This reel by Cyrus Broacha captures a common situation perfectly. Link to reel. If you’re unfamiliar with Hindi, you can check the end for an English description.
The reel brings up a long-standing question: Why do Indians often seem disorganized within India but thrive and excel abroad? It’s a stark contrast to China, another major nation with a large diaspora. While Chinese immigrants also find some success abroad, their nation has achieved significant development domestically. China’s economic growth has been phenomenal, while India, though advanced in areas like space technology, still struggles with basic infrastructure issues.
I remember a conversation with a tourist in the 1990s who asked me, “How is India the fourth country to put a space shuttle into orbit, yet has broken roads?” This points to a fundamental curiosity—how is it that India’s impressive, resourceful spirit, the same ingenuity behind its space program, isn’t applied as effectively to other aspects of society?
The spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship that helps Indians succeed abroad sometimes works against India domestically. This creativity, or jugaad—a resourceful, makeshift way of getting things done—works well in individual circumstances, but it doesn’t necessarily benefit society as a whole. In the reel, for instance, the man going against traffic might get to his destination faster, but he slows down others and even risks causing accidents. When everyone prioritizes their individual success without regard for rules or social order, it can lead to a chaotic environment that ultimately harms society in the long run.
In India, democracy and the open-mindedness of Hinduism—where diverse perspectives are not only accepted but encouraged—foster a culture that values flexibility. With more languages and cultural diversity than even continents like Africa or Europe, India’s ecosystem allows for a lot of individual adaptation. There’s no “one right way” to live or think, which leads to a unique blend of ideas and survival strategies. In contrast, countries like the U.S., most of Europe, or China tend to be more unipolar. They often have stronger ideological foundations, whether it’s the influence of Christianity in the West or the Confucian and Communist principles in China, shaping a more unified approach to society.
China’s cultural approach is quite different. Historically, Chinese people are generally law-abiding, with a collective mindset that Mao Zedong emphasized through his strict policies. Later, under Deng Xiaoping, this focus on order and law contributed to China’s rapid economic success. They channeled the power of over a billion people with a shared goal to rebuild their country after the "century of humiliation" from Western colonialism. Their disciplined approach emphasizes long-term goals over immediate gratification, which has transformed China into a global economic powerhouse.
However, this approach doesn’t translate as well when Chinese people immigrate. While hard work is valuable, the rigid adherence to structure may not foster the level of entrepreneurship that’s often needed in dynamic environments like the U.S. This is where jugaad and out-of-the-box thinking give Indians an edge abroad, helping them adapt and succeed in new cultures.
For those who don’t understand Hindi: Cyrus, a well-known comedian and one of India’s first stand-up comics, plays the role of a traffic cop in the reel. A man drives the wrong way on a one-way road, and Cyrus, as the cop, tries to explain why it’s wrong. The man quickly comes up with creative excuses to avoid a fine, showcasing that quick, resourceful, on-the-fly thinking that’s so common in India. Even when Cyrus tries to get some money from him, the man manages to slip away without paying—an amusing illustration of the jugaad mindset in action.
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