Billionaire entrepreneur Sridhar Vembu recently expressed his thoughts on the unintended consequences of constant economic rivalry, particularly how it affects societal cohesion and empathy. Using the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Vembu offered a reflective critique on how modern life, shaped by relentless status-driven aspirations, has increasingly led people to disconnect from one another in meaningful ways.
In his post, Vembu highlighted a key issue in contemporary societies: the tendency for individuals of higher income brackets to associate primarily with others who share similar economic status. This social stratification, he observed, has become far more pronounced than in previous times.
Urban areas, in particular, exemplify this growing divide. Unlike in earlier decades, where factors such as caste significantly influenced social interactions, it is now economic class that dictates the circles in which people move. The wealthy form networks with fellow elites, rarely mingling with those from lower economic backgrounds.
This growing separation, Vembu pointed out, isn’t just physical—it also redirects emotional and mental attention. People become more focused on comparing themselves to their affluent peers.
As a result, desires are shaped not by need but by competition—such as envying a neighbor’s luxury vacation rather than feeling concern for someone outside their immediate social sphere, like a distant relative in distress, a former mentor in need, or a low-wage worker burdened by medical costs. Because these people are no longer part of one’s daily reality, their struggles are often invisible and ignored. The modern social structure, in effect, cultivates indifference by distancing individuals from those whose hardships might otherwise inspire compassion or action.
Vembu concluded his post with a profound reflection on the idea of dharma—a concept rooted in the interconnectedness of life. In traditional thought, dharma represents the web of responsibilities and mutual care that holds society together.
He argued that as people chase personal financial advancement, they often become uprooted from these connections. Economic mobility, rather than enhancing one’s bond with the community, can sometimes sever it. When individual success becomes the dominant goal, it can come at the cost of the shared values and relationships that once defined society.
"Dharma is this interconnectedness. Our personal economic progress uproots us and we are no longer deeply connected..." he wrote.
In essence, Vembu warned that unchecked competition and the pursuit of material status risk creating a society where empathy is weakened and personal bonds are sacrificed. True progress, he suggested, should not disconnect us from one another but instead deepen our sense of mutual responsibility.
Who Is Sridhar Vembu?
Sridhar Vembu, born in 1968, is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur best known as the founder and former CEO of Zoho Corporation. As of 2024, Forbes ranks him as the 39th wealthiest individual in India, with an estimated net worth of $5.85 billion. In recognition of his contributions to business and technology, he was honored with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, in 2021.
According to the Forbes list of India’s 100 richest individuals released on October 9, 2024, Sridhar Vembu and his siblings collectively hold the 51st position, with a combined net worth of $5.8 billion.
In his post, Vembu highlighted a key issue in contemporary societies: the tendency for individuals of higher income brackets to associate primarily with others who share similar economic status. This social stratification, he observed, has become far more pronounced than in previous times.
Urban areas, in particular, exemplify this growing divide. Unlike in earlier decades, where factors such as caste significantly influenced social interactions, it is now economic class that dictates the circles in which people move. The wealthy form networks with fellow elites, rarely mingling with those from lower economic backgrounds.
Let me try: in all modern societies, high income people tend to socialize with other high income people. Segregation by income class is far more common than ever before and this is particularly true in urban areas where caste is nowhere as important as class in who socializes…
— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) May 4, 2025
This growing separation, Vembu pointed out, isn’t just physical—it also redirects emotional and mental attention. People become more focused on comparing themselves to their affluent peers.
As a result, desires are shaped not by need but by competition—such as envying a neighbor’s luxury vacation rather than feeling concern for someone outside their immediate social sphere, like a distant relative in distress, a former mentor in need, or a low-wage worker burdened by medical costs. Because these people are no longer part of one’s daily reality, their struggles are often invisible and ignored. The modern social structure, in effect, cultivates indifference by distancing individuals from those whose hardships might otherwise inspire compassion or action.
Vembu concluded his post with a profound reflection on the idea of dharma—a concept rooted in the interconnectedness of life. In traditional thought, dharma represents the web of responsibilities and mutual care that holds society together.
He argued that as people chase personal financial advancement, they often become uprooted from these connections. Economic mobility, rather than enhancing one’s bond with the community, can sometimes sever it. When individual success becomes the dominant goal, it can come at the cost of the shared values and relationships that once defined society.
"Dharma is this interconnectedness. Our personal economic progress uproots us and we are no longer deeply connected..." he wrote.
In essence, Vembu warned that unchecked competition and the pursuit of material status risk creating a society where empathy is weakened and personal bonds are sacrificed. True progress, he suggested, should not disconnect us from one another but instead deepen our sense of mutual responsibility.
Who Is Sridhar Vembu?
Sridhar Vembu, born in 1968, is an Indian billionaire entrepreneur best known as the founder and former CEO of Zoho Corporation. As of 2024, Forbes ranks him as the 39th wealthiest individual in India, with an estimated net worth of $5.85 billion. In recognition of his contributions to business and technology, he was honored with the Padma Shri, India’s fourth-highest civilian award, in 2021.
According to the Forbes list of India’s 100 richest individuals released on October 9, 2024, Sridhar Vembu and his siblings collectively hold the 51st position, with a combined net worth of $5.8 billion.
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