Why IMHO, Calcutta Is India's Boringest City

1. In every city which has transformed itself into a bustling new interesting metropolis, it is thanks to the younger (20s-40s) population of that city. Calcutta has a very interesting demographic - there are very few young, energetic people left. Most young, energetic, bright people have left the city for fairer shores because of (i) uber-controlling parents (ii) dearth of good jobs that would attract youngsters (iii) conservative and stifling social life (iv) lack of encouragement to entrepreneurial skills - wherein you either need to be a party person (now, we all know that is indeed true, non?) or marwari and/or a part of the old boys or girls network (v) general mistrust of outsiders.
2. Every city which has thrived in India consists mostly of outsiders who have infused energy, a new way of thinking and vigour to the existing city, not to mention talent. In Calcutta, there have been no outsiders for the last 20 years.
3. Fun and frivolity not given enough importance.
4. No pride for the city in the minds of most people in Calcutta. This in my opinion is because when they travel they find places far superior to their own, their children thrive outside Calcutta and they see more prosperity outside Calcutta. On the other hand you have the shouting brigade, somewhat like mamata, who scream about the love of the city and then promptly proceed to fuck it up royally be encouraging bandhs (strikes), being generally lazy and unmotivated and supporting all the wrong causes. It is time people realised - More money = Better Living.
5. Really nasty and mean-minded Local Governement who in my opinion (and this is why despite so many positives India will continue to be sucky - BECAUSE we elect ALL THE FUCKING WRONG PEOPLE!!!!) have been solely responsible for the low morale. No thinkers, no planners, no strategists in the local Government, only pseudo intellectuals.

I have tried my best to be social. I have done the club thing, but I really, really do not want to hang out with people who are my parents age. I am very, very sick of being continually asked "please ask your husband to vote", whining that I have no husband (thank heavens!) who can vote because women have no voting rights, not finding young professional women (my age) to hang out with (all my girl friends have left calcutta in the last 4 years and I don't blame them at all), being generally cold-shouldered or patronized by most couples, lied to by younger men about their marital status (ummm.... dude, I dont want to jump your bones, I am just talking with you...) for mystifying reasons. In contrast, when I am elsewhere, my life rocks.

Anyway, these are my personal opinions and I'm not trying to point fingers, just that I wish I wouldn't feel so horrible in Calcutta. I used to think I was manic depressive, horrible and asocial. So, while I am in Calcutta, my ikariam scores rock, because it is better to wage online battles than real ones, because no matter how hard I try, in Calcutta, I'm just playing a losing game.