“Nothing changes on New Year's Day” are the lyrics of the song 'New Year's Day' by U2, the famous Irish rock band, from their album War. The lyrics were written as part of the Polish solidarity movement in the early 1980s. Fast forward to the present, the lyrics still ring true, at least in a general sense.
We eagerly wait for the new year. Weeks before December 31, our inboxes begin to fill up with greetings. As the day draws nearer, it becomes impossible to filter the important messages from the unread ones. When the new year dawns, one often feels guilty for not responding to all those messages – colourful, innovative, each conveying best wishes – health, wealth, longevity, success… the list goes on.
Despite all our anticipation for bright new beginnings and setting positive resolutions to discover the ‘new me', we wake up on January 1 and find that everything is pretty much the same as it ever was.
In fact, it remains largely unchanged throughout the year. There may be moments of euphoria, but the gloomy days seem longer. Happiness as a culture has long eluded us Indians. In 2024, India ranked 126th out of 146 countries on the global happiness index – behind Iraq and Palestine. We were classified as one of the world's least joyful nations. Our neighbouring countries like Nepal, Bangladesh, and China ranked better than us. Why do we feel so melancholic?
Are We More Sensitive?
There are many areas of dissatisfaction felt by the average Indian, but this applies to people in other countries too. Citizens across the globe are confronted with challenges such as poverty, hunger, and climate change. Despite being embroiled in war, two West Asian nations, Israel (ranked 5th) and Kuwait (ranked 13th), made it to the Top 20 nations on the happiness index. Countries like Iraq and Palestine are ranked higher than us, despite being ravaged by continuous conflict in West Asia. But why does the average Indian citizen struggle with life satisfaction? Perhaps we are more sensitive to the shortfalls in our lives. The Covid-19 pandemic only worsened this.
Forget decent economic metrics – our perennial struggles for ‘roti, kapda aur makaan' (food, clothing, and shelter) continue to make us anxious. The economic burden of the pandemic has further exacerbated the situation. Deprived of social and income security, there is little life satisfaction for the ‘aam aadmi' (common man) – with three-fourths of the workforce employed in the informal sector. ‘Khushi' (happiness) remains elusive.
Societal changes, such as the shrinking of social circles, have added to our unhappiness. There are few friends or relatives we can depend on in times of crisis – and this too causes distress. The New Year messages from our family and friends bring us momentary happiness and a sense of being wanted, but soon, this feeling dissipates.
Our Struggles
The absence of a basic safety net, in the form of healthcare, education, and social services like old age pensions, coupled with the multitude of daily struggles, ensures that we Indians never face life's challenges with confidence.
Even in large cities with higher incomes than before, people remain unhappy. Extreme weather events like urban flooding and drought, issues such as air and water pollution, inadequate housing, and traffic congestion have significantly impacted daily well-being and happiness. Then there is concern about law and order, with rising insecurity. Women and girls face increased vulnerability with growing cases of rape and harassment, while children are unsafe even in schools.
People also fear falling ill, as good hospitals are often scarce, and the cost of treatment is a concern for many. Even those who can afford big private hospitals worry about the lack of empathy and attention from doctors.
We continue to battle corruption in our daily lives – whether for free rations, bribing the village sarpanch (head) and officials to access government schemes, or struggling to get a death certificate without paying a bribe. Corruption in government offices and the police force across India makes us unhappy.
Negative emotions run high – petty arguments over parking, pets, feeding strays, etc. We are unhappy being single, and sometimes, even in marriage.
The need for social media validation has heightened feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction, and isolation. So, where is happiness?
Suicide has become one of the largest public health crises facing people, both young and old, in India. Common stressors in life are related to work, studies, finances, relationship issues, and health. The suicide rate has increased to 12.4 per 100,000 – the highest rate ever recorded in India, according to the National Crime Records Bureau.
The truth is, we are lonelier and more depressed than ever before. This is reflected in the 64% increase in the sales of antidepressants and mood elevators since 2020. Mental health awareness, aside from the occasional comments from celebrities and film stars, remains largely absent among the masses.
To face the harsh realities with joy and discover the ‘new me', perhaps we all need to connect with our inner selves, as suggested by our ancient sages.
(The author is Contributing Editor, NDTV)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
