In a post on LinkedIn, an Indian co-founder shared how there’s an ingrained bias among people based on the city they come from and which part of the city they live in. Check the post here.
Pratik Jain, co-founder and director of the political consulting firm, I-PAC (Indian Political Action Committee) took to LinkedIn to speak about ‘PIN Code Racism’. In his post, he shared how there’s an ingrained bias among people based on the city they come from and which part of the city they live in.
In his post, he wrote, “The most loaded question kids are asked isn’t ‘What do you want to be?’ It’s ‘So, what does your father do?’ It isn’t curiosity about his job—it’s social algebra, a calculation to place you in a certain societal bracket. At weddings or family functions, you notice the wealthy cousins and their families receive different treatment. We’ve all seen it. When you’re a little older, the other loaded question becomes, ‘So where do you live?’ ‘Where do you live?’ isn’t just small talk—it’s a background check. In Delhi, ‘GK’ is a flex. ‘Uttam Nagar’ is an apology. In Mumbai, ‘Bandra’ opens doors. ‘Ghatkopar’ slams them.”
He added, “PIN code racism isn’t a metaphor. It’s the unspoken rule that your address is an indicator whether you like it or not.”
Speaking about how people are perceived based on their address, he wrote, “These people pick on subtleties I didn’t know existed – whether you say ‘red sauce pasta’ or ‘arrabbiata.’ They’ve drawn borders between ‘GK’ and ‘Seemapuri’, and between those who use forks and those who prefer chopsticks. Every gathering becomes a minefield of social signals I wasn’t taught to read.”
In his post, he also slammed people who lie about where they come from. He wrote, “I have met people who often lie about where they’re from. It puzzles me because by lying to fit in they’re erasing where they come from – the streets where they learned to cycle, the local shop that gave them candies on credit, the neighbors who taught them their first English words.”
Concluding the post, he said, “Living away from home, I’ve realized every city is just a borrowed address.”
Several users commented on the post and shared their thoughts. One of the users commented, “This post so beautifully captures the social hierarchies we often navigate. “PIN code racism” is real, and so is PIN code privilege, the invisible head start that comes with living in the “right” neighborhoods, with the right schools, social circles, and access.”
Another wrote, “So relatable! I’ve had people tell me that they’re surprised to hear me speak good English (because of my appearance, outfit etc). It’s not a compliment, people! And my capabilities aren’t restricted to my language. Some professionals need to grow up!” A third user commented, “This is gorgeously truthful. Felt as if I was reading out of a scripture. To eliminate and substitute your very reality to find a better one seems fragile and inconceivable.”
