My son has been boycotted by kids in our lane. The reason - we (yes, both of us) started playing football everyday with a Nepali kid whose father is a servant in one of the neighbouring houses.
For context, in my lane - almost everyone (barring yours truly) has a business, net worth well over 100 CR, have either BMW, Audi or Volvo as their cars, most houses have multiple servants & spend lavishly on parties regularly.
BUT they consider it as "beneath their standards” for their kids to play with a servant's kid?
Let that sink in.
This is not about money.
This is not about success.
This is about classism dressed up as culture and values.
We teach our kids English accents, global exposure, and the right schools
BUT we quietly pass down the ugliest inheritance of all:
the belief that dignity depends on surname, salary, or the job your father does.
We may have overcome casteism, but will ever overcome our shallow mindsets of economic inequality & status symbols?