Sometimes, the data just ain’t enough. What’s going on in Russia? In fact, what’s going on in Karnataka — and all the rest of the world? Can we glean some insights in alternative sources of data?

Yes we can. All hail nighttime lights!

Welcome to Episode 116 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah.

In this episode, Ajay discusses his pioneering work in using nighttime lights data from satellites to get crucial insights about the world — most recently, Russia. Watch!

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 00:00 Packaging00:13 Intro: A poem! A poem!02:07 Chapter 1: The History07:07 Chapter 2: Getting Into the Details14:04 Chapter 3: Ajay’s Journey With the Data25:28 Chapter 4: The Russia-Ukraine War

For full show notes, please click here!

Ideas can often be an engine to think about the world. Seeing Like a State by James C Scott is a great book that has illuminated the world with the power of its frameworks — and both Amit and Ajay are fans.

Welcome to Episode 115 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah.

In this episode, Ajay talks about what Scott’s book meant to him — and lays out an easy introduction to its powerful ideas.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 00:00 Packaging00:13 Intro: The Velvet Underground of Ideas03:57 Chapter 1: What the Book Means to Ajay13:17 Chapter 2: State Legibility26:36 Chapter 3: High Modernism31:12 Chapter 4: Metis33:07 Chapter 5: An Example: Prussian Forestry Management39:27 Chapter 6: Watch out for These Four Things41:38 Chapter 7: More Examples49:14 Chapter 8: Some Takeaways1:00:49 Chapter 9: An Engine for Thinking About the World1:02:14 Chapter 10: Recommendations

For full show notes, please click here!

The US state has gone rogue. 50% tariffs are crazy. What should India do now? How does one think rationally about an irrational world order?

Welcome to Episode 114 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah.

In this episode, Ajay lays out a roadmap for how India can thrive again despite the madness in the world.

Note: Amit and Ajay have launched their online course LIFE LESSONS. Click here to sign up.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 00:00 Packaging00:13 Intro: This Present Moment09:01 Chapter 1: 1991-2011 – The Good Times26:47 Chapter 2: The India-US Relationship34:19 Chapter 3: What’s Happening in the US?40:10 Chapter 4: The Impact45:47 Chapter 5: Building a New Global Order55:44 Chapter 6: Some Concrete Examples1:03:13 Chapter 7: Reforming Within India1:25:52 Chapter 8: How to Deal With US and China1:31:31 Chapter 9: Amit’s Pessimism1:42:34 Chapter 10: What Should Firms Do?

For detailed show notes, click here!