Acharya Prashant explains that our perception of suffering depends entirely on our self-identification. If we identify solely with the body, physical pain and material loss become our primary concerns. However, for those who identify with the mind, mental suffering and the quest for liberation from it take precedence. He observes that modern life is dominated by the gross and the material—things that can be touched and sensed. This leads to a state where a physical wound or a stain on clothes is seen as a major issue, while the constant pollution and wounding of the mind are ignored. He likens this to a dusty lens that can only see thick ropes but misses fine silk threads, illustrating how our lack of awareness makes us blind to the subtle aspects of existence. He critiques the current educational and scientific systems for being purely materialistic and sensory-driven. Science and mathematics, as taught today, focus only on what can be measured, counted, or analyzed through the senses. Acharya Prashant uses the example of a math problem involving apples to show how we are taught to calculate quantities while completely ignoring the emotional impact or the karmic consequences of an action. This materialistic conditioning leads us to value people based on statistics—such as grades, bank balances, or physical measurements—rather than their true essence. He concludes that those who live for ideals or truth are superior to those who live only for the body, as they have recognized something more valuable than the physical self.