Acharya Prashant addresses a concern regarding a Pew Research survey indicating that a high percentage of Indians are open to dictatorship. He explains that this tendency is rooted in a distorted 'folk philosophy' that has permeated the Indian psyche for centuries. Unlike animals, humans act based on a philosophy or a vision of life. If the prevailing philosophy is flawed, it leads to social and environmental degradation. He argues that the common Indian mindset views the supreme power as something external and distant, leading to a culture of sycophancy and flattery toward power. This externalization of divinity makes people prone to submissiveness before any form of worldly authority, whether it be feudal lords, politicians, or dictators. He contrasts this with the philosophy of Advaita Vedanta, which he describes as the philosophy of true self-respect. Vedanta teaches that the highest truth resides within the self, and a person rooted in this realization does not bow before external worldly powers. Acharya Prashant points out that historical and religious narratives have often been manipulated to keep people submissive. Concepts like 'Karma' from past lives are frequently misinterpreted to justify current exploitation, making rebellion or revolution seem unnecessary or even wrong. He notes that where dualistic traditions dominate, there is a greater tendency toward submissiveness, whereas traditions closer to non-duality retain more strength. Furthermore, he explains how the market and certain religious structures work together to prevent self-knowledge. The market uses desire to lure people, while distorted religious teachings use fear to keep them obedient. Both keep the individual's attention focused outward. He concludes that without self-knowledge (Atma-Gyan), individuals will continue to oscillate between being oppressors to those weaker than them and being submissive to those more powerful. The only way to develop a 'backbone' and resist dictatorship or exploitation is through the realization of the non-dual Self as taught in Vedanta.
