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00:00When I dream of traveling or I chase a particular experience, the excitement often feels these modern dreams just repackage
00:07versions of the old desire.
00:09See, if you desire something and you get it and you still remain desirous, has the desire succeeded?
00:15What happens if instead I drink this and drinking this makes me even more thirsty?
00:24Then desire has not only failed but actually backfired.
00:29Remember, the whole movement, inner movement, outer movement happens for only one primary purpose which is to come to fulfillment.
00:38So today we often admire rebels and rebellion itself has now turned into another conformist.
00:47Trend. Trend. Hashtag rebellion.
00:49To rebel, first of all, there must be something to rebel against. Have you identified that?
00:55Or is it just a trend, a fashion, a fad?
00:59So what would you suggest today's youth, especially young children, young adults?
01:11Good afternoon, sir.
01:13We the students of IP are beyond excited to have you here and for this opportunity to get to communicate
01:19with you and ask our questions.
01:20My name is Khushi Sharma and my question is, so today we often admire rebels and rebellion itself has now
01:31turned into another conformist kind of subjective thing.
01:35It's a trend.
01:36Hashtag rebellion.
01:36A mental barricade in a sense.
01:38So how can we live authentically without falling into this debt trap?
01:43We are not talking about occupying that corner place and saying I don't belong to the crowd.
01:48I belong to the corner.
01:50And there you say, you see how different I am, how exclusive I am.
01:54I'm a unique individual because you know that fellow, that madman came and said you don't need to follow the
01:59crowd.
01:59So even in the classroom now, I stand in the corners.
02:03That's not what you have to do.
02:06To rebel, first of all, there must be something to rebel against.
02:10Have you identified that?
02:13Have you really identified that?
02:14Or is it just a trend, a fashion, a fad?
02:18What are you rebelling against?
02:21Rebellion is not a compulsion.
02:27Rebellion has to be purposeful.
02:30Is there something to rebel against?
02:32If yes, then rebel.
02:33Otherwise, identify.
02:36First, identify.
02:38Otherwise, rebellion too is another way of following an alternate crowd.
02:44There is a crowd of followers and there is a crowd of rebels.
02:51So you hop from one crowd to the other.
02:54But you are still a part of the crowd.
02:57You are still a part of the crowd and script.
02:59Yes?
02:59You are still a part of the cage.
03:02Yes.
03:03From one cage you have hopped to another one.
03:08One cage was named tradition.
03:12The other cage was named rebellion.
03:17But you are still encaged.
03:20Freedom is just a totally different thing.
03:23Freedom starts with understanding.
03:26And when you understand the cage, then you don't mistake another cage for freedom, which very often happens.
03:36First of all, we have no grudges against cages.
03:40Usually we are very well settled in cages.
03:42But let's say, even if it happens, that we come to dislike the cage for some reason, then usually it's
03:53about switching cages, flipping cages and declaring that as freedom.
04:03Freedom is not about changing cages or changing masters.
04:09You are enslaved by one master.
04:11Now you are enslaved by another master.
04:13Is that freedom?
04:19On a very interesting topic, looking honestly at how our desires keep us enslaved.
04:25So today's culture glorifies travel, experience and living fully as freedom.
04:31But I noticed even in myself, when I dream of traveling or I chase a particular experience, the excitement often
04:38feels no different than craving money or status.
04:41So are these modern dreams just repackaged versions of the old desire for security, recognition, keeping us equally bound, only
04:50in just more glamorous ways?
04:52The old desire arises from a point of incompleteness.
05:02You feel there is something missing, right?
05:06And that's what you want to look for in the world.
05:14You see, there is something missing within and I'll go out and fetch something that will take care of the
05:26inner incompleteness.
05:28Yes, that's how desire arises.
05:31The travel can be wonderful, experiences too can be very useful, but the beginning point has to be the yardstick.
05:44What did you enter the experience for?
05:49We don't enter the experience just for the sake of experiencing.
05:58So any experience, if we want, it is really to give us something that would fulfill us deeply.
06:15And if possible, forever, right?
06:21All kinds of desires, they arise, but not so that you remain perpetually desirous.
06:34See, if you desire something, and you get it, and you still remain desirous, has the desire succeeded?
06:49You desire something, I want water, here is water, and I get water, I drink it, and I find I
07:03have remained equally thirsty.
07:05Has the experience succeeded?
07:09No.
07:10Because it was not for nothing that I went to this tumbler.
07:15I went to this one with a very particular purpose.
07:18What was the purpose?
07:20To quench the desire.
07:22To quench the desire, which is in this case thirst.
07:26But that didn't happen.
07:28So the energy and time I have invested in the effort has gone waste, actually.
07:33No?
07:35So if you see, all desires are so that you can come to the end of desire.
07:44You drink water so that for a significant period you do not require any water.
07:53What happens if, instead, I drink this, and drinking this makes me even more thirsty?
08:05By getting this, I am forced to want five other things.
08:13Then desire has not only failed, but actually backfired.
08:19You had one desire, and by moving towards the object of that one desire,
08:24you now find that you are forced to go after five more objects.
08:30So desire has actually failed.
08:32So the desire for travel or experience, what else did you say?
08:36Travel, experience, and?
08:37These two things?
08:40Yes, so if you go after these things and they teach you something,
08:50they teach you something that reduces the need for more and more endless similar experiences,
09:01and then the effort has succeeded.
09:06But if you travel,
09:08and that only makes you travel even more,
09:12then what are you travelling for?
09:15Remember,
09:16we do not start
09:19without purpose.
09:22And there is only one central purpose,
09:25to come to fulfilment.
09:27That's the purpose behind all our desires and actions.
09:32All, everything.
09:35The whole movement, inner movement, outer movement happens
09:38for only one primary purpose,
09:41which is to come to fulfilment.
09:45So that's what you have to test yourself on.
09:48Is it giving me that?
09:50And if not,
09:52then it is just a recirculation of the primitive instincts.
10:01What are the primitive instincts for?
10:04All instincts arise from that same lack of fulfilment,
10:08and they say,
10:10as they would say to an animal,
10:11go get some food,
10:14get shelter,
10:17arrange for something else,
10:19go get a mate for yourself.
10:21Right?
10:22And that's how human beings have been.
10:26Travel from here to there,
10:28and you'll get something.
10:29But does that reduce your need,
10:32your compulsive need,
10:35to just keep wandering?
10:37If not,
10:38then even the so-called modern desires,
10:41or contemporary objects,
10:45are nothing but the old compulsions repackaged.
10:51The same old compulsions,
10:54coming to you in newer forms,
10:57and they'll leave you as dissatisfied,
11:00as the caveman once was.
11:03In fact,
11:04you'll be even more dissatisfied.
11:06The reason being,
11:08the caveman didn't have so many objects to go after.
11:14Today,
11:15because of the industrial revolution,
11:18and then the information revolution,
11:21there are just so many things,
11:23you can see and therefore desire.
11:27The availability and accessibility is much more.
11:32You can see something,
11:33with the click of a button,
11:35you can order it.
11:37So, you can entertain yourself,
11:39you can console yourself,
11:42with so many options.
11:43I tried this,
11:45I went for this,
11:46my desire was for this.
11:49This failed to satisfy me,
11:51no problems,
11:52now I can go for this.
11:53And if this also fails,
11:55then there are a million other objects waiting,
11:59and I can try my luck on them.
12:01Yes, there are a million other objects waiting,
12:04but how many days are there in life?
12:06Your time is limited.
12:09And that's a gross wastage of life,
12:12if life is spent,
12:16mindlessly,
12:18indiscreetly,
12:20chasing objects.
12:22And those objects,
12:28are just returning to you again and again,
12:30in a newer form.
12:32That makes it even more mindless,
12:35because you are not even attempting anything new.
12:39You are walking down the same road,
12:41that has failed you again and again.
12:45You are trying your luck on the same thing,
12:48that has ditched you,
12:50repeatedly.
12:53But every time,
12:55you come with fresh hopes.
12:58Maybe this time,
12:59something new will happen.
13:00Nothing new can happen.
13:04Remaining the same person,
13:06in terms of travel.
13:10You went to the Himalayas.
13:12Remaining the same person.
13:14You are going to the beaches.
13:15Doesn't matter whether it's the mountains or the ocean.
13:19You are the same person.
13:22And each trip will be fundamentally as unsuccessful as the previous one.
13:29And then you would say,
13:30oh, maybe there is something wrong with India.
13:33Let me travel internationally.
13:35And you will return equally empty-handed.
13:39And now we are also talking of interplanetary travel, no?
13:44Not just interplanetary,
13:46interstellar travel.
13:47So that too you can try.
13:48That's fine.
13:50That's available even commercially now.
13:52You must have known, right?
13:53You can pay some fee
13:56and go to space.
13:59And all that is available.
14:02But the hollow in the heart
14:05will remain just as big as it was.
14:11We are being deceived by change of names and appearances.
14:15We think that this location is fundamentally different from the previous one,
14:21whereas it is not.
14:22Only the name has changed.
14:24Only the appearance has changed.
14:29But we will try once again.
14:32And that will be an additional investment of something
14:37that is limited in availability.
14:40What is that?
14:43Your time, your energy.
14:50With limited time, limited energy,
14:52we are chasing unlimited versions of the same thing.
14:58How wise is that?
15:00First of all, those things are unlimited.
15:04Secondly, they are not even fundamentally different.
15:09They are infinite versions of the same object,
15:13the same object.
15:14That has failed you so many times.
15:19Failed you so many times,
15:20but comes in newer and newer branding and packaging and colors.
15:26Every day.
15:27So every day one has fresh hope.
15:29Today I'll succeed.
15:31So remaining who you are,
15:33how can you succeed?
15:34How can any place,
15:36any travel,
15:37any object help you?
15:38If travel were to make us wise or liberated or whatever.
15:45Since ancient days,
15:47we have had sailors.
15:50And today you have cabin crew.
15:54All the flight stewards and the air hostesses,
15:56they are traveling so much,
15:57you can't match them.
16:00They all would have been enlightened by now.
16:03All the time they are just traveling and seeing new places.
16:13But unless you look within,
16:18it is a repetition of the same primitive cycle
16:23that hasn't served anybody.
16:32Are you getting it?
16:34No?
16:38Do I have another question?
16:39Yes.
16:41So with regards to,
16:42I have heard one of your podcasts,
16:45wherein you told that,
16:47as you are a very accomplished person,
16:49as a lot of people believe,
16:52what came from within,
16:54and how you got that drive,
16:55came from the resources that you got,
16:57in terms of reading,
16:59a lot of material that you consumed,
17:01a lot of content that you consume.
17:02So what would you suggest today's youth,
17:05especially young children,
17:06young adults,
17:07what kind of media or kind of content
17:09they must consume,
17:10or should try to consume,
17:12to at least gain some side of insight or knowledge?
17:16Because this is not a difficult question to answer,
17:19if you just go to the net,
17:22or to AI,
17:24and simply say,
17:25this is who I am.
17:27Right?
17:27This is my age.
17:29This is what I have already read.
17:31This is my condition.
17:34This is what I aim for.
17:36All the basic things about yourself,
17:38if you enter there,
17:40that itself will give you
17:42a list of suggested readings.
17:44And if you are not happy with that,
17:45you can ask for more,
17:46and more,
17:47and more.
17:47Not only,
17:49not only that,
17:50you can also say,
17:52give me
17:53a synopsis of what's contained in these works,
17:56each of them.
17:57Yeah?
18:00Yes.
18:01And then you can make an informed choice.
18:04There is so much power available to you,
18:07so much technology available to you.
18:09Make good use.
18:10Make good use of that.
18:11As for my own reading,
18:13that what you particularly want to know,
18:15I've forgotten most of it.
18:18Right?
18:18So,
18:20you'll have to assist me
18:21as I get into memory
18:23and
18:24dig up something.
18:30Okay.
18:31For you.
18:32And
18:33given the
18:34Indian context
18:36for a woman.
18:42We the World
18:43by Ayn Rand
18:51Siddharth
18:51Harman Hess
18:55Anna Karenina
18:56is wonderful,
18:57but you won't read.
18:58It's bulky.
19:04If I give you something
19:06from the
19:07feminists,
19:08again,
19:08it would be
19:09more on the philosophical side.
19:11Otherwise,
19:12you could have gone
19:12for the second sex.
19:20Help me.
19:21What are my favourite recommendations?
19:25I'm done already
19:28recommended.
19:30Not Kafka
19:30for a beginner.
19:32Some movies also?
19:34Yes.
19:35Some movies also?
19:36No.
19:36We'll come to movies later.
19:38Books first.
19:38Would you suggest
19:39Murakami?
19:41what a lot of people say?
19:44Haven't read actually.
19:45I can't say.
19:47Though,
19:47yes,
19:48I have heard people
19:48recommending.
19:49Haven't read.
19:49But my question
19:51mostly was
19:51also on that side,
19:53apart from the
19:53recommendations,
19:54of course,
19:55is the mindset.
19:56A lot of people
19:57nowadays have developed,
19:58especially people my age.
19:59I'm an avid reader.
20:01I read a lot of fiction,
20:02especially,
20:03non-fiction lesser.
20:05But,
20:05I still,
20:06I read a lot of articles
20:08as well.
20:09So,
20:09in today's generation,
20:11most of my friends,
20:11people around me
20:12are not much into reading.
20:14Everyone likes
20:15bit by bit scrolls
20:16and whatever I write,
20:17I write lengthy bits.
20:19And they want me to,
20:20people,
20:20in my college magazine,
20:21everyone wants me
20:22to cut it short
20:23and give it in five lines
20:24and present it.
20:25So,
20:26it's very difficult like that.
20:27So,
20:28what can we do about that?
20:29Cut it short.
20:32Every chapter
20:33that you see there,
20:33that book,
20:35was actually,
20:36initially,
20:37four or five pages.
20:39But then,
20:40for your friends,
20:41your generation,
20:43I squeezed it
20:44to one or two pages.
20:46And that's what
20:47took most of the time.
20:49It was really hard,
20:51you know,
20:51just clipping everything
20:53and yet retaining
20:54the essence of it.
20:56You'll have to do that.
20:57If that's what
20:58the reader demands,
20:59you'll have to do that.
21:00But at the same time,
21:02the reader should not
21:04dictate the spirit
21:05of the work.
21:07The reader,
21:08however,
21:09must be honoured
21:10in terms of
21:11form of the work.
21:13If I know that
21:15nobody speaks
21:16German here,
21:18it would be stupid of me
21:19and actually
21:20disrespectful of me
21:21to speak in that
21:23or some other language.
21:24Similarly,
21:25if I know that
21:25attention spans
21:26are shrinking,
21:28you know,
21:30I'll have to give
21:31something
21:31that you can
21:33more conveniently
21:34accommodate.
21:37But then,
21:39not all
21:40writing has to be
21:41for others.
21:43When it is for others,
21:45ask
21:46Chad GPT
21:47to summarize.
21:48Simple.
21:49Write for yourself.
21:51Write for yourself.
21:52And that's very important.
21:54Being with yourself.
21:55Being truthfully with yourself.
21:56Be with yourself.
21:58And in case
21:58you have to send it to somebody,
22:01send a summary.
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