The entrepreneur shared an interaction with his neighbour, who, despite his professional success, admitted he was still trying to figure out what comes next. An entrepreneur’s social media post about his neighbour - a divorced IIT Roorkee graduate earning ₹70 LPA yet living a simple life - has sparked a discussion on loneliness, success and modern urban living in India.The post quickly went viral, with social media users divided over loneliness and modern success. (Representational image/Gemini AI generated)Taking to X, Ankit Kedia shared an interaction with his neighbour, an IIT graduate earning ₹70 LPA, who, despite his professional success, admitted he was still trying to figure out what comes next in life. Kedia described the man living alone in the flat next to his. He said that the neighbour lives away from his parents, leaves for work around 10 am, returns by 6 pm, cooks his own meals and spends his evenings singing. Yet, when Kedia asked him what he planned to do next in life, the response was unexpectedly simple, “I’m still figuring it out.”“There's a guy who lives alone in the flat next to mine. He lives away from his parents, goes to the office around 10, comes back by 6, cooks his own meals, and spends his evenings singing. We spoke today, and I found out he's a CSE graduate from IIT Roorkee, earns around ₹70 LPA, and is divorced. Despite all that, he lives a very simple life. When I asked him what's next, he simply said, ‘I'm still figuring it out,’” the X post read.Reflecting on the interaction, Kedia suggested that India’s major metropolitan cities could soon witness a growing trend of people living alone despite being financially successful. “Many people today have everything on paper: a great degree, a high-paying job, and financial security. But they don't have their people. The next big wave in India, especially in metro cities, will be people living alone. More money, more careers, more independence, but fewer people around them,” Kedia wrote.(Also Read: IIT alum breaks down ₹25 LPA CTC after first salary turned out lower than expected: 'Mujhe laga bank ne galti ki hai')What did social media say?The post quickly went viral, with social media users divided over loneliness and modern success.Reacting to the post, one user wrote, “Its because everything has turned into an event in India and too much noise everywhere thats making sensitive people withdraw from society. Japan also saw this, China has the same problem where young generation is “lying flat”. India is also seeing this among highly educated.”“For a poverty ridden nation, wealth over loneliness is completely 100% worth it. We have nostalgicized the hell out of having 8-10 members per family with bare middle class existence. Let the next generation enjoy this new gotten wealth for once. Loneliness is common in the West,” commented another.“And what is wrong with living alone than having a bunch of fake people who aren't worth your time. How many people in ur life u can say truly care about u. It's better to live alone than with venomous kind of people who are ready to bite u anytime they get the chance,” wrote a third user.“The loneliness epidemic. India needs spaces to bring people together. And some encouragement. People who live alone find it comforting. But it is not good for mental health,” said one user.“The next divide in society may not be rich vs poor, but connected vs alone. Careers can buy freedom and comfort, but not belonging. More people have everything on paper and no one to share it with,” wrote another.Bhavya Sukheja is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 6 years of experience in digital journalism. She specialises in covering stories that reflect everyday human experiences, with a focus on viral videos, social media trends, and human-interest features that inform readers while sparking meaningful conversations. She loves chasing page views and finding stories that tug at readers’ heartstrings.