The generational debate over whether life was better in the 1970s or in 2025 has taken over social media, and now, an unexpected but powerful voice has joined the conversation. Shailaja Chandra, an 80-year-old retired IAS officer, took to X (formerly Twitter) to share her experience of growing up in a middle-class family during the '70s and why, despite the noise and burnout of modern life, she believes today’s generation might actually have it better.
Her post came as a response to a viral LinkedIn note by Himanshu Kalra, which painted a bleak picture of the modern Indian middle-class experience. Kalra compared the linear and “sorted” path of a middle-class man in the 1970s—college, job, house, family—to the relentless rat race of 2025, where debt, job insecurity, high inflation, and mental health issues dominate the narrative.
Chandra, however, had a different perspective. Reflecting on her own lived reality, she wrote that while the 1970s may have seemed simple, they were in fact “very limiting.” Most families lived in joint households, constantly tracked their spending, and lived without the luxuries we now take for granted. Foreign vacations were a fantasy, eating out was rare, and even local travel was limited to trains like the Rajdhani, not flights.
In contrast, she argued, today’s middle class enjoys a far more enriched lifestyle. Be it the freedom to rent or own well-located homes, the ability to pay for children’s extracurricular activities, or the convenience of online shopping and net banking—modern life, she said, offers comforts the older generation could never have imagined. Two working parents, CCTV-monitored housing, and access to leisure and fitness activities have made life more secure and enjoyable for many.
She also praised the hustle culture of upskilling, saying that today’s professionals constantly improve their value by learning and moving between roles, something that wasn't as common or even possible back then.
Chandra ended her post with a cheeky note, asking people not to argue with “nanis and dadis” because they, too, have “eyes, ears, and a brain.”
Her post came as a response to a viral LinkedIn note by Himanshu Kalra, which painted a bleak picture of the modern Indian middle-class experience. Kalra compared the linear and “sorted” path of a middle-class man in the 1970s—college, job, house, family—to the relentless rat race of 2025, where debt, job insecurity, high inflation, and mental health issues dominate the narrative.
Chandra, however, had a different perspective. Reflecting on her own lived reality, she wrote that while the 1970s may have seemed simple, they were in fact “very limiting.” Most families lived in joint households, constantly tracked their spending, and lived without the luxuries we now take for granted. Foreign vacations were a fantasy, eating out was rare, and even local travel was limited to trains like the Rajdhani, not flights.
As an 80+ year old, I want to weigh into this 70's versus 2025 debate on work life then and now. Here's my take:
— Shailaja Chandra (@over2shailaja) June 24, 2025
The 1970s were linear but very limiting. The middle class was stretched between living as joint families or confronting the pressure of making ends meet. One was…
In contrast, she argued, today’s middle class enjoys a far more enriched lifestyle. Be it the freedom to rent or own well-located homes, the ability to pay for children’s extracurricular activities, or the convenience of online shopping and net banking—modern life, she said, offers comforts the older generation could never have imagined. Two working parents, CCTV-monitored housing, and access to leisure and fitness activities have made life more secure and enjoyable for many.
She also praised the hustle culture of upskilling, saying that today’s professionals constantly improve their value by learning and moving between roles, something that wasn't as common or even possible back then.
Chandra ended her post with a cheeky note, asking people not to argue with “nanis and dadis” because they, too, have “eyes, ears, and a brain.”
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