'We’re destroying a generation...': Startup cofounder's wake up call against 'hustle culture'
The online wave of “get rich quick” mentorships and self-styled business gurus is setting up an entire generation for failure, warns Vivan Vatsa, Co-founder at The People Company.
In a strongly worded LinkedIn post, Vatsa said that young people are being “brainwashed” by misleading narratives that glorify dropping out of college, skipping internships, and rejecting jobs in pursuit of easy online wealth.
“Might offend a lot of people but: we’re destroying an entire generation with lies packaged as ‘entrepreneurship.’ And calling it inspiration,” Vatsa wrote.
He pointed to a growing culture of 20-somethings getting lured by promises like “drop that job,” “start an agency,” or “invest ₹100 and make a crore.” According to him, this trend, amplified by social media influencers flaunting rented luxury and counterfeit brands, is turning the internet into a “casino.”
As an agency owner, Vatsa said he often encounters the fallout:
25-year-olds with no marketable skills
Resumes filled with ‘failed businesses’ that were never businesses
Professionals unable to handle basic workplace conversations
Youngsters who equate “grinding” with posting motivational quotes
“When that bubble bursts — and it always does — they’re left with nothing. No skills. No experience. No ability to make real decisions,” Vatsa cautioned.
He stressed that the tragedy lies not only in unemployment but in a generation becoming “unemployable” due to lack of core expertise. Instead of chasing illusions of passive income, he urged young people to focus on building lasting skills — problem-solving, domain expertise, real business understanding, and long-term relationships.
“We sold them a dream. We gave them a nightmare. Stop feeding kids illusions about easy money. Start teaching them how to build something real,” Vatsa concluded.
His post has sparked conversations online about the darker side of hustle culture, raising questions on whether India’s startup obsession is giving young aspirants a launchpad — or leading them into a void.
