Acharya Prashant critiques the fundamental assumptions of modern economics, particularly the notion that 'more is better.' He argues that defining economics as the science of welfare requires a deeper investigation into whose welfare is being served and what that welfare actually entails. He points out that while historical economics was born out of scarcity, the current global condition is one of overconsumption. Today, more people suffer from lifestyle-related disorders like obesity and hypertension than from malnutrition, yet the obsession with increasing consumption and GDP persists. He suggests that the current definition of development is vague and destructive, leading to environmental catastrophes like severe heatwaves and the loss of biodiversity, which are rarely accounted for in economic metrics. Regarding national population policies, Acharya Prashant explains that countries often view their citizens as mere resources or weapons to be used for asserting hegemony. He describes the push for higher fertility rates in aging nations as a manifestation of the collective ego and a humiliation of human consciousness. He asserts that a person is fundamentally a unit of consciousness, not a tool for a state's economic or military inventory. He critiques the fear of 'population collapse' as a lack of wisdom, noting that the current global population of eight billion is an arbitrary baseline. He concludes that without spiritual wisdom, even highly intelligent individuals in positions of power remain foolish, as they prioritize the security and expansion of the ego over the true well-being of life and the planet.