Shows
The Unlearning PlaygroundS02E07 - This Article Blew My Mind (Can You Handle It?)The article I am reading aloud and commenting on, in this video - https://roccojarman.substack.com/p/this-is-not-a-substack-post--------------Some articles challenge your perspective—this one shatters it.Rocco Jarman’s "This is not a Substack post" isn’t just another opinion piece. It exposes what may be the most urgent crisis of our time: a society stuck in emotional and intellectual adolescence. Many people passively accept dysfunction, mistaking apathy or spiritual detachment for wisdom—often found in very wise spiritual traditions like Buddhism, Nonduality, or Advaita Vedanta. He argues that even such spiritual traditions are insufficient for addressing these modern i...2025-03-151h 13
The Unlearning PlaygroundS02E06 - Kolkata Doctor Case - How Can We Do Better As A Society? (2 Key Points)On Aug 9th, 2024, news about a heinous crime in Kolkata, West Bengal, India started to go viral across all social media platforms and news channels - a 31 year old doctor Moumita Debnath was found brutally raped and murdered at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The devastating news, enough to send chills down the spine of even the coldest person, has since then been doing the rounds all over India, with multiple protests and strikes being organised throughout the country demanding swift justice for the crime and stricter laws when it comes to women safety and protection. The...2024-08-1921 min
The Unlearning PlaygroundS02E05 - Can WE Fix Politics & Beyond? (A Summary of The Beyond Politics Series)Today's video is the last in The Beyond Politics Video Series on The Unlearning Playground by Chetan Narang & Rocco Jarman. Well, last in the first iteration (we hope!). This is my first standalone video in this series, and what I talk about is a summary of the entire series, key takeaways everyone can have from it and practical advices for everyone listening to actually make an impact in our society & in our shared future together.
When Rocco & I brainstormed the idea of Beyond Politics, we could see that in the current situation of the global political atmosphere, in the...2024-07-2644 min
The Unlearning PlaygroundS02E04 - Do We Really Have Free Will? Exploring the Concept and What's Often OverlookedThe question of whether we have free will is a longstanding and complex debate in philosophy, neuroscience, and psychology. The internet is full of amazingly detailed and intriguing content talking about this concept in much detail. In today's episode, I wanted to talk about two extremely crucial concepts that I think are often overlooked in most debates and discussions around this subject.
Join me, Chetan Narang, as I dive deep into the concept of free will. I am sure that by the end of this episode of The Unlearning Playground Podcast, you would be well equipped to understand what...2024-05-2434 min
The Unlearning PlaygroundS02E03 - Grief, Healing and Moving On (Life after Death)Dealing with the loss of a loved one is a profound and personal journey. In today's heartfelt episode, the third one of season 2 of The Unlearning Playground Podcast by Chetan Narang, we discuss practical and emotional tips to help you process grief and navigate the complex emotions that follow.
I feel that conversations around the topic of death are few & far compared to the emotional turmoil this event can cause in our lives, and hence this topic appears to me to be one of those non-negotiable ones that I should pick in this new series of podcast episodes. This...2024-05-0736 min
The Unlearning PlaygroundS02E02 - How to live a better life by being more childlike?A thought that every adult encounters ever so often is centred around the idea of how life was better when they were a kid, when they were more childlike. I think there are a lot of life lessons in this train of thought, and that is the epicentre of today's episode of The Unlearning Playground.Even The Bible reportedly says something to the tune of "No one enters the kingdom of God until he is childlike." Please note that the call is to be childlike, not childish. There is a world of difference between the two words...2023-11-1650 min
The Unlearning PlaygroundS02E01 - What is the purpose of Life, and how to find yours?One of the most fundamental questions every person asks at some point in their lives is - “What is the purpose of life?”. Not surprisingly at all, this is also one question that most of us learn to suppress very early on in our lives.In this episode, the first of season two of the unlearning playground podcast, I dive into this question head on. I think that the modalities discussed here - of being & becoming, of life & Life, of priorities, of sacrifices and of our soul’s calling - are of utmost importance in truly...2023-09-221h 03
The Unlearning Playground0042 - The end of season 1, and start of something betterEndings are hard indeed. But if we keep ourselves stuck in the same old same old, we hold ourselves back to what might be.And therefore, like a snake must shed its old skin someday to allow a new layer to flourish, I end season 1 of The Unlearning Playground podcast today with this episode.I talk about 2 major updates about the content you can expect from The Unlearning Playground in the months to come, with the first major announcement being the launch of my new series of content - Ask a human, not an AI.2023-09-0105 min
The Unlearning Playground0041 - How to be better in a position of power (5 book recommendations)Here are the 5 books I recommend in this episode:Book 1 (https://amzn.to/45mPqs3)Book 2 (https://amzn.to/455eRP8)Book 3 (https://amzn.to/45lWk0E)Book 4 (https://amzn.to/47qjbtH)Book 5 (https://amzn.to/3YtGuPj)--------------As we grow up, we take up positions of power or at least aspire to do so at some point. That could mean becoming a parent, taking up a managerial position in your workplace, or any other relationship where you can have a substantial impact on the life of another person....2023-08-1209 min
The Unlearning Playground0040 - Life lessons from the Jason Bourne moviesThere are some movies that sometimes, out of the blue, end up teaching you life lessons that stay with you forever. I understand it to be very unlikely that an action thriller movie franchise would make the cut to such a list, but it is what it is I guess.What is Jason Bourne about? If you had asked me this question some years ago, my answer would have been very different than what I can say about it now.Having recently revisited these brilliant movies, I can safely say that the perspective with which...2023-07-1105 min
The Unlearning Playground0039 - What is equality & where is it going wrong in 2023 (Indian context included)Equality is a topic that is central to any relationship, family, community and society. And that makes it an extremely important subject to discuss, especially in today's world where like anything else it is subject to a host of interpretations and biases and opinions.In this video, I delve into the topic of equality in some detail.I talk about what is equality, how we are measuring it, how we ought to think about it and (I can't stress enough how important this is) where we are going wrong with it as of 2023....2023-06-2819 min
The Unlearning Playground0038 - The courage to be disliked book summary [4 powerful life lessons]The book I'm covering in this video - The courage to be dislikedThe courage to be disliked is a life changing book, if there ever was one.And I do not say that lightly. As someone who has spent a good few years reading, devouring & digesting multiple non fiction books, of the self help kind, of the philosophy kind, of the psychology kind etc, I have a certain level of discernment now when it comes to recommending books.This book is, in fact, the most recent addition to my list of favourite...2023-06-2214 min
The Unlearning Playground0037 - The apple vision pro (3 thoughts - the good, the bad & the ugly)Just this last week, Apple released a video introducing The Apple Vision Pro.It is a first-generation AR/VR headset, and Apple claims that with this device, the era of spatial computing is here. They claim this to be a life-changing technology.In this video of The Unlearning Playground podcast, I decided to record my first impressions about this new device, which is a part of a booming field in technology now - Augmented reality and Virtual reality. My thoughts are divided into three broad categories - the good, the bad & the ugly....2023-06-1312 min
The Unlearning Playground0036 - How to sleep better, learn from a sleep expert | Why we sleep by Matt Walker book review (9 key tips)Why we sleep is an internationally bestselling book by Matthew Walker, an English scientist and professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California, Berkeley. He is someone who's widely regarded as one of the foremost sleep experts in the world.Why we sleep, by Matthew Walker on Amazon - https://amzn.to/45Whun6In this episode, I talk about everything I learnt, and unlearnt, via this brilliant book. I can safely say that it is one of the best non fiction book recommendations of 2023 from me.The amount of information he...2023-06-1016 min
The Unlearning Playground0035 - Blame game, conflict management and the fundamental attribution errorMost people wish to become better at handling and resolving conflicts, but out of the dozen or so things that get in the way, one of the main blockers is the fundamental attribution error.It sounds like a bit of a mouthful, but it is actually one of the easiest cognitive biases to understand. Of course the precursor being that you actually want to understand better rather than seek validation for what you think is already right.In this episode of The Unlearning Playground Podcast, I delve into this topic in an easy-to-understand and simple...2023-06-0204 min
The Unlearning Playground0034 - 3 essential learnings the education system misses outWhat is wrong with our education system? This is one topic that every adult has strong opinions on.And I think most of those opinions come from a place of genuine concern and good intention.Growing up, the issues we faced - we do not want our children to bear the same burden, or rather, to be more aware of the burdens they are about to bear.To improve the education system, while an endless process, is still one of the most critical pieces to solve for us as a community. In this...2023-05-0706 min
The Unlearning Playground0033 - 24-year-old Bengaluru engineer earning 58 lakhs shares viral note on unhappiness (3-step guide)A few days back, a 24-year-old software engineer from Bengaluru took to Grapevine and penned down a note on how despite earning a hefty salary of 58 lakhs per annum, he is unhappy with his life.The note has since then gone viral, having amassed a bunch of shares and comments from people talking about it from various different perspectives.As someone who has been working in the Bengaluru software engineering industry for close to 10 years now, and as someone who went through and outgrew a similar phase in his own life, I think I have...2023-04-2818 min
The Most Serious PodcastEpiosde#40 Truth vs Utility: Which should we prioritize?In this episode of The Most Serious Podcast, I talk to Chetan Narang, host of The Unlearning Playground Podcast. We start by exploring the different interpretations of god and how they've evolved over time. We discuss the role of religion in shaping our understanding of god, and how philosophy can help us question and challenge these beliefs.
Next, we tackle the concept of truth, exploring how it's been defined throughout history and how it relates to our understanding of the world. We discuss the different types of truth, whether objective or subjective and how they can shape our beliefs and...2023-04-231h 03
The Unlearning Playground0032 - God, truth, understanding & utility - In collab with The Most Serious PodcastRipudaman Bhardwaj from "The most serious podcast" is one guy who knows how to hold an honest and engaging conversation. I was recently a guest on his show, and the conversation was so deep and stimulating that I asked him to share it on my network too.We talked about the truth about God, different perspectives of looking at Life, what it means to differentiate between utility & truth, and so much more.I genuinely feel this is one of the best online conversations I have been a part of so far.Do check...2023-04-231h 05
The Unlearning Playground0031 - Answering the most common question that comes up in therapy, counselling & life coachingIn this episode of The Unlearning Playground Podcast, I talk about the most common theme surrounding the questions that usually get asked in therapy, counselling and life coaching sessions.Now I understand that there are no one-size-fits-all remedies, but what I talk about here is a powerful realisation that might land if you're ready to receive it.Big claims? I know.Do I do them any justice?Only one way to find out. Dig right in.I'll see you in the playground.Until next time.Peace out.2023-04-1309 min
The Unlearning Playground0030 - Self awareness & spirituality, and their relationship to self improvement in the modern worldIn this episode of The Unlearning Playground podcast, we sit together for a good & powerful meditation on the topic of spirituality. I talk about what I find to be the heart of spirituality, what a modern human must unlearn about spirituality, how spirituality actually enhances a person's self awareness & what is the relation all of this holds to that topic which attracts almost of us (at least the sane ones) - self improvement.This is a slightly more poetic episode than the usual episodes I have been recording and sharing lately, and as we find o...2023-03-3017 min
The Unlearning Playground0029 - Albus Dumbledore, Sachin Tendulkar & Free willDo we humans have free will?Can we really choose to act?Do our choices matter eventually?Is there an easy-to-understand answer to these questions?I delve into these questions in this short and meaningful episode via a quote that, for me, defines the legacy of Albus Dumbledore in the Harry Potter movies.I also take the example of an interview that Harsha Bhogle did on Sachin Tendulkar a while back.I think this is a very moving intersection of two seemingly dissimilar topics to drive home a point that...2023-03-0904 min
The Unlearning Playground0028 - The halo effect & 3 ways to overcome itThe halo effect, without a shadow of doubt, is one of the most important cognitive biases every adult in the room must be aware of.It is extremely important because it directly influences the way you think about people and in doing so, has a direct impact on the way you navigate your interpersonal relationships - both personal as well as professional.Join me in this episode as I walk through how this bias affects our everyday thinking and also discuss 3 key ways to avoid falling prey to it.Let's have some fun...2023-02-2309 min
The Unlearning Playground0027 - 1 powerful tip to improve your people skills | Regression to the meanHas it ever happened with you that people tend to quite often disappoint you right after you've just appreciated them?Either it has, or you don't appreciate the people in your life often enough. :)In this episode of The Unlearning Playground Podcast, I talk about one powerful tip on better understanding this dynamic of dealing with people using a statistical fact that goes by the name Regression to the mean.Stay with me till the end of this episode to actually improve upon your people skills multifold.Do I deliver on...2023-02-0918 min
The Unlearning Playground0026 - 2 types of prayers | Change the way you think about prayersIn some way, shape or form, we are surrounded by prayers.Join me in this episode as I talk about the two primary types of prayers that we humans perform in our everyday lives, and let’s discuss whether there is enough motivation for switching from one kind to the other.This can be a touchy subject for some people, so please take it with a pinch of salt.And like I always say, if something doesn’t resonate with you, that’s when you need honesty the most.(00:00) - Intr...2023-01-2607 min
The Unlearning Playground0025 - 3 ways to be less biased in your daily life | Understanding and correcting confirmation biasIn this episode, I, Chetan Narang, walk you through the confirmation bias, which I believe is one of the most tricky cognitive biases primarily because of its ability to hide in plain sight even for the most self aware person.I talk about where we can see this bias in our day-to-day lives.I talk about some direct indicators for spotting it in our own thinking.I talk about how we can guard ourselves against it.And, I talk about why all of this is especially relevant in the modern day and age.2023-01-1210 min
The Unlearning Playground0024 - Hope & equanimity | A message for the new year | Keeping a positive frame of mindThe new year is upon us, and with this being the last episode of 2022, I wanted to leave this year with a positive message for everyone listening. The message this episode hopes to convey is one of hope and equanimity, and having more positive vibes.In the sensationalist times we live in (read hustle culture and social media world), it’s almost as if everyone is rushing around trying to be the next big thing or do the next big thing or at least trying to know about what the next big thing is going to...2022-12-2908 min
The Unlearning Playground0023 - An honest take on Diwali, crackers & pollution | 4 important pointsDiwali is the festival of light and prosperity. We have all heard and read this line in our childhood textbooks, but what is its real significance? What is the real meaning of the festival of Diwali?And then of course – the central question that occupies our social media around this festival – should we burst crackers on this day?And going even deeper – what can we learn from the life of Shri Ram? What did that famous story Ramayana essentially represent?I tackle these questions, and some more, in this episode, with a sinc...2022-10-2723 min
The Unlearning Playground0022 - 5 examples where patterns = delusions | The gambler's fallacyThe gambler's fallacy is one of those logical fallacies of the human psyche that is equal parts hilarious and equal parts serious.As you'll see in this episode, the examples I provide for this fallacy are almost laughable and ridiculous at times. But the impact it has on our everyday lives is uncanny. And that makes this a very important episode in the series of my episodes on human cognitive biases and logical fallacies.For the entire series, please hop on to the playlist here.It is a short and sweet episode, like...2022-10-1410 min
The Unlearning Playground0021 - Unlearn, unself and let go | 1 very important message for our timeOurs is the time of the ego - rampant, self-indulgent ego. Selfies, personalised feeds, personalised ads, personalised everything - almost all good products, but almost all terrible if left unchecked or unsupervised.And isn’t that true for our times? We have let the idea of our “selves” go too far - far more than we ourselves can handle it. And that is impacting not just our public discourse and our politics, but also our relationships and our everyday lives as we speak.However, we also live in the time of Understanding - a fully...2022-09-2911 min
The Unlearning Playground0020 - 3 suggestions on how to cope with DepressionEveryone goes through the highs and lows of life - no matter what social situation they're in, no matter how much privilege others perceive in their life situation, life has its highs and lows for everyone.By their very definition, the low phases of life are more difficult to navigate for us. Join me in this episode as I talk about a few general dos and don'ts during such times. Of course, any specific advice has to be tailored to the individual situation at hand, but my aim here is to cover a few general p...2022-09-1516 min
The Unlearning Playground0019 - 3 examples of stereotypes in everyday life | Understand & overcome outgroup homogeneity biasThe human mind has a tendency to over-homogenize its outgroups. Statements and narratives that generalise and stereotype our outgroups seem to be more easily acceptable to us than we would expect from our rational selves.Join me in this episode as I talk about the outgroup homogeneity bias. I know it’s a bit of a mouthful, but it is one of those cognitive biases that is actually very fascinating once understood properly.Like most of my episodes, I talk about how to go about understanding this cognitive bias in simple and easy-to-understand language. And I...2022-08-1807 min
The Unlearning Playground0018 - Three issues with religions today, and how we can solve them.In the modern world, there are three broad kinds of issues we face when it comes to perceiving and talking about religion, god and spirituality.Join me as I walk you through these three problems and how we can go about solving them. After all, the greatest merit in pointing out problems lies in at least trying to put forward solutions too. That’s exactly what I’m doing in this episode.The content here is not specific to any single religion, or even any specific train of thought. I claim that it is applicable to a...2022-07-2822 min