A man flagged the ‘Bengaluru virus’ in a viral post. (Representational image/Gemini AI generated)
In the post, the user wrote, “The Bengaluru virus: We are all living on autopilot. Wake up. Check Teams. Standup. Work till 8 PM. Order dinner on Swiggy… Cali Burrito if I’m feeling disciplined. Watch Netflix while scrolling some app. Sleep. Repeat.” The writer suggested that many professionals believe they are different, adding, “I know you’re reading this thinking, ‘This isn’t me, I have a life,’ but it’s all of us.”
Loneliness behind productivity
The post went on to argue that the real issue was not traffic or pollution, but a deeper discomfort with stillness and solitude. “There is a virus in this city… It’s the inability to just be,” the user wrote, pointing to people constantly plugged into headphones on roads in areas such as HSR and Indiranagar. “We are terrified of being alone with our own thoughts for even 10 minutes,” the post read, warning that silence often leads to “existential dread.”
The user also questioned the value of high salaries, stating, “We earn 30 to 40 LPA, but where does it go? It goes into buying back time we sold to our employers.”
According to the post, convenience spending and performative socialising had replaced meaningful rest and genuine connection. “We aren’t living; we are just buffering between Jira tickets and hangovers,” it concluded.
Mixed reactions from users
The post drew a range of reactions from Grapevine users, with opinions divided. One user commented, “Not everyone earns the same bro.” Another wrote, “Been in Bengaluru since 2018, being North Indian life becomes more lonely.”
Some felt the issue was more personal than systemic. One response said, “Sorry to say it might just be you. Manage time better, exercise regularly, quit drinking if it drains you, have friends from different circles.” Another added, “People gotta learn what it means to live.”
Others resonated strongly with the sentiment. One user said, “This hit uncomfortably close to home.” Another wrote, “The silence part is real and scary.” One comment read, “We are busy all the time but still feel empty,” while another noted, “Taking the AirPods off feels harder than it should.”
