Aswath Krishnan

When we step back a lot, intellectualize, and abstract away everything, we imagine a universe like this.  This can make us feel like a meaningless speck in space and time. But the reality is that the universe is also this -  Your family, friends, pets, plants, coworkers, and neighbors are all parts of the universe too. You and all your experiences, thoughts, and feelings - are the universe too. Each of us is a little universe, and we are vibing with each other.  Zooming out gives us a wide perspective and frees us from pettiness. Zooming in and being in the present is how you live a little. 

We had a fun time playing Monopoly with friends this weekend. As with every game of Monopoly, it got competitive, but we are all still friends :)  Monopoly was invented by Elizabeth Magie in 1908 to demonstrate the evils of Capitalism (which has ironically sustained and grown over the years thanks to a capitalistic engine).   Teaching through games is such a clever and effective idea. It's fun, hands-on, experiential, and demonstrates a variety of scenarios. It helps you develop an instinct for the concept in a way that reading books or doing projects rarely do.  The game is indeed illustrative of many aspects of Capitalism. I have listed some of them in no particular order below -   1. The first couple of rounds start out as a mix of mostly luck and some skill. If you are fortunate with good die rolls and happen to land on unowned properties, you get to buy them at a great price.  2. But quickly wealth concentrates among a few, and the rest are squeez...