Acharya Prashant explains that to truly live, one needs a foundation in something that is not a product of the human mind or its influences. He distinguishes this from things that come from society, such as culture, values, and traditions, which are constantly changing and therefore cannot take a person very far. The purpose of spirituality, he states, is to provide the deepest possible inner assurance, rest, and peace. This can only be achieved by connecting with something that is not man-made, not a product of thought, and not conditioned or influenced. He asserts that culture, values, and traditions are not this unchangeable source. Culture is an ever-changing entity; it is not the same as it was even fifty years ago. He illustrates this with examples of how clothing, food, and societal values—such as the role of women in education and business—have evolved over time. He points out that many things considered part of Indian culture, like the kurta, the ghunghat (veil), potatoes, and tomatoes, are not originally indigenous. Culture is simply what people practice, and it is always in flux. In stark contrast, the Upanishads and the Bhagavad Gita point towards that which is unchangeable. Acharya Prashant emphasizes that there is no real relationship between the teachings of these scriptures and what is commonly understood as culture or tradition. A spiritual person, a person of Vedant, would have very little regard for these changeable customs. He refers to Shri Krishna's teaching in the Gita to leave all other 'dharmas' (duties and values) behind and come only to the one absolute Truth. Beyond this Truth, nothing else is to be valued. The value of anything in the world, according to the speaker, should be judged by its capacity to lead one to the Truth. The good elements of any culture are those that align with the Truth of the Upanishads and the Gita, while blindly practicing customs is bad. He notes that India's great social reformers were all deeply rooted in Vedant and were committed to the Truth, not the prevailing culture of their time. The core issue, he concludes, is that people do not read the scriptures and therefore mistake recent, localized customs for timeless, universal Truth.