Everything is Everything

We have normalized lines on maps -- but they are unnatural to the way we live. They are toxic in the ways they push us to think of people in categories decided by the accidents of geography and politics. We must free our minds. We must tear down these walls. Welcome to Episode 51 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

Hooray! We've reached episode 50, and it's time for an AMA. In this episode, Amit and Ajay answer questions from gentle readers that were solicited through Twitter and elsewhere. No holds barred, straight from the heart! This episode was first published on YouTube on June 7, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

Podcasting is such an exciting medium. Would YOU like to start a podcast? Do you have questions about first principles & what you need to get started? Here's our attempt at a podcasting masterclass! Welcome to Episode 49 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma & Ajay Shah. Started in 2017, The Seen and the Unseen went against conventional wisdom & built up a cult audience. In this episode, Amit shares everything he has learnt about podcasting, all the way from higher-order thinking to the brasstacks of starting. Enjoy! This episode was first published on YouTube on May 31, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

In these insular times of shrill nationalistic rhetoric, there is a danger that we may become less globalised instead of more. But internationalisation (aka I18N) is key to India's progress. The more Indian firms learn to compete in the global marketplace, the more our nation will prosper. Welcome to Episode 48 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Ajay shares his thinking around what I18N implies, how it involves more than exports, and how Indian firms can make that journey. This episode was first published on YouTube on May 24, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

India is too large to be governed in a top-down way, with an all-powerful center. It makes a mockery of democracy. Decentralisation is the only way out. Welcome to Episode 47 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Amit and Ajay discuss how a country as large and diverse as India needs more local government. But what does this mean in practical terms? Should we be happy with dictatorial chief ministers? How does democracy work at the level of a village? Why do we need many more states -- and empowered cities? Does Bubba really know the Pope? This episode was first published on YouTube on May 17, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

It is fashionable for privileged elites to have ideas about the world that make them feel virtuous -- but end up harming the poor. Stay away from such Luxury Beliefs! Welcome to Episode 46 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Amit and Ajay discuss how socialism, focusing on inequality, banning victimless crimes and being generally against capitalism can fill you with a sense of your own goodness -- but also end up hurting the poor. Dive in with an open mind! This episode was first published on YouTube on May 10, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

Our brains are hardwired to think in ways suited to a pre-historic world -- which is why there are so many fallacies in our thinking! Welcome to Episode 45 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Amit and Ajay discuss five foundational fallacies, and speak about how we can improve our thinking if we learn to recognise them and avoid them. Who can object to becoming a better thinker! This episode was first published on YouTube on May 3, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

Imagine a world without maps. What is out there? How do you reach that place? What does the world look like? Maps brought us from darkness into light. Welcome to Episode 44 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Ajay and Amit speak about the evolution of maps, from the laborious survey work pioneered by the legendary George Everest to the miracles of modern technology, which gives us a real-time high-definition picture of the world. Also, Amit gives Ajay an exam. Can he pass? Can he? Whaddya think? This episode was first published on YouTube on April 26, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

We are surrounded by stories that need to be told, must be told, will blow your mind! Welcome to Episode 43 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Amit and Ajay continue the series of talking about stories that should be films. Amit builds fiction based on IIT aspirants and vloggers, as well as a real life story about the Delhi of the 1800s, a Delhi in churn. Ajay tells us about missing plutonium up on Nanda Devi, how a navy was once 'delivered' and a most unusual package parachuting down in Africa. This episode was first published on YouTube on April 19, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

Populism is on an upsurge across the world. It is a danger to democracy and civilisation. But what does that term even mean? Welcome to Episode 42 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Amit and Ajay break down what political scientists mean by 'populism' -- it's isn't simply what is popular! They discuss the populist playbook as laid out by Jan-Werner Muller in his great book 'What is Populism?' You might find it sounds familar, no matter where you are. Ajay then shares his insights from four countries where he has followed populism closely -- one of which holds out hope for redemption. This episode was first published on YouTube on April 12, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

We think of papers as boring -- but they contain ideas, and ideas change the world Welcome to Episode 41 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Ajay and Amit take us through four papers -- actually, three papers and one essay -- that shaped the way they think, and how millions of others think as well. The power of a great idea is that it can help explain the world better than before -- and all progress is built on better understanding. This episode was first published on YouTube on April 5, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

Our power sector is stuck in an old world. Climate change and the needs of future generations demand that we shift from our traditional sources of power. But how? Welcome to Episode 40 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Ajay takes us through the history of the power sector, the problems it faces, the remarkable progess in renewables, and the way forward. (Spoiler alert: the price system!) Amit expresses his enthusiasm for nuclear power, and busts the myths around it. Plug in now! This episode was first published on YouTube on March 29, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

Good things happen to us when we give them the chance to do so. The more we put ourselves out there, the more we are likely to get lucky. But Exposure is pointless without Excellence. Welcome to Episode 39 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Amit shares his fascination with the phrase, the Surface Area of Serendipity. And together, Ajay and Amit explore the delicate balance between excellence and exposure that is required to be both good and successful. This episode was first published on YouTube on March 22, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

Understanding the foundations of poker can help you understand the foundations of life. How to think about the world -- and how to find peace. Welcome to Episode 38 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Amit shares his learnings about the foundational principles of playing poker in a special presentation made for this show. Then Amit and Ajay discuss the life lessons that one can draw from poker. This episode was first published on YouTube on March 15, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

Once upon a time, Indian firms thought local. Then they started thinking national. Do they need to think local again? Welcome to Episode 37 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Ajay and Amit discuss the great waves in the evolution of Indian firms. Until the 1980s, firms thought local, and the branch manager of a firm was like a regional satrap. In the 90s, technology enabled them to nationalise and bring in best practices and processes. But they need to evolve further, as India is not one homogenous market, but is deeply diverse, much more so than Aurope or Africa. On a related note, do we need to rethink the very design of firms? This episode was first published on YouTube on March 8, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

How do we bring about change? How should we think about changing the state, changing society, changing ourselves? Welcome to Episode 36 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Ajay and Amit discuss discuss theories of change in different contexts, with one common theme: we need to play the long game. This episode was first published on YouTube on March 1, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

We are monkeys -- and yet, we don't spend enough time in nature. We should go hiking more! Welcome to Episode 35 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Ajay talks about his lifelong love for hiking, which emerges naturally from his love for nature. He tells hiking stories, and gives us all tips on how to get into hiking -- and how the hiking mindset can help us live better lives. This episode was first published on YouTube on February 23, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

Family Firms get a bad rap -- but the professional CEO is often not the solution, but an added problem. The modern firm has evolved to solve this. Welcome to Episode 34 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Ajay gives us a masterclass in the different ways in which is family firm can be structured, and the incentives those structures bring with them. He takes us through the four stages of its evolution, from a one-person business to the modern company with dispersed shareholders and a board of directors. This is particularly important an an Indian context, where family firms abound -- and so do misconceptions about them. This episode was first published on YouTube on February 16, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

We tend to think of the government as the solution to all our problems. But governments are people. And people respond to incentives. Welcome to Episode 33 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. In this episode, Amit and Ajay talk about a branch of economics that they both love: Public Choice Theory. This is the study of how politicians, bureaucrats, special interests and voters all respond to incentives -- and why this often goes against the interest of We the People. This is why government failure is ubiquitous. This episode was first published on YouTube on February 9, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.

Unix is the backbone of the world's technology. It is also a way of living that can help us discover purpose and beauty. Welcome to Episode 32 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah. This is the long-awaited episode in which Ajay explains to the world, with an incredible screencast, how to use Unix. But before that, Ajay and Amit discuss the history and philosophy of Unix -- and why it contains life lessons that are priceless. This episode was first published on YouTube on February 2, 2024. For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, click here.