By Badariti Lyngdoh Nonglait
Urbanization is often hailed as a sign of development. Better roads, more connectivity, and access to technology are meant to improve lives. But when urban influence creeps into rural areas without a matching improvement in education, infrastructure, and opportunity, it creates a dangerous imbalance. Nowhere is this more visible than in the lives of our rural youth.
In many villages, especially across the Khasi Hills, young people are increasingly exposed to urban lifestyles through mobile phones and social media. They see celebrities, influencers, and even peers dressed in the latest fashion, eating out, traveling, and flaunting expensive gadgets. These images shape their desires. They want to live, eat, and dress like the people they see online. But financially, they are often nowhere near being able to afford that lifestyle. This growing gap between aspiration and affordability creates not only frustration, but also a sense of inadequacy.
The tragedy lies in the fact that while the mindset of rural youth is shifting, the ground realities remain largely unchanged. Education continues to suffer from outdated curriculums, poor infrastructure, and a lack of skilled teachers. Most importantly, there’s a serious absence of career guidance or skill-based training. Youth are dreaming big, but they’re not being given the tools to build a path toward those dreams. It’s like showing them the stars, but not giving them the ladder to reach.
As a result, many fall into a cycle of dissatisfaction and escapism. Drugs have begun to silently spread in rural areas. For some, substance abuse offers a temporary escape from the pressure of trying to keep up with a lifestyle they cannot afford. With addiction comes desperation, and that desperation often leads to theft, robbery, and petty crime. These are not just city problems anymore – they’re now part of the rural reality. Many communities that were once close-knit and safe are now witnessing rising incidents of youth-related crimes.
It is important to understand that urbanization itself is not the villain. Access to information, exposure to broader opportunities, and improved infrastructure can all empower rural communities. But when this exposure comes without proper preparation – without quality education, job opportunities, mental health support, or strong local identity – it becomes more destructive than empowering. It fosters imitation instead of innovation, and discontent instead of growth.
To move forward, we must invest meaningfully in rural education – not just by building schools, but by modernizing teaching methods, bringing in career guidance, and integrating digital learning tools. Skill development and entrepreneurship programs tailored to local realities can help youth become job creators rather than job seekers. Substance abuse must be tackled with both prevention and rehabilitation, and villages need spaces for youth engagement – in sports, culture, arts, and discussion.
Perhaps most importantly, we must help our youth reclaim pride in who they are and where they come from. When young people know their culture is not backward but beautiful, when they see value in their traditions and potential in their land, they no longer need to chase someone else’s lifestyle. They can build their own.
Urbanization should not mean the slow erasure of rural identity. It should mean opportunity with dignity. Until we address the widening gap between what rural youth see and what they are supported to achieve, we will continue to see frustration turn into destruction. The time to act is now – before we lose a generation not to poverty, but to misplaced dreams.
(The writer is the State President Women’s wing HSPDP)
