‘I quit corporate’: Viral Bengaluru Reddit post sparks debate on city life, work culture

A Bengaluru user’s Reddit post about quitting corporate life resonated online, highlighting frustrations with work culture, burnout and rising living costs.

A Reddit post by a Bengaluru user declaring “I quit corporate” has struck a chord online, capturing the frustrations many professionals feel about city life, work culture and the rising cost of living.

Bengaluru is becoming infamous for its crumbling infrastructure. (Representational photo)(Pexels)

Shared on the popular ‘r/India’ forum, the user explained their decision to step away from the corporate world after two years working at companies such as Amazon, Meesho and Myntra. Though they hadn’t yet finalised their next move, they expressed interest in starting something of their own.

Citing burnout, poor work-life balance, health issues, crumbling infrastructure and soaring inflation, the user painted a love-hate picture of Bengaluru. While they appreciated the weather, local culture and food, they were critical of the city's worsening traffic and incomplete metro network - joking it might take another 40 years to finish.

“…City's cooked with traffic, no proper infra, there's no way to save and invest thanks to inflation and taxes….Daily commute to office feels like a test on patience, the sheer amount of exhaust gases I let in is enough to damage me even though I don't smoke or drink,” the user wrote in the post.

The post struck a chord online, with many users agreeing that the city's hustle culture is overrated.

The post quickly went viral, prompting a flood of comments. While many sympathised, others warned that entrepreneurship might bring even tougher challenges. “If you think, by starting your venture, you will have work life balance, then you are in for a hell of surprise,” a user replied.

Some argued the user hadn’t spent enough time in the corporate world to judge it fully, while others shared similar stories of burnout, long commutes, and dreams of escaping to smaller towns.