“Manga is virtual. Manga is sentiment. Manga is resistance. Manga is bizarre. Manga is pathos. Manga is destruction. Manga is arrogance. Manga is love. Manga is kitsch. Manga is sense of wonder. Manga is … there is no conclusion yet.”

"One face is given to us by god. The other, we make ourselves"

"The only thing we're allowed to, is to believe that we won't regret the choice we made."

"Nothing goes perfectly for us. But... being incomplete is what pushes us onward to the next something... If we were even perfectly satisfied, what meaning would the rest of our lives hold, right?"

“I still don't know what it really means to grow up. However, if I happen to meet you, one day in the future, by then, I want to become someone you can be proud to know.”

“Children are much better at bringing out what they have imagined in their heads. İt's much more straightforward. They don't try to do a good job. It's nice, isn't it? Because it's pure, innocent. İt's a part of me that's been lost.”

"A path is something you create as you walk it. The ground you've trodden hardens, and that's what forms your path. You're the only one who can create your own path. Walk on your own. If you haven't given up yet, that is."

“I’ve become skeptical of the unwritten rule that just because a boy and girl appear in the same feature, a romance must ensue. Rather, I want to portray a slightly different relationship, one where the two mutually inspire each other to live - if I’m able to, then perhaps I’ll be closer to portraying a true expression of love.”

“Too much FANTASY loses REALITY, too much HOPE may seem somehow EMPTY.”

“Hate is a place where a man who can't stand sadness goes.”

“Being empty, means anything can fit inside you. if you want to be reborn, empty's the best way to be.”

"I realized at that moment that there are some whose dread of human beings is so morbid they yearn to see monsters of ever more horrible shapes."

Because they deserve to be heard too! (▀̿Ĺ̯▀̿ ̿)

sciencefiction

Science Fiction

movies

Movies & Shows

entertainment

Entertainment

artsandculture

Society, Arts & Culture

anime

Anime

Impactful quotes from Anime/Manga creators

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The rise of AI is quietly rewriting the rulebook on human problem-solving.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">For centuries, Western thinking has idolized rationalism and science, the engines behind modern marvels like rockets, vaccines, and smartphones.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Our mental playbook—hypotheses, theories, and frameworks—has mirrored this success, producing tools like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter%27s_five_forces_analysis">Porter’s five forces</a> and <a href="https://jobs-to-be-done.com/jobs-to-be-done-a-framework-for-customer-needs-c883cbf61c90">Christensen’s jobs-to-be-done</a> framework.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">But AI demands a new mindset.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">As we transition from Software 1.0 (human-written instructions) to Software 2.0 (goal-driven training models), traditional rationalist approaches may no longer suffice. </li></ul>

Rethinking How We Think in the AI Era

If rationalism gave us the Enlightenment, could engineering-thinking fuel the AI age?

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Instead of designing step-by-step solutions, engineers now train AI systems by exploring infinite possibilities until one works. This isn’t about finding universal truths; it’s about achieving specific outcomes.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">This paradigm shift—from theorizing to engineering—could fundamentally reshape how we approach problems, pushing us to embrace more flexible, results-oriented thinking styles.</li></ul>

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">In a pre-AI world, success depended on isolating and mastering the essence of a problem—defining clear, static rules to address challenges.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Software required pinpointing the core user and their problem; marketing plans relied on fixed theses and strategies.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">This reductionist approach assumed that breaking problems into their simplest elements would yield the best solutions.</li></ul>

1. Essences vs. sequences

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">In a post-AI world, however, essence gives way to sequence. The focus shifts from identifying universal truths to analyzing patterns of behavior or chains of events.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">For example, a SaaS business once relied on rigid rules to predict churn—like tracking login frequency or payment data.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Now, AI models examine vast sequences of user behavior, uncovering nuanced patterns no human could predict or explicitly define.</li></ul>

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">This shift is profound: AI doesn't "understand" the problem as humans would but detects intricate correlations across millions of variables.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">By feeding historical data into machine learning models, businesses can predict outcomes with staggering precision, bypassing traditional rule-setting altogether.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The surprising implication? AI redefines problem-solving as probabilistic rather than deterministic.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Instead of designing solutions around abstractions, we now let machines find actionable insights buried in complexity—a radically different approach to understanding and shaping the world.</li></ul>

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">In a post-AI world, the focus shifts from crafting explicit rules to identifying patterns through examples—a transformation that challenges traditional problem-solving.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Rather than painstakingly coding systems or defining principles, AI enables us to translate abstract preferences and complex behaviors into actionable frameworks.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">For instance, instead of dictating how software should function, you can provide a collection of UI inspirations, and AI will discern the underlying patterns to build it. </li></ul>

2. Rules vs. patterns

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Similarly, in creative work, AI can replicate brand voice and style by analyzing curated examples, bypassing the need for rigid systems. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">This approach turns "taste" into a teachable input, empowering teams to scale and adapt their output fluidly.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The surprising twist is that clarity now hinges on high-quality examples, not logical frameworks—shifting the emphasis from explaining to showing.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">This pattern-first mindset reframes intellectual and creative work, pushing us to think less about rules and more about resonance.</li></ul>

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Traditionally, software required reducing tasks to explicit rules—a framework that worked well for structured systems like customer relationship management.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">However, many complex tasks, like optical character recognition (OCR), resist such reduction. Deep learning now enables software to develop "intuition," effectively handling tasks once deemed unprogrammable. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">This breakthrough extends beyond OCR into realms thought untouchable by software, like evaluating startup pitches or diagnosing medical conditions.</li></ul>

3. Process vs. intuition

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">These tasks rely on nuanced, ineffable judgments that AI can now replicate and transfer.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">In a post-AI world, intuition becomes not just accessible but deployable, breaking free from human exclusivity and revolutionizing fields reliant on tacit expertise.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">This shift challenges the traditional belief that only processes can be mechanized, opening doors to new, intuitive possibilities for technology and human collaboration.</li></ul>

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Previously, creativity demanded precision and control, akin to sculpting—a process where every detail was manually crafted, with each step entirely reliant on the creator’s intent.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Coding, for instance, required meticulous shaping of logic and structure, piece by piece.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Now, AI tools like Cursor reframe the process as gardening. Instead of chiseling ideas into existence, creators establish conditions for ideas to flourish.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Prompting AI models replaces manual labor, transforming the act of creation into one of guidance and curation. </li></ul>

4. Sculpting vs. gardening

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The focus shifts from direct intervention to fostering an environment where growth can happen organically.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">This evolution challenges traditional notions of authorship, emphasizing collaboration over singular ownership.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">As the creative process becomes more intuitive and adaptive, the role of the creator morphs into one of partnership with intelligent tools—an unpredictable and deeply collaborative journey.</li></ul>

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Western thought fixates on explanations, seeking rules to control and demystify success, whether in individuals like Mark Zuckerberg or in scientific phenomena.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Yet explanations often fail to capture reality's complexity. Zuckerberg’s success, for instance, stems less from explicit principles and more from intuitive decision-making he likely can’t fully articulate.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The post-AI era flips this dynamic. Predictions, not explanations, are becoming paramount.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">AI models, trained on vast data, encapsulate intuition without needing human comprehension of underlying processes. </li></ul>

5. Explanations vs. predictions

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">This transition is reshaping science: the 2024 Nobel Prizes in physics and chemistry went to computer scientists optimizing predictive architectures—not traditional theorists crafting better explanations.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">This shift transforms science into engineering, emphasizing creation over understanding.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The question is no longer "What is this?" but "How can I predict this?"</li><li class="ql-align-justify">This pivot could redefine progress, transcending Enlightenment rationalism and opening new paradigms for navigating complexity and understanding ourselves.</li></ul>

A world with thinking machines requires new thinking styles. 

AI is turning science into engineering—with unprecedented changes for how we see the world

technologyandthefuture

Technology & The Future

strategy

Strategy

education

Learning & Education

creativity

Creativity

artificialintelligence

Artificial Intelligence

Five New Thinking Styles for Working With Thinking Machines

“The past is a foreign country; they do things differently there.”

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The author deep-dives into how nostalgia isn't just a vibe but a full-on cultural takeover. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">In a world dominated by throwbacks and reboots, the piece argues that our obsession with "the good old days" prevents us from living in the now—or imagining futures that are actually better.</li></ul>

"Memory Lane Is a Dead-End Street"

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Instead of just embracing history, society selectively filters it for aesthetic clout. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">From TikTok-core aesthetics to 90s-themed Insta filters, the past becomes a product. </li></ul> It’s not history—it’s a curated mood board.

"When the Past Hits Different"

“We don’t just remember the past; we remix it endlessly, turning it into content for clicks, likes, and views.”

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Social media’s infinite scroll favors recycled content over originality. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">The article claims that platforms push "digestible" nostalgia because it’s easy to consume. </li></ul> ﻿Think short poems or retro memes—designed to be double-tapped, not deeply felt.

"Blame It on the Algorithm"

This part gets deep: nostalgia isn’t harmless. It distracts us from dealing with today’s problems (climate, inequality, AI) and makes change feel impossible. A world that’s obsessed with its past is too scared to dream about what’s next.

"Cancelled Futures"

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Big brands milk nostalgia to sell everything—from throwback logos to Stranger Things-style branding. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">But it’s more than marketing; it’s about corporate control over how we remember.</li></ul>

"The Corporate Takeover of Sentiment"

Pop culture reflects this trend. Instead of revolutionary art, we get endless remakes, prequels, and reboots. The result? Original storytelling becomes rare, and our cultural imagination shrinks.

"The Revolution Won’t Be Televised—It’ll Be a Remake"

“Our future is not a remix of what has been—it’s a blank canvas begging for original strokes.”

Challenge yourself to ditch the nostalgia goggles. Instead, focus on creating memories worth revisiting later. It's not about erasing the past—it’s about not being trapped by it.<ul><li>Use Case: Commit to daily mindfulness practices to stay grounded. </li><li>For instance, instead of scrolling through “vintage” filters on social media, explore the unfiltered beauty of your environment.</li></ul> ﻿Practical Step: Spend 10 minutes a day journaling about today’s experiences without reference to the past.

"Break the Time Loop — Reclaiming the Present"

Support art, films, or literature that imagine new futures or explore underrepresented narratives.For example, attend a local indie film screening rather than a reboot of a classic franchise. Practical Step: Curate a book or movie club that prioritizes groundbreaking, contemporary works.

Building New Cultural Narratives

Channel your energy into a new skill or project instead of consuming nostalgic media.For example, learn to code a game or create art inspired by future concepts like AI ethics. Practical Step: Set aside time each week for "visionary" projects—things that explore future possibilities rather than mimicking past aesthetics.

Focusing on Creation Over Consumption

“Revisiting the past should be a learning exercise, not a retreat from today’s problems.”

Engaging in Radical ImaginationHost brainstorming sessions with friends or colleagues on futuristic solutions for today’s challenges, such as climate change or inequality. Example: Create mood boards or digital art imagining life in 2050 without relying on retrofuturism.

Additional Suggestions

Replace time spent reminiscing with activities that build meaningful connections now, such as volunteering or participating in local civic groups. Example: Organize community events like sustainability fairs or skill-sharing workshops.

Prioritizing Community Over Consumption

Eschew the accumulation of nostalgic collectibles in favor of objects or experiences that resonate with your current life values. Example: Host a “present moment” swap, exchanging items tied to forward-looking hobbies or goals.

Practicing Intentional Minimalism

Reject Nostalgia, embrace the present; and the future too!

The historical novel isn’t cool. Popular? Yes. Enduring? Yes. A bit, well — for nerds? Also yes. Coolness lies in being at the right place at the right time…

mindfulness

Mindfulness

habits

Habits

music

Music

Past Tense | Our Hang-Ups with nostalgia

The best clutter is a byproduct of taste and time, accrued and overlayed as a space is lived in and used

Marie Kondo didn’t just tell us to tidy up; she made us rethink our entire vibe. Her KonMari method says, “If it doesn’t spark joy, yeet it.” But did you know her philosophy isn’t just about neat closets? It’s rooted in Japanese cultural beliefs like animism, where even inanimate objects are treated with respect.

1. KonMari Got the World in a Chokehold

Western decluttering is all about flexing on Instagram: white walls, perfectly folded linens, and just enough plants for the #cottagecore feels. It’s a lot more about looking good than feeling connected.Japanese minimalism? It’s on a deeper wavelength. It’s not about owning less but about loving what you own.

2. Western Minimalism: All About Aesthetic

In Japan, objects aren’t just “things.” They’ve got energy, almost like a soul. Tossing out a chair without gratitude feels like ghosting your bestie. KonMari-style decluttering asks you to thank your stuff for its service, bringing some serious main-character energy to your everyday items.

3. Imagine Your Socks Have Feelings

Western decluttering can feel like a loop:trash stuff → buy more stuff → repeat.Japanese minimalism, on the other hand, promotes buying intentionally.Fewer things = more meaning.The goal isn’t just clean spaces but contentment in life.

4. The Anti-Consumerism Glow-Up

The ephemeral nature of fast fashion, big-box stores and online shopping means we don’t care about them as much

If everyone embraced animism, the world would shift. Instead of fast fashion and IKEA binges, we’d invest in pieces with soul.Imagine fixing your phone instead of chucking it, or wearing sneakers that’ve been around since middle school. Less waste, more love, and a planet that’s thriving.

5. What If We All Vibed With Our Stuff?

Treating things with care isn’t just spiritual—it’s sustainable. By cherishing what we have, we naturally reduce the churn of consumer culture. Think: fewer landfills, less guilt, and some real dopamine hits when you mend instead of replace.

6. Sustainability Slays

Japanese minimalism shows us it’s not about a clean room—it’s about a clear mind. Western trends might Marie Kondo your drawers, but Japanese philosophy Marie Kondos your soul. Decluttering becomes an act of self-love, not just self-improvement.

7. Emotional Decluttering > Physical Decluttering

If you couldn’t re-organise society, the thinking went, at least you could re-organise your closets.

Western minimalism paints clutter as evil, but Japanese thought sees it differently. Clutter isn’t bad—it’s misunderstood. It’s a chance to confront your habits and values. Your stuff isn’t just junk; it’s your life story.

8. Clutter With a Plot Twist

Japanese minimalism isn’t about less for the sake of less—it’s about more: more thought, more care, more life in what you have. It challenges Western norms and offers a new, intentional way to exist.➡ Is decluttering just another form of privilege in consumerist societies? Think on it fam!

9. Final Boss: Conscious Living

The world sees Japan as a paragon of minimalism. But its hidden clutter culture shows that ‘more’ can be as magical as ‘less’.

The world sees Japan as a paragon of minimalism. But its hidden clutter culture shows that ‘more’ can be as magical as ‘less’

philosophy

Philosophy

fashion

Fashion & Beauty

Japanese Minimalism: A Vibe Check on Clutter

You’ve heard of the golden rule, haven’t you? Whoever has the gold makes the rules

True beauty is found within, but it’s so much fun to be wicked.

The world is cruel, and the only morality in a cruel world is chance.

I'll give them heroics. I'll give them the most spectacular heroics they've ever seen! And when I'm old and I've had my fun, I'll sell my inventions so that everyone can be superheroes. Everyone can be super. And when everyone is super....no one will be.

Happiness is the richest thing we will ever own.

The world is dark and selfish and cruel. If it finds even the slightest ray of sunshine. It destroys it.

The good thing about evil people is that you can always trust them to do something, well, evil.

You bring the smile. I’ll bring the teeth.

Death. And I don't mean it metaphorically, or rhetorically, or poetically, or theoretically, or in any other fancy way. I'm Death, straight up. And I've come for you, Puss in Boots.

Tai Lung: You knew I was the Dragon Warrior! You always knew. But when Oogway said otherwise, what did you do? What did you do?! Nothing!Shifu: You were not meant to be the Dragon Warrior! That was not my fault!Tai Lung: Not your fault?! Who filled my head with dreams?! Who drove me to train until my bones cracked?! Who denied me my DESTINY?!?

Zeus: So, Hades, you finally made it. How are things in the underworld?Hades: Well, they're just fine. You know, a little dark, a little gloomy. And, as always, hey, full of dead people. What are you gonna do?

Life's not fair, is it? You see, I... Well, I shall never be king. And you shall never see the light of another day. ﻿Adieu.

These quotes are downright unforgettable (▀̿Ĺ̯▀̿ ̿)

Love the villains in Disney movies? Make sure you read this post to find all of the best Disney villain quotes!

Iconic Disney Villan quotes 😈 

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">A century ago, music genres were not lifestyle markers. Music was segmented by demographics like race or region, rather than psychographic indicators tied to identity. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">Early genres—jazz, blues, and “hillbilly music”—addressed distinct audiences based on tangible attributes, not aspirations or self-concepts. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">Today, however, genres like hip-hop and punk are deeply entwined with lifestyles, symbolizing identity and societal roles. </li></ul>This shift reflects broader trends in consumerism, as products increasingly serve to express lifestyle choices.

The Evolution of Music as Lifestyle

"In those days, almost every song had its special setting or purpose, and it wasn’t one you got to decide."

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Modern music genres allow listeners to adopt lifestyles and personas they may never embody in reality. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">This is “liberating,” offering wish-fulfillment through sound: country fans may not live rural lives, and hip-hop enthusiasts may only playact rebellion. </li></ul>This fantasy aspect of music, while freeing, distances listeners from a deeper, integrated experience with music that once aligned with daily life and rituals.

Music as Fantasy vs. Reality

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Historically, music held a functional place within communal rituals and traditions, tailored for specific events rather than individual preference. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">In cultures worldwide, music was passed down and shared rather than owned, integrated with daily and ceremonial life—weddings, funerals, work songs, and rites of passage. </li></ul>This communal approach positioned music as a shared cultural asset rather than a marketable product.

Music's Former Role in Community Life

"Songs were a shared resource, and the intense stratification of the current music business... didn’t exist in these more participatory contexts."

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The commercialization of music detached it from collective ownership, driving music toward a rights-based industry where corporations and artists, not communities, “own” songs. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">This shift established an economic system of royalties and copyright, diverging from music's original purpose as a participatory, shared experience. </li></ul>Today’s genre categorization, driven by market segmentation, emphasizes description over function, focused on individual consumption.

The Shift to Entertainment and Individual Ownership

"Songs have proliferated as lifestyle accessories, but have lost their multifaceted integration into our shared communal existence."

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Music’s impact on society extends beyond entertainment; it has fueled significant social movements and personal autonomy. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">From the French Revolution's “La Marseillaise” to the Vietnam protests, music has galvanized collective action.</li><li class="ql-align-justify"> Its role as a force for social change remains undervalued, as mainstream genres have shifted from transformative to passive. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">Songs still carry potential for personal empowerment but are often co-opted by commercial interests, diluting their historic role as catalysts for heroism and resistance.</li></ul>

Music’s Historical and Social Power

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Ancient genre classifications emphasized the power of music to shape character and behavior, seen in Plato’s distinctions between modes in The Republic.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Early music classifications were based on practical impact—encouraging bravery or contemplation—rather than personal taste or style.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Pepys’ categories of ballads in the 1600s, which varied by purpose and mood, illustrate a midpoint in genre evolution.</li></ul>These categories foreshadowed a transition from function-based music to the thematic and aesthetic labeling we see today.

Ancient and Functional Genre Divisions

"Genres get locked into a fantasy life instead of enriching real life—in other words, they struggle to rise above what we call escapism."

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Despite the proliferation of genres (over 5,000), music’s capacity to deeply impact and transform lives has arguably diminished. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">Today’s expansive catalog reflects consumer niches rather than communal or life-altering purposes. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">This abundance of categories gives an illusion of diversity, but lacks the cohesion of historical music culture, where each genre served a precise role in people’s lives.</li></ul>

The Multiplication and Fragmentation of Genres

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">While commercial genres today serve lifestyle branding, latent transformative powers remain within music. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">True engagement with music’s “heroic” qualities—those that foster community and personal growth—can only be reclaimed by seeing beyond its current commercial framework. </li><li class="ql-align-justify">Rather than mere entertainment, music has the potential to re-integrate with the deeper currents of human experience, recapturing its historical role as a vital life guide rather than a simple commodity.</li></ul>

Rediscovering Music’s Transformative Role

Music is a lifestyle product. But it wasn’t always that way. 

A new section from my online book 'Music to Raise the Dead'

history

History

Where Do Music Genres Come From?

“The cake is a lie.”

“I used to be an adventurer like you, then I took an arrow in the knee.”

“Science has validated your birth mother’s decision to abandon you on a doorstep.”

“Good does not wait for evil to button up its britches - when it offers buttocks for the smacking, Minsc and Boo greet cheek with hand.”

“They asked me how well I understood theoretical physics. I said I had a theoretical degree in physics. They said welcome aboard.”

“Really got an Imp Problem? Or is that just an Imp-erfection in the notice?”

“Friendship is just a hot person's way of making you their slave.”

“You’re my favorite parasite… No wait, Ringworm’s my favorite parasite, you’re my second-favorite parasite… I Lied. Ringworm, then rats with the plague, then You.”

“Feeling cute. Might turn you into a meat bicycle later.”

“Secrets are like herpes: If you got 'em, might as well spread 'em around.”

Just a collection of goofy aah quotes from games to get you through the week! ☜(ﾟヮﾟ☜)

motivationandinspiration

Motivation & Inspiration

Goofy quotes from Video games 🧐

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The chapter frames the battle for preserving Sanskrit non-translatables as a modern-day "Kurukshetra."</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Malhotra argues that Western Universalism poses a threat by digesting and distorting Indian knowledge systems, including language.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Terms like "cultural genocide" highlight this assimilation, which erases cultural identities while allowing individuals to physically survive under new cultural frameworks.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Sanskrit terms carry deep philosophical and experiential meanings that are lost in translation.</li></ul>

Chapter 1:  the case for Sanskrit non-translatables

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">In Indian tradition, Kurukshetra refers to the battleground from the Mahabharata, symbolizing a fight for righteousness (dharma).</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Malhotra invokes this metaphor to describe the current cultural struggle, where Sanskrit-based dharma faces erosion through the forces of Western universalism and Islamic influence.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">This "battle" isn’t fought with weapons but with language, culture, and philosophy—targeting the foundational concepts of dharma.</li></ul>

Kurukshetra (Cultural Battlefield):

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Translations dilute the original meaning of Sanskrit terms, failing to capture their profound implications.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">English, rooted in Judeo-Christian and Hellenistic traditions, cannot adequately represent the spiritual and ontological dimensions of Sanskrit.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Terms like "yoga," "dharma," and "samadhi" have been reduced to mere approximations, removing the essence of lived experience and philosophical depth.</li></ul>

2. Inadequacies of Translation

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Malhotra introduces the concept of "digestion," where a dominant civilization (Western culture) absorbs Indian traditions but removes their dharmic core (strips it of its original context and meaning)</li><li class="ql-align-justify">This leads to a hybrid form where the original meaning is erased.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">He draws parallels between the digestion of Sanskrit terms and the absorption of yoga and Ayurveda into Western frameworks without retaining their spiritual or philosophical essence.</li></ul>

3. The Concept of "Digestion"

The digestion process unfolds in four phases:<ol><li class="ql-align-justify">Fragmentation: The dominant culture dissects the target culture into digestible parts.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Repackaging: Chosen elements are adapted and "scrubbed" of their source meanings, secularizing or Judeo-Christianizing them (e.g., yoga stripped of its spiritual roots).</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Erasure: The original context is either erased or diminished.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Assimilation: The dominant civilization assimilates these parts to strengthen itself, often discarding the weaker culture as irrelevant or obsolete.</li></ol>

Digestion Model:

Supremacy of Western Universalism<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Western thought has always positioned itself as the global standard, viewing its cultural, religious, and philosophical framework as the default for human civilization.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">By digesting non-Western traditions, the West aims to bolster this universalism.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Malhotra emphasizes that this is not just about superiority but about eliminating "difference anxiety"—the discomfort the West feels towards systems that cannot be easily reconciled with its own worldview.</li></ul>

Why the West 'Digests' Other Cultures

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The Judeo-Christian missionary mandate—particularly Christianity's emphasis on evangelism—has long sought to subsume other traditions into itself.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">By "digesting" the spiritual and philosophical aspects of other cultures, the West can absorb useful elements, while erasing the indigenous systems that pose a theological threat to Christian doctrines.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Malhotra argues that this process helps maintain Christian dominance while appearing to embrace pluralism.</li></ul>

Religious Motivation

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Western identity is built on a coherent narrative of progress, rationality, and superiority.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Indigenous traditions, particularly those from India, are often seen as too complex or "alien" to integrate fully.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Thus, the West breaks down these systems into digestible parts that can be assimilated without threatening the coherence of Western thought.</li></ul>

Need for Coherence

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Malhotra argues that the digestion process serves to neutralize threats from non-Western civilizations.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">By fragmenting and reinterpreting other cultures, the West ensures that these cultures do not challenge its own global dominance.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">For example, elements of yoga and meditation are assimilated into Western frameworks, but their dharmic roots are either secularized or erased​.</li></ul>

Civilizational Competition

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Some Western scholars claim that digestion results in mutual enrichment rather than domination.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">They argue that Western civilization evolves by absorbing foreign influences, extending the life and creativity of both the host and the digested cultures.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">However, Malhotra dismisses this as a façade, highlighting the permanent erasure of the source culture's identity and agency​.</li></ul>

Counterarguments:

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The concept of "sameness" in Vedanta refers to the idea that the ultimate reality is One, but this "One" manifests in a multiplicity of forms.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Vedanta teaches that the relative world is real but contingent upon the absolute. Hence, differences in the relative world are essential for ethical distinctions (such as dharma vs. adharma).</li><li class="ql-align-justify">The idea of complete "sameness," or the denial of these differences, violates dharma's principles by ignoring the need to distinguish truth from falsehood.</li></ul>

The problem of 'sameness'

<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">The West, through postmodernism, distorts this notion of "oneness" by promoting the idea that all identities should be blurred or dismantled.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">Postmodernism critiques Western "grand narratives" but also pushes for a flattening of cultural distinctions, implying that strong cultural identities are oppressive.</li><li class="ql-align-justify">This erases valuable differences, allowing for the dilution and eventual digestion of non-Western traditions into the Western framework.</li></ul>

Western seekers often project their prior conditioning from Judeo-Christian, secular, or scientific frameworks onto it — with assumptions that align it with their native traditions, ignoring key differences.This leads to several distortions:<ul><li class="ql-align-justify">Oneness Misunderstood: Westerners often conflate Vedantic "oneness" with the idea that everything is equal and no distinctions are needed. Vedanta, however, asserts that the absolute reality is One, but this does not negate relative differences essential to karma and dharma. Ethics & morality still require acknowledging distinctions between right & wrong​.</li></ul>

Why western seekers (unknowingly) misinterpret Vedanta

An audacious attempt at sanskritizing English!

Sanskrit Non-Translatables is a path-breaking and audacious attempt at Sanskritizing the English language and enriching it with powerful Sanskrit words. It continues the original and innovative idea of nontranslatability of Sanskrit, first introduced in the book, Being Different. For English readers, this should be the starting point of the movement to resist the digestion of Sanskrit into English, by introducing loanwords into their English vocabulary without translation.The book presents a thorough mechanism of the process of digestion and examines the loss of adhikara for Sanskrit because of translating its core ideas into English. The movement launched by this book will resist this and stop the programs that seek to turn Sanskrit into a dead language by translating all its treasures to render it redundant. It discusses fifty-four non-translatables across various genres that are being commonly mistranslated. It empowers English speakers with the knowledge and arguments to introduce these Sanskrit words into their daily speech with confidence. Every lover of India’s sanskriti will benefit from the book and become a cultural ambassador propagating it through routine communications.

Impactful quotes from Anime/Manga creators

Five New Thinking Styles for Working With Thinking Machines

Past Tense | Our Hang-Ups with nostalgia

Japanese Minimalism: A Vibe Check on Clutter

Iconic Disney Villan quotes 😈

Siddharth Mishra