Acharya Prashant responds to a question about whether one can choose to surrender. He begins by questioning why people easily choose to surrender to so many other things, like a threatening boss. When it is suggested that this happens out of conditioning, he clarifies that while conditioning is the chooser, it cannot act without one's consent. If it could, we would all be machines. He uses the analogy of a programmed machine that still requires someone to push the button, stating, "You are the one who takes the initiating step." He describes this entire situation as our own self-deception. He points out that people ask how to surrender to the Truth but never ask how to surrender to money, to which they surrender conveniently and easily. Similarly, surrendering to fear is effortless, but surrendering to the Truth is presented as an impossible choice. He observes that people surrender to all kinds of "rubbish," such as societal and familial obligations, without any difficulty, yet face insurmountable barriers when it comes to spiritual pursuits. Acharya Prashant highlights the irony that people can easily decode complex messages from advertisers or the subtle smirk of a flirtatious girl, yet claim it is greatly difficult to comprehend the innocent smile of a child. He concludes that the final and only question is, "Do you want to?" He recalls that he used to ask, "What do you want?" because that is the only question that truly matters.
