India, June 23 -- A LinkedIn post by a Bengaluru techie, has gone viral for its unfiltered take on what many in India now call the "new middle class."

His comments come amid growing chatter on social media claiming that a Rs.50 lakh CTC (Cost to Company) now qualifies as middle-class income in urban India.

"Bro please. it's not a CTC issue. It's a lifestyle disorder," Shahjad Khan, Director at Prosperr.io, writes, before launching into a sharply worded critique of urban lifestyle choices that, he argues, are driven more by insecurity and status than necessity.

"You need Gucci belts for validation, every new iPhone for dopamine, Brigade or Prestige flats for status, Europe trips for Instagram flex, and Rs.3L/year international schools f...