India Rising?

Watched this documentary the other day, called "India Rising"
http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/425/index.html...
It basically talks about the rising middle class in India and how consumerism is getting more and more rampant. Since it was from the American perspective, they added the reactions of a couple of americans who wondered how the global consumer goods demand will change because of these newly added users who have the money to spend and the will to keep spending it, causing rising prices for the rest of the world to deal with.
I had mixed feelings after I saw this piece. First the positive ones...
I'm really glad to hear about the advances the middle class in India has made in such a short time, thanks to the whole outsourcing idea and the surging BPO industry. People have more money and the will to spend it today instead of saving for the future like generations before us did. They're also exposed to a lot more consumer goods, whether its electronics, packaged foods, lifestyle providers, or just housing. People are going for bigger, better, healthier and have finally "arrived" on the global market. It makes me proud as an Indian to see these changes, and happy for me to know that we're considered equals by the more developed nations across the world... atleast in this category.
Now the negative feelings...
As a middle-class consumer, I resent being one among a billion, it was much better being one among 750 million. On a larger scale, it pains me to see that consumerism is on the rise, bringing with it the requisite lifestyle changes that is altering the face of middle-class India as I lived it during my formative years. Everyone has a cellphone that they don't mind spending Rs.15,000 on, they have two-wheelers and cars to replace their bicycles and scooters, they vacation in bangkok and singapore and thailand instead of goa and ooty and matheran. And when they get there, they go to retreats and spas instead of such-and-such uncle and such-and-such aunty's house. And I'm just talking of the college-going crowd, cause thats the demographic I was familiar with then and am learning about now through various cousins, nieces and nephews. And this is all because the "Americans" live like this. It hurts me to think that the american lifestyle is considered the superior one, the one to aspire to, as if there was something inherently wrong with the life we led for generations and centuries before the americans even came on the scene.
now for the hypocritical feelings...
I moved to the USofA almost a decade ago for the same reasons I outlined above... among other things. The chance for a "good life", the opportunity to work at a career I really like, the materialistic things I want and the independence to pursue all of these without the hurdles of social or familial pressures. But I'm more Indian now than I ever was when I lived in India (more in another blog on this one). But living here, I share the american feeling of "how will my lifestyle change if there is more consumer demand from India and China?". Sounds mean of me, right? but its true. The things I could easily get here (a house with stuff in it, a job, a car, etc.) will get more and more expensive if people back home start demanding the same things and then, where will I be? Considering the world is getting smaller and smaller with each passing day, will my competition go from being Indians (during college) to Americans (grad school and the job market) to everyone now(read Indians and Chinese)? Thats a scary thought, since I know first-hand how persistent and competitive the asians can be... I'm one of them, aren't I? So, in the global arena of fighting for goods and services, the Asians have a much better chance of winning, even if it is just due to numbers.
now for the relief...
I can always move back and get the best of both worlds. If there's going to be no difference in the lifestyles of India and the US, maybe its time to reevaluate what I came here for, and whether moving back home would mean no compromises too, along with an enhanced family life. I can get a similar job, a similar house, the same car, probably the same neighbours and friends, and all the same choices I make in my everyday life (I'm ignoring the commute for now). Atleast I'll be competing on home-turf. Win-win, right?
I just feel bad for the Americans who don't have that choice. :P