When the Reserve Bank of India governor Shantikanta Das painted a cheery picture of our economy last week, you would have known from your experience that his optimism was not anchored in reality. You too had, in the initial days of the lockdown, rejoiced at the chirping of birds and the twinkling of stars in the clear night sky. But now you no longer marvel at the nature's bounty, for you are in thrall to the images your imagination weaves — you out of a job, with bills to pay. Perhaps time to cut expenses.

But then, like Das, you try to be positive and order pizzas online for the family. You are, quite incredibly, relieved to hear the order cannot be delivered tonight. And because you have become an emotional yo-yo, it might help you to know that many other Indians are also in a state of despair. Don't believe it? You should pore over the surveys by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) that measure, week after week, what is called consumer sentiment, which has five elements.