A young man from a Hindu family explains that after listening to Acharya Prashant for a few years, he started questioning the ritualistic practices of his family. He observes a vast difference between the scientific Hinduism he learns from the speaker and the version followed by the women in his joint family, which involves various beliefs, adornments, and fasting for husbands. He notes that his family never guided him towards scriptures like the Vedas, Upanishads, or the Bhagavad Gita. He feels fortunate to be born in the information age, which allowed him to encounter these teachings at a young age, but he is confused about why the Hinduism he sees at home is so different from what the speaker explains. He also admits to being a victim of consumerism and asks why, despite listening to the speaker, he is still not in control. Acharya Prashant responds by stating that the greatest misfortune of Hinduism has been the prominence of 'Karmakand' (rituals). He explains that for the common Hindu, religion has come to mean only rituals, customs, traditions, and various superstitions. This aspect of religion became dominant because it is easier for the common mind to grasp. He says that this is partly due to the priests, who either did not understand the true meaning of religion themselves or had a vested interest in keeping people entangled in rituals, as it brings them patronage and donations. In contrast, Vedanta is about self-study (swadhyaya), which offers no scope for such transactions. The speaker laments that the real spirituality, the central diamond of Indian philosophy, never became popular among the masses. Instead, religion became about how to worship, offering milk, tying threads on trees, and fasting on certain days. He explains that it is human nature that the more elevated and real a thing is, the more difficult it is for it to advance. He uses the analogy of a child who must be forced to go to school but needs no encouragement for other frivolous activities. Our natural inclination is to slide down, as it requires no energy, while climbing up requires great effort that most are unwilling to make. Consequently, worthless and foolish things spread easily, while it takes immense effort and resources to propagate truth. Acharya Prashant points out that if millions are watching a video or following a trend, it is likely something foolish, as we are inherently foolish and prefer foolishness. He connects this to the questioner's predicament with consumerism, explaining that we are victims of it due to our fundamental nature. He says that the lamp of consciousness within us is not lit, and it requires great effort to ignite it, an effort we are not ready to make. The result of this is the degradation of India, which he attributes to the insult and neglect of Vedanta. He concludes by noting the irony that foreigners have benefited more from Vedanta, while Hindus, whose heritage it is, are left with rituals and superstitions. The lack of strength that comes from truth is the cause of this downfall.