Vijayendra Mohanty on where we came from, where we are, and where we are going as a culture, as a nation, and perhaps as a species. This podcast dwells on the intersection of storytelling and society and tries to throw light on the fact that religion, culture, and politics are manifestations of the human tendency to tell stories.

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2022/1/20/15/6356ba7e-b73e-4eeb-b0b5-1af513a8150e_vpod-harris_sultan.mp3

Harris Sultan goes by Pakistani Mulhid on YouTube and dedicates his time to debunking dogma, fighting faith, and countering callous defences of religion. I sat down with him, in my capacity as an Indian atheist with far fewer YouTube subscribers than him, to talk about the dynamics of religion and its problems in the subcontinent.

Indian atheist and Pakistani atheist talk about religion and culture

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2022/1/13/7/0de42f1f-f2d5-47dd-ba67-a65be5c7938b_attent_pod_fin.mp3

A single man spreading hate pretending to be many people is a problem, but it is also a symptom of a much bigger problem. And that bigger problem has to do with a much older strain of cultural damage we have suffered when ads started pretending to be reality.

The attention economy is destroying us

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2022/1/20/4/f354d625-9f34-42b9-9f9b-32a1a607b555_vpod-assume_god_exists.mp3

Let us assume, for argument&#39;s sake, that god is real and wonder what we might say to them if we ever meet them. Also in this episode, viewer questions and their answers.

What if god was real?

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2022/1/9/6/34c2b9c3-8933-47ae-bbba-c4515289e607_vimoh_talks_pod_fin_ep.mp3

We think our identities are natural and that conversion or leaving religion is an unnatural act that is brought about through brainwashing. But was the so-called natural religious identity not a product of brainwashing as well? Or are we all, just so incredibly lucky that we managed to be born in the one true religion?

Religious brainwashing creates the illusion of natural identity

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/12/31/15/337d4d31-4a77-4da3-ba6e-77c64349f7d2_dont_look_up_james_webb_and_religion.mp3

In this episode, I recommend the Netflix movie Don&#39;t Look Up, answer a question about how religions may react to the findings of the James Webb Space Telescope, and try to respond to a question about whether purpose exists simply because we want it to.

We should be afraid of some things

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2022/1/3/12/6373b920-cf07-4e9b-ab76-5c8e9f95f58d_atheism_impoprtant_pod_fin.mp3

Many people, including many atheists, like to have a sterilized version of atheism around. They say the real fight is against irrationality and we should let religion be. I talk today, about why that is a misguided attempt at solving the problems we face.

We can't fight irrationality without fighting religion

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/12/24/3/c818f9a7-a1d9-4c67-bbae-0e88d040872c_copy_pasting_is_our_way_of_life.mp3

We see copy-pasting as a thing that happens in the education system. But because of it, the people who emerge from that system become incapable of true innovation and even truly understanding ideas like democracy.

Copy-pasting is our way of life

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/12/4/6/47c4dc1d-ebc2-429e-9844-04ac8ab9252c_authority_episode_fin_pod.mp3

Oppressive systems don&#39;t always come in the form of sticks and stones and visible violence. They also come in the form of systems that place themselves in positions from which they give permission to break out. In truth, you don&#39;t need permission to resist. That&#39;s kind of the entire point.

You don't need permission to resist

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/11/26/9/b60324e8-dca9-4b0a-8faf-12cba44386d5_trust-pod-fin.mp3

The reason farmers can&#39;t bring themselves to trust this government is because this government never asked for their trust. It has only ever wanted obedience. Trust can&#39;t be gained with violence and oppression.

Farm laws, trust, and obedience

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/11/20/11/0bc0d3c7-a736-4540-9210-6587549ed7ab_freek_fin_pod.mp3

We keep talking about free speech without considering the social climate that is necessary for it to flourish or even exist. I talk about free speech the concept as well as free speech the phrase and the context it needs to be seen in.

Vir Das, Kangana Ranaut, and free speech

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/11/15/16/d6e612e7-9885-40dd-a25a-d1da1baa00a5_simulation_mp3_episode_fin.mp3

The simulation theory is becoming part of popular culture and even atheists seem sometimes agree that it is likely. But there is danger inherent in the propagation of this idea because it is at least somewhat adjacent to theism as a way of explaining the universe.

The universe is probably not a simulation

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/11/7/14/e531d193-a245-4fad-9f1a-b12de060a398_diwali_and_the_pursuit_of_pleasure.mp3

This episode is about why people burst firecrackers and why they lie - perhaps unconsciously - about their reasons for doing so. It features a boy who got beaten up for being good at studies, and it throws light on why we feel guilty for being happy.

Diwali, the pursuit of pleasure, and discount deshbhakti

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/11/3/14/09306041-ae3a-44a7-8a7e-52a0f14ae342_radius_pod_fin.mp3

To the problem of nationalistic passions, the suggested solution is sometimes a greater identity - that of a human being - presumably because it will make the nation irrelevant. But such a solution is bound to create similar passions in due course of time. So I try to answer the question by visiting the other end of the spectrum.

The radius of identity

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/11/1/6/7c328ce1-d932-4b1e-9988-1f6653892cae_immersive_future.mp3

This episode is a recording of a live stream I did on youtube.com/vimohlive on October 30. It goes deeper into the Facebook Metaverse move and the perils it poses.Navigate the episode using the time stamps below:00:00 Welcome and Introduction02:15 Facebook has a history of bad behaviour09:00 How corporations hijack and destroy open technologies15:44 Metaverse, the attention economy, and real world damage21:44 The perils of &#34;immersive experiences&#34; and social apathy27:42 Looking at technology through a human lens30:38 The future of the metaverse has to be decentralised32:43 Responses to comments and questions

Facebook, the Metaverse, and a dangerously immersive future

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/10/29/11/dba9b469-751c-495e-b327-8f8bd4f19fe4_meta_fin.mp3

Corporations have always hijacked public tech to build their empires on top of them. The result is not always the death of open tech like email, podcasting, and RSS feeds, but it does invisiblise the importance of open protocols. Protocols that are the gateway to freedom for independent creators.

Facebook goes Meta: How you can save the future

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/10/26/8/66ec45bc-99d7-42a6-924a-742f2b921394_dhruv_pod_fin_fin.mp3

The fact that people need to be able to see themselves in popular entertainment is not something many in India are unaware of, especially if they are tuned into American pop culture discourse. But are we applying that understanding to popular entertainment in India?

How Super Commando Dhruv saved my life

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/10/24/13/b3a56e56-4910-402d-a6af-90fe8c128c26_twitt_pod_fin.mp3

As a feature, the Twitter trending topics feature does more harm than good and getting rid of it might prevent rampant misuse of the platform for purposes of large scale manipulation of public sentiment.

Time to end Twitter trending topics

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/10/22/11/2c936c65-57ac-40f7-a142-bf81270a7d38_atheist_karma_podcast_ep.mp3

This episode is somewhat a continuation of the previous episode about my problems with the phrase Hindu Atheist. It delvs into how not believing in god doesn&#39;t matter if you believe in Karma, which is a similar alleged cosmic principle.

Atheists cannot believe in Karma

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/10/20/5/70965299-b086-4a9c-973a-344d8156068e_hindu_atheist_podcast.mp3

This episode is about a label that is used often in the discourse about atheism in India. It&#39;s also about a bit of appropriation that happens.

Why I am not a Hindu Atheist

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/10/19/11/44d487b8-84d5-4c04-9afc-b461c3b36713_death_of_the_future.mp3

This episode is about how we are ruining our future by forcing our past into our present. It&#39;s also about Star Trek, Star Wars, rebellion and tech utopias.

Nostalgia and the death of the future

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/10/15/9/f36c861f-beea-4025-a2f6-2b3a8b6a572b_debatable.mp3

We don&#39;t know what debate is. We are obsessed with debates. And finally, we stuff our faulty understanding of debates into areas where there should not be any debate.

The problem with our debate culture

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/9/23/19/0bde5833-684e-4874-bfae-ededcb7652c2_devdutt_response_fin.mp3

Mythologist and writer Devdutt Pattanaik recently gave an interview on Akash Banerjee&#39;s YouTube channel The Deshbhakt. In it, he made several comments that I felt oversimplified and misrepresented the truth about culture, religion, and politics. So I decided to make a response to the video. I highly recommend that you watch the video before listening to my response.

A response to Devdutt Pattanaik on Hindutva and Hinduism

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/9/20/11/ce3709a7-2dfa-4657-87c9-9a6459f8aef5_asimov_nolan_audio_episode_fin.mp3

This episode is about a theme that I found common to the works of Asimov, Christopher Nolan, and Jonathan Nolan. It has to do with the future affecting the past and also perhaps with dropping our reliance on the past to some degree.

Asimov, Nolan brothers, and learning from the future

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/9/13/7/2e340f2f-442e-4573-bca8-3ca5ae27ca3f_indian_creators_can_make_money_online.mp3

This week&#39;s episode is about how many creative people in India hesitate to monetise their content by asking their followers and fans for money and why that tendency exists. It is also about how to overcome those mental blocks.

Making money as an independent creator in India

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/8/30/10/766af2db-2cf2-4007-a4f5-0e1d038c1b7e_fake_fans_sneak_asteroid.mp3

In this episode, I talk about how trolls can sometimes come disguised as fans and how they insidiously try to divert content creators from their goals.I also talk about how telling an atheist he will one day learn to believe is actually quite insulting.

Fake fans, sneaky propaganda, and insulting atheists

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/8/23/14/95669289-4c83-4f2f-8d6e-a5c3d12f0c00_annoy_instagram.mp3

This week I talk about how my favourite way of growing my Instagram account has been to periodically challenge the preconceptions of my followers. Of course, what goes without saying is that my idea of &#34;growth&#34; is not simply increasing my follower count or my post views.I also spend some time explaining why I am wary of the appearance of being intelligent and how that has to do with toxic strains of Indian culture.

How I annoy my followers and grow my account

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/8/14/11/54492dc8-6dc8-49ae-a4ab-bb2e1da227b3_indian_atheist_episode.mp3

The thing that has been on my mind for the last week has been being an Indian atheist and the complications that come with it because much of the impetus behind the modern atheism movement comes from Western atheism movement, a cultural movement which was primarily anti-Abrahamic religions. And Abrahamic religions are followed in India by persecuted minorities. This episode is mostly me talking out aloud about how to strike an internal balance.

The Indian Atheist problem

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/7/25/16/95e6f54e-9cf6-47a9-9dc0-2aebfe9ad3a8_vt-he-epis.mp3

Review this podcast on Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/vimoh-talks-1445220[00:00:00] Intro to the episode[00:40:00] YouTube, Instagram, and the changing online video landscape - Some thoughts about how online video emerged, what made it popular, and what has happened recently to change things in the video market.[09:22:00] Indian government &#34;raids&#34; media houses - I take a little solace from the fact that oppression still has to be disguised as something else. The day they just openly say we want media to shut up is still some distance away.[12:54:00] Being an &#34;influencer&#34; - I am finding it increasingly difficult to handle the compliments that people send my way because of the content I put up online. My privilege means I don&#39;t have to work very hard to be seen as doing something heroic even I am doing the bare minimum.[15:46:00] Masters of the Universe - I talk about the new Netflix series Masters of the Universe: Revelation and how it being female dominated has made some sad puppies really sad.[20:07:00] Ending notes and information on how you can support my work.

Instagram, Indian government, and He-Man

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/7/21/14/6b580516-310d-45ce-b2d6-089e630a9141_vtchange.mp3

[00:00:00] Introduction and an announcement about the podcast.[00:04:00] A rant about how books are better than movies.[00:08:00] A note about being careful with your time on social media as a content creator.[00:12:00] Ending notes etc.

On books, movies, social media, and some changes

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/7/21/4/59382f1a-c74c-4178-9c9a-7b0c1b22f822_gaiman_mp3_export.mp3

So I launched a new YouTube channel this week. It&#39;s called temporal ideas. It&#39;s where I&#39;m going to publish video essays about science fiction series, movies, books, et cetera, and themes. The first video is up and it&#39;s about the Marvel series Loki.When I was making that video, a few ideas came to me for future content. And one of those ideas has to do with a similarity in the outlook about the future in the works of Isaac Asimov and some stuff that is also in Christopher Nolan&#39;s work, which is doubly interesting because Christopher Nolan&#39;s brother I&#39;m forgetting his name.He&#39;s making a series based on Asimov&#39;s foundation series of books for apple TV. Which basically means that I&#39;m not going to be able to watch it when it comes out and I&#39;ll have to figure something out. But the point is that I&#39;m going to make a video about invisible descendants in the future sometime soon and put it up on the new channel.But before I do that, I had a couple of book recommendations because that is where primarily a lot of the material that I&#39;m going to put in the video essays. And those books are books that if you loved the, if you like the low-key series, then you also are going to like these books because they have to do with the things that make low-key and credibly interesting, which is the idea of multiple universes, the same person having multiple versions in different universes, those persons meeting, and then chaos, ensuing and stuff.So the book that I want to recommend with respect to that aspect of Loki is called Interworld is actually it&#39;s it&#39;s a novel for teens and one of the writers is actually Neil Gaiman, the sequel to Interworld. I don&#39;t think it ever came out, but essentially it is about a boy called Joey and his ability to travel between dimensions. He can do it as easily as you and I walk across the room. He can just walk into another dimension and there are Joeys in every universe that he visits and they&#39;re all versions of him. And the interesting thing about this multiverse is that it&#39;s a series of earth spanning the universe spanning the multiverse and on this end, There is the scientific Earth and on the other end, there is the magical earth. And Joey is from the earth, which is ours, which is smack in the middle. So the influence of science and magic, both affect it but not to the extent that the other worlds on the spectrum. So as you move towards this end, you have earths, which are increasingly scientific.And as you move towards this end, you have worlds which are increasingly magical so the Joey of this world is a magical creature and the Joey of this world is a cyborg. So it&#39;s very interesting. And I&#39;m sad that the sequel to the story never came out, but the book itself is quite entertaining and you should try it. It&#39;s called Interworld Neil Gaiman and Michael Reeves. The other book I wanted to recommend has to do with the other aspect of Loki the series, the Marvel series, where there&#39;s an agency called the TVA which oversees time and takes care of history. So that theme is also present in a book by Asimov. It&#39;s called the end of eternity. Eternity is the name of the agency that oversees time in this story. And the specific character that the book focuses on is called Andrew Harlan. And his job is he&#39;s a technician. His job is to tinker with history in order to keep it from going bad. So apparently in this world that Asimov has created mankind and earth in general ends in multiple ways over the course of the next few centuries.The job of eternity and the people who work there is to prevent that from happening. So they keep history on a largely peaceable timeline, so that things don&#39;t go out of hand and in doing so they guide the course of human civilisation so that is the other book and it&#39;s, if you liked the TVA, the idea of an agency working outside time to keep an eye on how history unfolds, then you&#39;ll like this.So again, these two books are Interworld and End of Eternity. Yeah. And I will at some point of time in the coming couple of months, make a video essay about the thing that I was speaking about, where you know where I find parallels in a theme that is quite interesting to me, which is about the future of humanity and the descendants that we all are going to eventually bring into existence and their relationship with us.Yeah, if you want to watch that one, you should subscribe to the channel. And the link I will leave in the description. It&#39;s called temporal ideas.

Neil Gaiman once wrote a multiverse novel

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/7/14/18/e9a64b49-a516-4df8-949c-f752efbe6e8d_loki-voiceover.mp3

If there is one theme the MCU has in place of a philosophy, it is probably a commitment to free will.

Loki, Kang, Thanos, and free will

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/6/24/5/48ee1fd4-2743-4aea-aeea-df554a7472c7_justice_for_scrollstack.mp3

Religion and justice have a deep connect, but not in the way you might expect. People are religious because of their faith in an extended definition of justice - one that stretches past death and into future lives.

Justice nahi milega

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/30/14/1accf5ce-dbc1-40c7-8407-a53cd9aac67a_leaving_home_final.mp3

We all have homes. But we all have different ways of seeing home. And a lot of times, these ways are culturally defined. Today&#39;s episode is about leaving home and staying home. If you like my work and wish to support it, <a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/vimoh" rel="nofollow">buy me a coffee</a>. You can do so on a monthly recurring basis or with a one-time donation.

Star Trek, China, and leaving home

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/c64fa194-c840-4f76-bff6-b1dd6ab77c12_33113885.mp3

We have grown accustomed to thinking of echo chambers as a bad thing. But in an atmosphere where free expression advocating equality, rule of law, and common sense are being penalised and discouraged through fear, they may be the only thing that allow us to remember who we are as a people and what is important for the continued survival of democracy. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

We have grown accustomed to thinking of echo chambers as a bad thing. But in an atmosphere where free expression advocating equality, rule of law, and common sense are being penalised and discouraged through fear, they may be the only thing that allow us to remember who we are as a people and what is important for the continued survival of democracy. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Echo chambers can be good

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/34dd9b23-a2c8-4302-9bc6-a9559c82aef4_33108409.mp3

When the people applaud every easy antic undertaken by those in charge of doing the hard things, they put their stamp of approval on inept and irresponsible governance. And then begins the spiral of ease where those in power get comfortable and those without it aren’t aware of the many dooms that approach them from behind. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

When the people applaud every easy antic undertaken by those in charge of doing the hard things, they put their stamp of approval on inept and irresponsible governance. And then begins the spiral of ease where those in power get comfortable and those without it aren’t aware of the many dooms that approach them from behind. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Doing what's easy, dooming what's hard

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/54c02327-e603-49db-bec2-a3ce829fca15_32367406.mp3

There are two wolves fighting inside you. Which one wins? It’s an old story but one that I feel can define our present political discourse aptly. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

There are two wolves fighting inside you. Which one wins? It’s an old story but one that I feel can define our present political discourse aptly. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Wolves of India

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/dfc082e8-f10d-41e7-b0d9-44809d06d803_32122992.mp3

In India of 2021, there is a lesson to be had from the science fictional motifs of terraforming and bioforming. We encounter new cultural worlds all the time. The choice before us is between changing those worlds to suit the past we are acquainted with, or bringing about change in ourselves so we can embrace the possibilities that reside in these new worlds. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

In India of 2021, there is a lesson to be had from the science fictional motifs of terraforming and bioforming. We encounter new cultural worlds all the time. The choice before us is between changing those worlds to suit the past we are acquainted with, or bringing about change in ourselves so we can embrace the possibilities that reside in these new worlds. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Superman, Zod, and cultural landscapes

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/72b7bb7c-001c-4084-88e5-f1d78ae29579_31966273.mp3

Bhakti makes way for putting the leader above the people. It turns representatives into rulers. It is against the basic principle of democracy where people are primary and eternal. Leaders come and go and though you may love a particular leader, you must never be devoted to them. Love towards your nation does not blind you. It causes you to care about the nation. And caring means being able to spot problems and illnesses and to look for solutions. Or at least state that solutions are needed. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Bhakti makes way for putting the leader above the people. It turns representatives into rulers. It is against the basic principle of democracy where people are primary and eternal. Leaders come and go and though you may love a particular leader, you must never be devoted to them. Love towards your nation does not blind you. It causes you to care about the nation. And caring means being able to spot problems and illnesses and to look for solutions. Or at least state that solutions are needed. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Deshbhakti vs Deshprem

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/076e18ac-96f9-4b38-8a75-ee0025c6fd86_31860769.mp3

Vimoh Talks is a podcast about Indian culture. Not just ancient Indian culture. Contemporary Indian culture and the culture that India might one day have. A culture which is being created by all of our actions and words right now. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Vimoh Talks is a podcast about Indian culture. Not just ancient Indian culture. Contemporary Indian culture and the culture that India might one day have. A culture which is being created by all of our actions and words right now. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Trailer: What this podcast is about

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/10d7d728-59b1-4293-aa9f-4b2cb3668205_31828384.mp3

Does your colony have a separate gate or elevator for maids, drivers, and workmen? Do you like to watch science fiction and can’t wait for the future where we all have robots working in our households? Today’s episode is about work, class discrimination, and the problem with thinking of technological progress as social progress. It’s also about the fact that kindness isn’t something we engage in for other people’s sakes. It does us good too. It keeps us human. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Does your colony have a separate gate or elevator for maids, drivers, and workmen? Do you like to watch science fiction and can’t wait for the future where we all have robots working in our households? Today’s episode is about work, class discrimination, and the problem with thinking of technological progress as social progress. It’s also about the fact that kindness isn’t something we engage in for other people’s sakes. It does us good too. It keeps us human. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Invisible people of the future

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/da0c44f9-c2bf-4907-b1a8-592b55757e99_31665001.mp3

I find it quite useful to evaluate the ups and downs of human history using the made-up future histories of science fiction. Star Trek has a future history that depicts the gradual demise of many enmities. It points in the general direction of one truth. That enemies are never eternal and that the idea of eternal enemies is a construct created and perpetuated by those who benefit from the prevalence of hatred in society. You can find and subscribe to the Vimoh Talks podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and other platforms. And you can support the production of it by either pledging an amount of your choice at <a href="https://www.patreon.com/vimoh" rel="nofollow">my Patreon page</a> or by <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe" rel="nofollow">becoming a paying member</a> here. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

I find it quite useful to evaluate the ups and downs of human history using the made-up future histories of science fiction. Star Trek has a future history that depicts the gradual demise of many enmities. It points in the general direction of one truth. That enemies are never eternal and that the idea of eternal enemies is a construct created and perpetuated by those who benefit from the prevalence of hatred in society. You can find and subscribe to the Vimoh Talks podcast on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and other platforms. And you can support the production of it by either pledging an amount of your choice at <a href="https://www.patreon.com/vimoh">my Patreon page</a> or by <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe">becoming a paying member</a> here. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Star Trek and the illusion of eternal enemies

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/aa66f4c6-7758-4537-a458-6c4e2df77340_31491464.mp3

A good way to know your bias is to note who you have expectations from. Who are you talking to and who are you telling to change? In a domestic violence kind of situation, do you ask the abuser to change? Or do you ask the victim to change? In a political protest by citizens do you ask the government to change, or do you ask the citizens to adjust with the government&#39;s policies? In any conflict, do you stand with the weaker party and ask the stronger party questions? Or do you remain silent before the strong and hold expectations from the weak? Because the &#34;adjustment&#34; you keep asking for doesn&#39;t stem from your desire to strike balance. It stems from your desire to avoid doing anything. It&#39;s a love for the status quo masquerading as a desire to mediate. You don&#39;t want peace. You want quiet. They&#39;re two different things. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

A good way to know your bias is to note who you have expectations from. Who are you talking to and who are you telling to change? In a domestic violence kind of situation, do you ask the abuser to change? Or do you ask the victim to change? In a political protest by citizens do you ask the government to change, or do you ask the citizens to adjust with the government's policies? In any conflict, do you stand with the weaker party and ask the stronger party questions? Or do you remain silent before the strong and hold expectations from the weak? Because the "adjustment" you keep asking for doesn't stem from your desire to strike balance. It stems from your desire to avoid doing anything. It's a love for the status quo masquerading as a desire to mediate. You don't want peace. You want quiet. They're two different things. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Power, bias, and the meaning of peace

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/03f0667a-edc5-4992-bdaa-1cb9373d7d5e_31314668.mp3

I have been having conversations about the importance of hope and figured some of it was worth putting on the record. Isaac Asimov wrote Nightfall with different intentions, but one good thing about literature is that you can break free from context and put it to different uses. Also, this episode features The Incredible Hulk. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

I have been having conversations about the importance of hope and figured some of it was worth putting on the record. Isaac Asimov wrote Nightfall with different intentions, but one good thing about literature is that you can break free from context and put it to different uses. Also, this episode features The Incredible Hulk. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Nightfall, hope, and the Hulk

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/b739543a-4ca7-477d-b952-6c3defd81147_31197262.mp3

Today’s podcast episode is a brief rant about something I wanted to talk about a few months ago but the opportunity passed me by. It has to do with a particular manifestation of India’s class problem. Also, this podcast can now be independently subscribed to <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1531577365" rel="nofollow">on Apple Podcasts</a>. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Today’s podcast episode is a brief rant about something I wanted to talk about a few months ago but the opportunity passed me by. It has to do with a particular manifestation of India’s class problem. Also, this podcast can now be independently subscribed to <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1531577365">on Apple Podcasts</a>. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

YouTube, TikTok, and true cringe

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/b0d4a0d3-0272-44af-a389-d4139dbac2f3_31018349.mp3

Getting hurt is okay. You are human. You are religious. It is only natural that something someone said about your gods has caused you pain. But what is not okay? What are the limits of the redressal you seek? Because if there is no limit and you think that everyone must necessarily put themselves below your religious sentiments, then you end up hurting your own religion’s future. Vimoh Talks is a podcast published on vimohsworld.com and it is about contemporary Indian culture (because enough people are already talking about ancient Indian culture). You can sign up to received articles, webcomics, and podcast episodes in your email every week. And you can support the publication by <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe" rel="nofollow">becoming a paying member</a>. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Getting hurt is okay. You are human. You are religious. It is only natural that something someone said about your gods has caused you pain. But what is not okay? What are the limits of the redressal you seek? Because if there is no limit and you think that everyone must necessarily put themselves below your religious sentiments, then you end up hurting your own religion’s future. Vimoh Talks is a podcast published on vimohsworld.com and it is about contemporary Indian culture (because enough people are already talking about ancient Indian culture). You can sign up to received articles, webcomics, and podcast episodes in your email every week. And you can support the publication by <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe">becoming a paying member</a>. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

On hurt religious sentiments

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/c813437f-f9e5-4734-9c3b-1e5fc8853c55_30468545.mp3

A little something I was reminded of after listening to some protesting farmers make a distinction between how we see far produce and supermarket consumer goods. Also, hey! This is the first episode of the Vimoh Talks podcast. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

A little something I was reminded of after listening to some protesting farmers make a distinction between how we see far produce and supermarket consumer goods. Also, hey! This is the first episode of the Vimoh Talks podcast. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Corporate greed and farmer protests

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/89a0b6c3-6d30-41e2-8fe7-aab777270bde_47543.mp3

The stated purpose of a lot of writers who deal with mythology as subject matter these days is to make the younger generation aware of India’s rich culture and heritage by telling stories which have remained untold. But I can’t help feeling sometimes that not enough attention is being paid to the shape of future India. What will these young people grow up to become? What kind of adults will they turn out to be? What manner of India will they build? Is it going to be more of the same — an India powered by outrage and offence, crying out three times a day demanding to be treated like children by the authorities? Or can it be something different? Theme Music: Werq, by Kevin MacLeod This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

The stated purpose of a lot of writers who deal with mythology as subject matter these days is to make the younger generation aware of India’s rich culture and heritage by telling stories which have remained untold. But I can’t help feeling sometimes that not enough attention is being paid to the shape of future India. What will these young people grow up to become? What kind of adults will they turn out to be? What manner of India will they build? Is it going to be more of the same — an India powered by outrage and offence, crying out three times a day demanding to be treated like children by the authorities? Or can it be something different?

Theme Music: Werq, by Kevin MacLeod

The stated purpose of a lot of writers who deal with mythology as subject matter these days is to make the younger generation aware of India’s rich culture and heritage by telling stories which have remained untold. But I can’t help feeling sometimes that not enough attention is being paid to the shape of future India. What will these young people grow up to become? What kind of adults will they turn out to be? What manner of India will they build? Is it going to be more of the same — an India powered by outrage and offence, crying out three times a day demanding to be treated like children by the authorities? Or can it be something different? Theme Music: Werq, by Kevin MacLeod This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Is India's past ruining India's future?

https://s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/pod-public-media-files/2021/3/18/19/119ddfd0-cc98-492b-8c03-9cbf0e3cac7f_47544.mp3

Nobody wants to admit that they had help getting where they are right now. In their heads, everyone is a hero who did it all by themselves. And this is why people hate it when their privilege is pointed out to them. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast" rel="nofollow">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Nobody wants to admit that they had help getting where they are right now. In their heads, everyone is a hero who did it all by themselves. And this is why people hate it when their privilege is pointed out to them.

Nobody wants to admit that they had help getting where they are right now. In their heads, everyone is a hero who did it all by themselves. And this is why people hate it when their privilege is pointed out to them. This is a public episode. Get access to private episodes at <a href="https://www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast">www.vimohsworld.com/subscribe</a>

Let's talk about privilege

On Media, Culture, and Creativity

Vijayendra Mohanty on media, culture, and creativity. A podcast about where India came from and where it is going.

Vimoh Talks

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