Lives in limbo        Author – Shahzad Sharjeel

This article strikes a deep chord, reminding us that success, often flaunted as an end goal, can quietly trap individuals and societies in a state of emotional and structural limbo. Through the lens of two viral incidents, a veteran actor dying in solitude and a TV guest degrading a journalist by likening him to a toilet cleaner. The article compels us to reflect on societal hypocrisy. It lays bare how we’ve become quick to pass judgment while losing our grip on empathy. The writer pokes holes in our collective conscience, arguing that independence, mobility, and the nuclear family are natural offshoots of modern life and not signs of moral decay. The crux of the matter is not in whether someone lives alone or migrates abroad, but in how society fails to evolve systems to support the elderly and respect all forms of honest labor.

In its second arc, the article lays into how society dehumanizes professions like sanitation work while celebrating empty slogans of dignity. It calls out the glaring silence when it comes to honouring real service, like that rendered by figures such as Mother Teresa and Gandhi. Meanwhile, a dysfunctional state-market dynamic adds salt to the wound, with both refusing to shoulder responsibility for elder care and inclusive infrastructure. The piece hits the nail on the head: until we embrace every dignified trade and build systems that support our evolving societal needs, we will keep dancing around in circles—stuck in limbo, emotionally barren, and morally adrift.

Overview:

The article is a satirical and reflective take on societal contradictions surrounding success, independence, elder neglect and the dignity of labor. It explores how viral incidents reveal a society caught between traditional values and modern realities, struggling with judgment, empathy and structural gaps.

NOTES:

This PIECE of writing provides critical material for CSS aspirants to understand how sociology intersects with media ethics, shifting family structures and socio-economic transformation. It encourages nuanced opinion-building on state responsibility, social decay, labor dignity and moral judgement. In essay papers or current affairs, such arguments can lend weight to topics about cultural evolution, urbanization or social justice.

Relevant CSS syllabus or subjects:

• Sociology: Changing family systems, elderly neglect, dignity of labor
• Pakistan Affairs: Social transitions, lack of welfare structure
• Current Affairs: Media sensationalism, moral judgment in society
• Essay: Cultural evolution, urban alienation, state-market roles in welfare

Notes for beginners:

The article points out that living alone or having kids abroad is not shameful it’s part of today’s independent life. The real problem is not being alone, but having no support from society when you’re old or sick. It also says we shouldn’t insult people for doing honest jobs like cleaning toilets. Famous leaders like Gandhi and Mother Teresa did such work with pride. So we must build a system that helps the elderly and respects all kinds of work equally.

Facts and figures:

• No specific numbers provided, but references include social neglect, the failure of elder support systems, and economic transition.
• The concept of nuclear families and urban migration trends are supported by global demographic patterns, especially in developing countries.
• Examples of moral leadership include Mother Teresa and Gandhi’s stance on labor dignity.

To wrap up, this article throws a splash of cold water on our selective morality. It nudges us to reevaluate what we value as a society—success, independence, and status—versus what truly builds a humane, supportive, and empathetic social fabric. It’s a wake-up call for policymakers, individuals, and media to bridge the widening gap between modern life and moral responsibility.