Acharya Prashant explains that the mind is not a victim of external influences; rather, it actively seeks them out because it feels empty and incomplete. He compares the mind to a low-pressure area or a sponge that is eager to soak up anything that comes its way. This desperation arises because the mind has displaced its 'inner king'—the sacred divinity or essential completeness—leaving a vacant throne that various worldly influences rush to occupy. He argues that we have been conditioned from childhood to believe that something is constantly missing from our lives, whether it be marks, relationships, or career success, which turns us into beggars for external validation.