WHY THE POOR DON'T KILL US BY MANU JOSEPH (2025)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Manu Joseph is the author of the novels Serious Men, The Illicit Happiness of Other People, and Miss Laila, Armed and Dangerous. He is the winner of the Hindu Literary Prize and the PEN Open Book Award, whose jury described him as ‘…that rare bird who can wildly entertain the reader as forcefully as he moves them’. He has been nominated for several other prizes. He is also the creator of the Netflix series, Decoupled.

Manu Joseph dares to answer the question many people have had at one point or another:

'Why do the poor not kill us?'

After all, if people start counting the amount of atrocities they go through, anyone would be surprised to realise that with so much injustice, discrimination, and opulence around them, they should've just finished us off. But they haven't. And there is peace, as the rich continue to get away with everything.

The book reveals that there isn't a simple answer to this question, as Joseph peels off the layers to explore the psychology of the underprivileged and the impact of India's socio-political environment on their mindset. The book begins with Joseph describing the brutal aftermath of the Earthquake in Bhuj, especially his astonishment at the calm pragmatism of the poor in adversity. From a man giving directions while his family lies in danger, to villagers taking photos with a funeral pyre as proof of death, this visual reveals an unseen side of the poor's psyche. Joseph highlights that the poor accept their misfortunes, like they are the law of nature, to be specific. Their mindset is also influenced by the fact that they do not perceive the rich as targets of their envy, but rather their peers. Their neighbour or relative with a similar economic background who is doing better than they are has a higher chance of fueling their jealousy than a millionaire investing in a new luxury property.

"The poor do not envy the rich. This notion arises from a common fallacy of how envy works. Envy is a thing between equals"

 Growing up, Joseph struggled financially. In fact, he defined his struggles by saying that he was so poor , that even Mother Teresa would consider him poor. He chose to pursue an English major college degree as he needed to work part-time to make money, and choosing Maths or Science as his college major would have prevented him from working, as these heavier subjects demand full-time commitment. He points out that the education system has been luring the poor for years with its promise of liberation, when the reality is that the demand for higher education only closes doors for skilled individuals who can perform well, but do not hold a degree. Students once protested the fee hike at JNU, but Joseph points out that students could use such an opportunity to protest the system that demands them to spend years in college for non-technical degrees. A DU alumnus might visit his campus to comment on the so-called 'down market' status of the current crop of students, as many of them are the aspiring poor, who cleared the entrance exam after buying into the idea that education will liberate them. So, the educational institutions that were considered the standard for higher studies are slowly losing that premium appeal as the influx of students from diverse backgrounds and parents of the elite are choosing to send them abroad to study.

Joseph also comments on the nature of discrimination based on caste and religion in India, with the Dalit community being at war amongst themselves and politicians using the emotional narrative of religion to veer away from the more real and 'dull' problems of the country.

The book won't miraculously resolve the existing divide between the rich and poor, but it will certainly alter our understanding of the Indian mindset and the influence of Indian politics in maintaining the status quo to prevent uprisings from the poor.

A witty and daring eye opener, I'd like to give this book a rating of 5/5.