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!

The Indian media has lost its way. But how? And why? Well, there have been crises of relevance, purpose, money, quality, trust, power, incentives and attention.

Phew!

Welcome to Episode 113 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah.

In this episode, Amit gives us a lowdown on exactly what’s wrong with the Indian media.

Note: REGISTRATION IS NOW OPEN for Cohort 3 of Amit & Ajay’s online course, LIFE LESSONS. Click here to sign up: https://lifelessons.co.in/

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 00:00 Packaging00:13 Intro: The World is a Housing Complex09:54 Chapter 1: The Crisis of Relevance18:36 Chapter 2: The Crisis of Purpose24:52 Chapter 3: The Crisis of Money48:05 Chapter 4: The Crisis of Quality58:45 Chapter 5: The Crisis of Trust1:04:44 Chapter 6: The Crisis of Power1:13:37 Chapter 7: The Crisis of Incentives1:23:53 Chapter 8: The Crisis of Attention1:30:08 Chapter 9: The Future1:41:39 Chapter 10: Recommendations

For the full show notes, please click here!

Human beings remain the same, while technology grows at a mad pace. This means that the face of war has changed forever. Everything we know now is already outdated.

Welcome to Episode 112 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah.

In this episode, Ajay & Amit discuss the future of war. It’s scary. Are we prepared?

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 00:00 Packaging00:13 Intro: The Memory of Cities08:22 Chapter 1: Why Understanding War is Important11:41 Chapter 2: The Evolution of War18:03 Chapter 3: Naval Gazing25:19 Chapter 4: The Hellscape28:55 Chapter 5: Operation Spiderweb34:53 Chapter 6: Operation Rising Lion37:45 Chapter 7: The India-Pakistan Conflict40:11 Chapter 8: The Taiwan Question42:19 Chapter 9: Drone Swarms, Iron Beam and 3D Printers49:36 Chapter 10: Eight Principles1:09:41 Chapter 11: The Implications1:26:57 Chapter 12: Two Fears and One Exhortation1:37:25 Chapter 13: Recommendations

For full show notes, please click here!

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is fully amaze — and also, sometimes, fully a maze. It should be something a country welcomes with open arms — and yet, India has often done fisticuffs with it. This should change.

Welcome to Episode 111 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah.

In this episode, Ajay explains why he loves FDI so much — and how India should embrace it and make it work for us.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 00:00 Packaging00:13 Intro: The Many Loves of Ajay Shah’s Life04:09 Chapter 1: What is FDI?08:20 Chapter 2: Measuring FDI11:06 Chapter 3: The Dream of FDI25:08 Chapter 4: What about Foreign Portfolio Investment?34:21 Chapter 5: The Political Economy Around FDI37:40 Chapter 6: Tariff-Jumping FDI40:58 Chapter 7: Building the Right Environment47:47 Chapter 8: Raju Ban Gaya Gentleman52:58 Chapter 9: A Remarkable Opportunity for India

For full show notes, please click here!

How does one plan for retirement? What amount of money does one need to be sorted? Can you even arrive at a number?

Welcome to Episode 110 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah.

In this episode, Ajay explains why the question itself is misguided — and the approach one should take towards our future in such an uncertain world.

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 00:00 Packaging00:13 Intro: Ajay Shah Get Violent02:11 Chapter 1: There Is No Good Answer07:04 Chapter 2: The Equity Premium17:45 Chapter 3: The Spreadsheet Approach is Wrong30:28 Chapter 4: Actionables41:22 Chapter 5: The Importance of Diversification49:51 Chapter 6: The Government’s Role57:13 Chapter 7: The Excel Sheet58:05 Chapter 8: Recommendations

For full show notes, please click here.

For almost 80 years, one book has been the go-to book for understanding economics — and the world. Henry Hazlitt wrote that book.

Welcome to Episode 109 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah.

In this episode, Amit and Ajay discuss Economics in One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt — a book you must read if you want to understand the subject!

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 00:00 Packaging00:13 Intro: The Economist Who Puked on a Forest02:27 Chapter 1: Economics in One Lesson10:58 Chapter 2: The Key Lesson13:20 Chapter 3: The Parable of the Broken Window19:46 Chapter 4: Public Works27:24 Chapter 5: Taxes and Incentives33:08 Chapter 6: The Folly of Credit by the State35:43 Chapter 7: The Fear of New Technology49:45 Chapter 8: Jute ka Jhoot53:57 Chapter 9: The Blunder of Rent Control1:08:09 Chapter 10: Three Broad Lessons1:11:34 Chapter 11: The Toolkit

For the full show notes, please click here.