Bengaluru: A social media post triggers conversation on work culture
A Bengaluru-based employee’s Reddit post titled “I Quit Corporate” has gone viral, sparking intense discussions on work culture, city infrastructure, and the challenges of urban living. The employee revealed that after two years in the corporate sector, they decided to quit due to poor work-life balance, health issues, and rising living costs.
In their post, the user cited multiple reasons for leaving, including burnout, traffic congestion, incomplete metro projects, and inflation that made saving nearly impossible. “There’s no work life balance, physical and mental health is a joke, city’s cooked with traffic, no proper infra, there’s no way to save and invest thanks to inflation and taxes,” the post read.
Concerns over Bengaluru’s infrastructure
The employee’s frustration extended to Bengaluru’s rapid urbanisation, with unfinished metro lines and poor infrastructure adding to daily struggles. The post highlighted how the high cost of real estate and soaring inflation have pushed many young professionals to reconsider long-term life in the city.
The employee also reflected on their personal journey of adapting to Bengaluru. They wrote about learning Kannada, enjoying local cuisine like donne biryani, but concluded that the city felt “choked” due to poor planning and overcrowding.
Divided reactions online
The post received a flood of responses from social media users. Many empathised, sharing similar experiences of burnout, long commutes, and dreams of moving to smaller towns with better quality of life. Some argued that Bengaluru’s hustle culture mirrors a larger problem in Indian cities.
One Reddit user commented: “Been working for like 14 years now. Giving myself another 2 years to save some money and move to a tier 2 city to set up something for my family.”
However, not all responses were sympathetic. Several users cautioned that entrepreneurship might not guarantee better work-life balance. One user remarked: “If you think, by starting your venture, you will have work life balance, then you are in for a hell of surprise.”
Broader debate on work culture
The viral post has reignited conversations around the pressure of corporate jobs in India’s IT hubs. Experts have long pointed to long working hours, poor urban infrastructure, and rising costs as major contributors to employee burnout.
While some users supported the employee’s decision to pursue entrepreneurship despite uncertainty, others argued that perseverance in corporate life was necessary for financial stability.
Conclusion
The post not only sheds light on one individual’s frustration but also reflects the growing disillusionment among young professionals in Bengaluru. As India’s tech capital struggles with infrastructure challenges and rising living expenses, the debate over whether the corporate grind is worth it continues to divide opinions online.