In the course of our lives, certain epiphanies have to be brought along by an external force. After all, we don’t spend all our time introspecting and scrutinizing ourselves in a holistic way – how we live, our place in society, our economic position. Many of us just lump ourselves into the ‘middle class’.
However, a Twitter thread by Anshumani Ruddra breaks down the realities of our privilege in a highly illuminatory fashion. He starts by explaining our most basic privilege – reading and writing in English.
He then goes on to explain how the ‘middle class’ in itself is an illusory creation, and that people in the supposed middle class are actually part of the super rich in India.
What he says isn’t easy to come to terms with, but the truth seldom is.
He likens the conversation to a recovery program, where you have to first accept that this is your reality, even if it feels uncomfortable.
People online praised the thread for telling it like it is.
While it may not feel comfortable, many of us have to look within and realise this about ourselves – that we are immensely privileged, and are at the upper echelons of our economic strata.