A techie’s post comparing work-life cultures across India, the US and Europe has opened a wide-ranging debate online, drawing reactions on ambition, colonial history, peace, pressure and the modern meaning of success.
In his X post, @soorajchandran_ wrote: “Having lived and worked in India, the US, and now Europe, Europe gets work-life balance right. People don’t let their jobs define them, and you can have a comfortable role and plenty of time for the rest of your life. Strong employee protections and generous leave policies make a big difference. The downside is there isn’t much incentive to be ambitious. The system prioritises stability over hunger.”
The post triggered a cascade of responses, each reflecting a different world-view shaped by geography, economics and personal experience.
One user sided with the original sentiment, writing: “European work-life balance is incredible.! But I guess ambition isn’t gone, it’s just more self-directed rather than driven by external pressures.”
Another framed European stability in historical terms: “Europe can afford low ambition because centuries of colonial gains built a foundation that still benefits them. Now, other countries drive the innovation and do most of the hard work.”
A third argued that ambition still matters for progress: “Hustle culture can be a doomsday for some but nothing great comes out of a culture soaked in comfortzone.”
But others said the pursuit of peace trumps high-pressure ambition. One response noted: “End of the day, peace and family matters. No point being too ambitious and trying to achieve everything. Money is easy, peace and stress isn’t. Europe is best for that – nature + work life balance + clean air.”
The US-India comparison also surfaced. Another user wrote: “Never been to US, but couldn’t agree more with EU and India on work life balance. From my perspective, India would too chose stability over ambition, but US might be great for ambitious people.”
A final comment pointed to India’s own workplace culture pressures: “India its opposite. I don’t where things went wrong but most people I know-only jobs defines them. They are SWE at X. But don’t do anything beyond 9-5 that EU or US folks do.”
Murthy’s 72-hour work-week debate resurfaces
The debate arrives at a moment when India is already grappling with a wider conversation about ambition and labour.
Infosys founder N.R. Narayana Murthy recently reignited controversy by repeating his call for dramatically longer work schedules. Highlighting China’s “996” culture — “9 am to 9 pm, 6 days a week… that is 72 hours a week” — he argued that “no individual, no community, no country has ever come up without hard work.”
He also said Prime Minister Narendra Modi works 100 hours a week, calling it an example for the youth.
Murthy’s remarks have once again polarised opinions across the tech sector — and in many ways echo the same tension now playing out under @soorajchandran_’s viral post: stability vs ambition, balance vs grind, and how much work is enough in a fast-changing world.