Austrian man who visited India for 22 years lists what got worse: ‘People got richer. Their diets got poorer’

An Austrian man who has been visiting India for 22 years has shared a list of things he believes have worsened in the country, from pollution and unhealthy diets to social media and increasingly transactional relationships.

The post was shared by LinkedIn user Wolfgang Bergthaler. In the caption, he wrote, “Leaving #India with a few uncomfortable thoughts. My last post about India made a lot of Indians happy. So I probably owe you the other half of the story.”

Bergthaler said that while business opportunities in India are “endless” and the country offers plenty of opportunities to become wealthy, he believes some basic needs are still not being met.

He pointed to clean air and water, organic food and privacy before adding, “People got richer. Their diets got poorer.” He criticised the rise of junk and fast food, unhealthy lifestyles and a lack of sports.

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He also argued that more aspects of life have become transactional. “Everything became a business case,” he wrote, questioning whether there is still room for relationships without an expected return.

Bergthaler also commented on the growing use of social media, saying, “The attention span went from hours to reels.” He felt conversations increasingly jump between topics before becoming meaningful.

On the workplace, he wrote, “India went global. Hierarchy stayed local,” arguing that while companies have adopted global technology and practices, old-school power structures remain.

He also summed up what he sees as changing consumer behaviour with the line, “ ₹100 spent. 1000 expectations.”

The post drew mixed reactions, with several users agreeing with some of Bergthaler’s observations while others urged him to look beyond major cities.

“What you are writing is the reality of a few metro cities you visited. You will be surprised by what exists outside those cities,” one person wrote, pointing to India’s varied landscapes and communities that still follow farm-to-fork lifestyles.

Another agreed that pollution was a major concern but added, “A nation on reels might be an even bigger challenge.”

Some users, however, felt the post presented an overly negative picture.

“Fair observations, but after 22 years, it feels overly negative to frame India mainly through what has gone wrong,” one commenter said, adding that the country had also transformed in infrastructure, technology, entrepreneurship and global relevance.

Another said younger Indians were increasingly recognising the costs of development and may eventually find a balance between growth and traditional ways of living.

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“The point about hierarchy is especially relevant for international hiring,” another user wrote, saying that candidates may be prepared for global companies while management styles can still feel local.

One commenter agreed with Bergthaler’s broader point but added, “India is VAST, so it’s a trend for me overall, if not everywhere.”

(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)

Vaishali Kapila is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times Digital, where she covers internet culture, viral social media moments, human interest stories and workplace trends. She believes the best stories often come from ordinary experiences and everyday conversations. Through her stories, she aims to help readers understand not just what is trending, but why it matters.

Born and brought up in Chandigarh and now based in Delhi, Vaishali has over five years of experience in digital journalism. Before joining Hindustan Times, she worked as a Sub Editor at NDTV, where she specialised in food and travel writing. Over the years, she has written and edited stories on recipes, nutrition, restaurants, destinations and travel trends, while building expertise in digital storytelling, search-driven journalism and audience-focused content.

Today, her work spans a wide range of topics, including consumer issues, lifestyle, workplace trends and stories that reflect everyday life. She enjoys finding fresh angles, speaking with people and adding the context that helps readers make sense of a story.

Vaishali holds a Bachelor's degree in Sociology from Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Journalism with a specialisation in New Media from the Asian College of Journalism, Chennai.

When she is not working, Vaishali enjoys exploring new places, trying local food and documenting her experiences through a food Instagram page she runs with her husband. She also enjoys watching documentaries, learning about space and science, and exploring stories about different cultures and people.Read