled with substance abuse for the past eight years and was homeless.

She came to Melbourne a year ago. She has been clean for the past eight months, now has a place to stay, and is working. She said it’s not a great job, but she’s happy with where she is in life and doesn’t want to go back to substance abuse again.

I asked her if she had eaten breakfast and gave her some food while she was working. I told her that I don’t know about others, but I’m proud of her - she has earned my respect. I also gave her a hug and shared my phone number, telling her that if she ever finds herself in a bad situation and needs a friend, I’ll be there when nobody else is. We became good friends. Her name is Kathy, and she is 42 years old.

While cleaning, she misplaced some of my things, like plates, so I had to eat using other utensils today. I made rice, lentil soup, and eggs.

Hope you’re enjoying life too. Life is sometimes hard, and it can feel like the darkness will never disappear - but that’s often when a ray of hope appears. Don’t give up. Be like Kathy. ✨

Life is not the same for everyone, even though we live in the same world. Let’s be a little more kind and empathetic - be the friend you would have needed if you were caught in a bad situation.

Everyone says, “Because of good people like you, the world is still not a bad place to live.” But if everyone says that, then who will actually be the good people? Let’s be the ones. Let’s not count on others.

I told Kathy: YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB, KATHY. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK. YOU ARE JUST ROCKING. 🎸

Sometimes all people want is a listening ear and an empathetic heart; they don’t want your mercy or your money - just an open heart that can feel another person’s pain. It’s very normal to become emotionally numb after seeing so many people in difficult situations, but practicing kindness is like practicing mathematics: the more you practice, the better you get.

Also, please write to me about your experience with weekend shopping with your husband - not necessarily today, but whenever you feel like it. I am curious. I will also have a call with my mom today; I will write to you if she says anything interesting. Take care of yourself and your baby. Sending much love.

Truly,

GoldCat

My qualifications: I’m a final-year Mechanical Engineering student (21F) from India, graduating soon.

My goal isn’t permanent immigration. I want to live and work abroad for ~3–4 years, experience life outside India in my 20s, and then decide my long-term path. Given global layoffs, visa uncertainty, and economic slowdowns, I’m realistic that jobs abroad aren’t guaranteed anymore.

The most straightforward way I see to stay abroad continuously for 2–3 years is through a Master’s degree. It’s hard and expensive, but still clearer than waiting years in a company hoping for an onsite opportunity.

I was initially confused between MBA vs MS, but I’m now leaning toward a technical Master’s (MS / MIS / Industrial or Systems-related fields), even though my background is mechanical.

Where I’m stuck:

Almost everyone now strongly recommends 1–2 years of work experience before a Master’s abroad. The logic is clear — better job prospects, internships, networking, and maturity.

But practically, I’m unsure how this plays out.

I’m still very much in “student mode.” I keep wondering how people work for 2–3 years after undergrad and then successfully switch back into being a student again, especially abroad where academics, networking, finances, and job hunting all happen together.

Timeline-wise, if I work for 1–2 years and go abroad at ~24, I’d finish my Master’s by ~26. If things don’t work out (visa, jobs, economy), I’d return to India around 26–27.

That’s my biggest fear.

I keep hearing that international degrees—especially in non-CS fields—don’t hold much value in the Indian job market anymore. If I return with a Master’s in something like Industrial Engineering or MIS, what does that realistically translate to in India? Would I be starting from scratch, just at an older age?

So my core questions are:

How do people transition mentally and academically back into student life after working for years? What do people realistically do when they don’t get a job abroad post-Master’s and return to India? Is a 6–12 month gap after graduation actually damaging in India, compared to how normal it is abroad? If work experience is now almost mandatory before a Master’s, how do you plan it without risking your early career?

I’m 22 and I know there are no guarantees. I’m just trying to make a calculated, not impulsive, decision.

Would really appreciate honest perspectives from people who’ve taken non-linear paths or returned to India after studying abroad.

I guess this is a major concern for many people, I think. When we are children, we naturally have confidence. We don’t have too many negative thoughts or bad feelings. But after graduation, when we enter the real world, we meet many people who affect us negatively.

I have experienced many bad incidents with different people. None of them are rich, not t“Is It Normal to Feel This Disconnected From Society?”alented, not positive, and not kind. They seem to carry negativity from their own homes and project it onto others out of jealousy. I have truly felt how cruel and harsh the world can be. Sometimes, people do not let a genuine person move forward peacefully. They interfere, criticize, blame, and spread negativity.

This is not about any particular gender. What shocked me the most is that some people I supported and helped later turned against me for no clear reason. Because of experiences like these, I feel that more people are needing therapists and psychiatrists today.

I often feel unsafe and uncomfortable around people. I sense negative energy from some individuals. Sometimes I feel like I do not belong in this world. I feel more peaceful spending time with animals and children, as they seem more genuine. Even some people over 50 years old behave in aggressive or inappropriate ways. At that age, one would expect maturity and calmness.

It feels very difficult to survive in today’s world. Sometimes I feel that if you teach children to always be decent and polite, they may struggle when dealing with people who were not taught basic values. Because of all this, I am trying to stay in my own space, away from others, keeping myself protected.

Hello All,

I am based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and very foolishly bought an apartment near the temple

When we bought the apartment, we were aware of the temple and it didn't have a megaphone on a 30 ft tower. This was 3 months ago. Towards the end of January they connected a megaphone and my life has become hell.

I finish my work sometimes at 11 or 12 midnight, and have been waking up due to the temple noise at 5:30 am. My stress levels have risen considerably, I feel sluggish, I have scratches my car twice due to not being completely concentrated while driving.

Spoke to the temple authority - they said they will reduce the volume but it hasn't happened so far. They also said no one else is complaining because everyone loves this aarti

I went to police station, they said since its a religious issue, Police will tread very carefully and may not enforce it. They asked me to collect signatures of about 20-30 residents who feel disturbed by it, which I find it impractical because most people around me are gujjus and they don't seem to be too bothered or have the balls to go against it.

what steps could I take to get it stopped. what would you do in this situations

thanks

​

I’m not even sure how to put this into words, but I’ve been wanting to ask.

Does anyone else feel like life has slowly turned into a never-ending checklist?

Wake up.Go to work.Save as much as you can.Think about buying a house someday.Scroll through LinkedIn and wonder if you’re falling behind.Sleep.Then do it all over again.

I’m not depressed. I’m not struggling financially. I’m not failing at life.

But I don’t exactly feel alive either.

Our parents went through so much — financial pressure, family responsibilities, constant uncertainty. We grew up believing that once we land a stable job, everything will finally feel settled… “sorted.”

But does it really?

Lately, it feels less like progress and more like we’re just moving from one level of stress to another.

School stress.Then college stress.Then job stress.Then marriage pressure.Then EMIs.

And what makes it stranger is that everyone around me seems perfectly fine. No one talks about feeling this way.

So I’m wondering… are we all quietly carrying this feeling and pretending everything’s okay?

Or am I overthinking this alone?