THE MYTH OF DEVELOPMENT — DISMANTLED BY DATA, DIALOGUE & SATIRE
- Madhukar Dama
- Apr 17
- 9 min read
The narrative of “human progress” has been packaged so neatly — science, technology, medicine, education, economy, space. But peel back the shine, and it often feels like a well-decorated collapse.
What you’re seeing might be something like this:
Development in medicine, but decline in health.
Development in communication, but collapse in relationships.
Development in economy, but rise in personal debt and burnout.
Development in education, but explosion in confusion and purposelessness.
Development in cities, but disappearance of air, water, food, time.
It’s as if we’re building a mansion while forgetting the soil it's sinking into.
1. HEALTH
Illusion: Medicine has advanced — we are healthier than ever.
Reality: Chronic diseases are at an all-time high. Wellness has become a billion-dollar industry because sickness is now normal.
Tools:
Data: Rise in diabetes, heart disease, autoimmunity, mental illness.
Dialogue: A patient meets a doctor-turned-hermit.
Satire: “We cured smallpox, so you could die of lifestyle.”
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2. EDUCATION
Illusion: Education empowers people.
Reality: It creates obedient workers and confused dreamers.
Tools:
Data: Rising degrees, falling employability, student suicides.
Dialogue: A topper meets a village dropout.
Satire: “We teach critical thinking — but only in the essay section.”
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3. ECONOMY
Illusion: GDP growth = national progress.
Reality: Rich-poor gap widens, nature destroyed, mental health declines.
Tools:
Data: Corporate profits vs. household debt.
Dialogue: A salaried father debates his minimalist son.
Satire: “We made everyone richer — in ads.”
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4. TECHNOLOGY
Illusion: Tech connects and frees us.
Reality: Addiction, distraction, and surveillance reign.
Tools:
Data: Screen time, dopamine depletion, social media disorders.
Dialogue: A child tries to unplug.
Satire: “You’re free to do anything… inside the app.”
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5. ENVIRONMENT
Illusion: We’re building green solutions.
Reality: We destroyed the forest to hold climate summits.
Tools:
Data: CO₂, microplastics, species loss, greenwashing.
Dialogue: A tribal elder addresses climate activists.
Satire: “We saved the earth — on PowerPoint.”
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6. URBAN DEVELOPMENT
Illusion: Smart cities = smarter lives.
Reality: Lost sunlight, silence, soil, sanity.
Tools:
Data: Mental health in cities, urban heat islands, crime.
Dialogue: A village child visits his uncle in a metro.
Satire: “Smart enough to build 100 floors — but forgot where the sky went.”
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1. THE ILLUSION OF HEALTH
THE NARRATIVE
> “Medicine has advanced more than ever. Lifespans are increasing. New surgeries, AI diagnostics, miracle drugs… Humanity has never been healthier.”
THE UNCOMFORTABLE DATA
India's NCD Epidemic (Non-Communicable Diseases):
66% of deaths in India are now due to lifestyle diseases (WHO, 2023).
Diabetes cases rose from 26 million (2000) to over 100 million (2023).
India is now the heart disease capital of the world.
Mental Health:
1 in 7 Indians suffer from mental illness (Lancet report, 2020).
Suicide is the leading cause of death in ages 15–29.
Children’s Health:
Early-onset obesity and diabetes skyrocketing.
Vitamin D and B12 deficiencies common even in urban children.
Medical Industry:
Prescription drug abuse, overtreatment, unnecessary surgeries.
Healthcare is now a $372 billion industry in India — but wellness is absent.
In short:
We are living longer, but not healthier.
We have more medicines, but also more diseases.
We have doctors in every street, but still seek healing in silence.
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DIALOGUE: THE SICK ENGINEER AND THE HERMIT
Vishal (36), IT professional from Bengaluru, sits with Madhukar the Hermit in a mud courtyard.
Vishal:
I earn well, have insurance, gym membership, yearly check-ups…
Yet, I’m on BP pills, antacids, and sleep meds. Why?
Madhukar:
Because health is not bought in capsules.
You paid for everything except attention.
Vishal:
But I follow modern science. I do what the doctors say.
Madhukar:
Modern science follows disease.
True healing follows life.
Vishal:
I don’t smoke. I eat quinoa. I track steps. Still, I feel heavy, inflamed, tired.
Madhukar:
Did you track your stillness?
Did you measure your peace?
Fiber, barefoot earth, morning light, water before food — do you know these things?
Vishal:
That’s all old-school. My dad used to do that.
Madhukar (smiling):
And your dad lived without medication, didn’t he?
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SATIRE: THE MODERN MEDICAL MIRACLE
We cured smallpox —
So we could die of sugar.
We extended lifespan —
So people could spend 30 years in hospitals.
We invented bypass surgery —
And kept selling chips on the way to the ICU.
We created diagnostic apps —
But forgot the diagnostics of living.
We wrote fitness books —
While sitting 14 hours a day.
Welcome to modern medicine:
We manage your diseases…
But we won’t ask why you’re falling sick.
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2. THE ILLUSION OF EDUCATION
THE NARRATIVE
> “Education uplifts society. It creates thinkers, innovators, problem-solvers. More degrees mean more development. The more you learn, the better your life becomes.”
THE UNCOMFORTABLE DATA
India’s Education Inflation:
Over 4 crore graduates are unemployed or underemployed (CMIE 2023).
92% of engineers in India are unemployable in core engineering roles (Aspiring Minds, 2022).
School Dropouts and Suicides:
Over 13,000 student suicides reported in a single year (NCRB, 2022).
Learning levels in government schools dropped despite higher enrollments.
Global Comparison:
OECD PISA test results place India near the bottom in comprehension, logic, and problem-solving.
What’s Missing:
Financial literacy, mental resilience, ethics, nutrition, real-world skills — all absent in most curriculums.
In short:
More years in school are producing less clarity, more confusion, and rising anxiety.
Children are being trained to pass — not to think.
Graduates are entering the world with debt, but no direction.
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DIALOGUE: THE TOPPER AND THE VILLAGE DROPOUT
Rohan, an IIT topper, visits his cousin Shivu in a remote Karnataka village.
Rohan:
I’ve studied for 22 years. B.Tech, MBA, data science diploma, all of it.
Shivu:
I dropped out in Class 8. But I grow my own food, build houses, and teach kids here.
Rohan:
But don’t you feel limited?
Shivu:
You have certificates.
But you can’t fix your roof, cook your meal, or sit with silence.
Rohan (sighs):
I feel lost. Like I did everything right, but missed life.
Shivu:
Maybe you didn’t fail.
Maybe the syllabus did.
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SATIRE: THE UNIVERSITY OF U-TURNS
We teach physics — but forget how to breathe.
We recite civics — but never vote.
We pass grammar — but can’t speak to our parents.
We do MBA case studies — but panic at real money decisions.
We preach "Think Different" — but punish anyone who does.
Welcome to Modern Education:
You’ll learn everything…
Except yourself.
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3. THE ILLUSION OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
THE NARRATIVE
> “India is growing at 7%. GDP is booming. Startups are rising. More people own homes, cars, gadgets. Poverty is declining. Development is visible everywhere!”
THE UNCOMFORTABLE DATA
GDP ≠ Happiness or Equality:
Top 1% of Indians own more than 40% of the wealth (Oxfam 2023).
The richest Indian's net worth = budget of multiple Indian states.
Debt-Driven Growth:
Household debt is growing faster than income.
EMIs, credit cards, instant loans are pushing middle class into invisible poverty.
Jobless Growth:
India added only 1 net formal job for every 100 people entering working age.
Majority of new jobs are gig-based, insecure, and without benefits.
Cost of “Progress”:
Ecological destruction, forced displacement, land grabbing — all in the name of growth.
Farmer suicides continue — even while Sensex breaks records.
In short:
We are earning more but owning less.
We are working more but resting less.
We are producing more but feeling emptier.
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DIALOGUE: THE SALARIED FATHER AND THE MINIMALIST SON
Rajeev, 55, a government employee, sits at the dining table with his son, Aarav, 28, who lives in a forest community.
Rajeev:
I gave you a good life — AC, coaching, car, comfort. And now you live like a hermit?
Aarav:
You gave me things.
But not time. Not joy. Not health.
I saw you sell peace for pension.
Rajeev:
But money gives security!
Aarav:
Whose?
You have insurance but no sleep.
A car but no forest.
A home loan but no home inside you.
Rajeev:
So what now — we just stop working?
Aarav:
No, we start working honestly — on needs, not numbers.
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SATIRE: THE GREAT INDIAN GDP TRICK
We sell coffee to buy peace.
We fly to retreats to escape our cities.
We work 16 hours to afford a break.
We build 50-storey towers with 2 hours of sunlight.
We celebrate growth — while growing ulcers.
Welcome to the Modern Economy:
Where value is extracted,
then sold back to you in EMIs.
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4. THE ILLUSION OF TECHNOLOGICAL PROGRESS
THE NARRATIVE
> “Technology has made life easier, faster, smarter. We are more connected, more informed, more efficient. AI, 5G, smart homes — we’re living in the future!”
THE UNCOMFORTABLE DATA
Mental Health Crisis:
Screen addiction among teens is leading to anxiety, depression, and sleep disorders.
India's digital screen usage rose to 7.3 hours/day (Statista 2023).
Digital Overload:
Information fatigue syndrome is now a real condition.
98% of content consumed daily is algorithmically manipulated.
Surveillance & Loss of Privacy:
From UPI to Aadhaar to Google Maps — every movement is trackable.
Privacy is now a setting not a right.
Loss of Attention & Presence:
Children can’t sit through a story.
Adults can’t eat without checking phones.
Social Media = Social Breakdown:
Performative lives, dopamine spirals, comparison burnout.
In short:
Tech promised connection but delivered distraction.
It offered freedom but created invisible cages.
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DIALOGUE: THE UNPLUGGED CHILD
Meera, a 10-year-old girl, visits Madhukar the Hermit with her mother.
Meera:
Uncle, why does my mind buzz like a mosquito?
Madhukar:
Because your thoughts are not your own anymore.
You are scrolling other people’s lives — not living yours.
Mother:
But she learns so much on YouTube!
Madhukar:
Learning isn’t watching.
It’s doing. Failing. Touching. Playing.
Meera:
Can I leave my phone and still know things?
Madhukar (smiling):
The earth will teach you everything —
If you let your thumbs rest.
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SATIRE: THE DIGITAL DELUSION
We invented 5G — to send voice notes instead of walking across the room.
We built smart homes — but forgot how to feel at home.
We automated everything — except loneliness.
We googled everything — but forgot how to wonder.
We connected everyone — yet feel more alone than ever.
Welcome to Tech Heaven:
Where you can control the lights with your voice —
But can’t control your mind.
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5. THE ILLUSION OF ENVIRONMENTAL DEVELOPMENT
THE NARRATIVE
> “We are going green. EVs, carbon credits, climate summits, afforestation drives, sustainable development goals — the future is eco-friendly and secure.”
THE UNCOMFORTABLE DATA
Greenwashing Galore:
Most corporate “sustainability” efforts are marketing — not measurable impact.
Carbon offset programs are riddled with fraud.
Pollution by Progress:
India ranks among the top in air and water pollution.
Over 75% of urban groundwater is polluted.
Rivers are drying, forests are vanishing, and lakes are real estate now.
Microplastics & Toxins:
Microplastics found in placenta, breastmilk, and even clouds.
Packaged food = plastic + chemicals + air.
EV Hype = Mining Disaster:
Electric vehicles need lithium and cobalt — mined by child labor and ecological destruction.
Forests Sacrificed for Cities & Events:
Thousands of trees cut to build climate conference venues.
In short:
We plant trees after destroying ecosystems.
We build green buildings on dead rivers.
We take selfies with saplings — then buy imported avocados.
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DIALOGUE: THE CLIMATE ACTIVIST AND THE TRIBAL ELDER
Ishita, a 26-year-old climate activist from Delhi, meets Veeruanna, a 74-year-old Soliga tribal in Karnataka.
Ishita:
We’re demanding policies and green funding. We’re raising awareness globally!
Veeruanna (calmly):
Did your awareness teach you how to farm without poison?
Did your policies give you rain?
Ishita:
We’re fighting plastic pollution too!
Veeruanna:
We stored water in earthen pots. You wrapped water in plastic.
Now you fight your own invention.
Ishita (pausing):
What should we do?
Veeruanna:
Stop saving the planet on paper.
Start saving the soil under your feet.
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SATIRE: THE GREEN REVOLUTION 2.0
We built green cities — with air purifiers in every room.
We held climate summits — in carbon-spewing jets.
We banned straws — and kept factories.
We celebrated World Environment Day — with balloons.
We replaced paper bags with 7 Instagram reels.
Welcome to Eco-Modernity:
Where we love nature…
Just not enough to live like it matters.
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6. THE ILLUSION OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT
THE NARRATIVE
> “Smart cities are the future. Urban development brings jobs, infrastructure, world-class amenities. Metro rails, expressways, high-rises — they’re signs of progress!”
THE UNCOMFORTABLE DATA
Smart Cities = Dumb Realities:
India’s Smart Cities Mission covered 100 cities — most remain incomplete or mismanaged (CAG Report, 2023).
Basic amenities like waste disposal, clean air, and water access remain broken.
Mental Health in Urban India:
Urban dwellers are 3 times more prone to anxiety and depression (WHO, 2022).
Children rarely see soil. Adults rarely see silence.
Space Shrinks, Costs Rise:
Flats shrink, prices rise — families live in matchboxes called "luxury towers".
A middle-class person in Bengaluru works 15–20 years just to own a flat on the city’s edge.
Nature Eclipsed:
Urban heat islands choke cities.
Birds vanish, lakes become garbage dumps, and parks become wedding venues.
Homeless in the City of Homes:
While crores are spent on flyovers, thousands sleep under them.
In short:
We built cities to improve life.
Now we escape cities just to feel alive.
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DIALOGUE: THE VILLAGE CHILD IN THE SMART CITY
Bhima, a 12-year-old from a forest hamlet, visits his aunt in Gurugram.
Bhima:
Aunty, where do people here go to climb trees?
Aunt:
Trees? You mean malls?
Bhima:
And where do you play with mud?
Aunt (laughing):
We don’t play with dirt here. We clean it.
Bhima (looking out the window):
So many cars. So little sky.
Aunt:
That’s development, beta.
Bhima:
If this is development…
Why does everyone look so tired?
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SATIRE: THE SMART CITY CIRCUS
We built 40-storey towers — and forgot to keep sunlight.
We laid concrete over soil — then bought earthworm compost online.
We got lifts in buildings — but no stairs in life.
We live in gated communities — but crave connection.
We built signal-free roads — and minds full of noise.
Welcome to Smart Cities:
Where everything is upgraded…
Except the human experience.
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