Acharya Prashant explains that the entire game of protecting one's image is fundamentally a game of greed for material possessions. The desire to maintain a good image and high respect in society is entirely physical and material. In spiritual terms, this desire arises from body-consciousness. The more one identifies with the body, the greater the desire to acquire material things. The first material object a person becomes fond of is their own body. Once this attachment is established, a dependency on numerous other material objects like food, a house, a car, and various comforts is created. These things are obtained from other people, which creates a compulsion to maintain a good image in their minds to get what one wants. The speaker refutes the notion that wanting a good impression is natural, stating it is a matter of body-identification. People who cry when publicly insulted are not sensitive but are driven by greed for material gain. Respect is dear only because it is a means to acquire other things. It has no intrinsic value; its worth is derived from the material goods it helps one obtain. The more one craves livelihood, the more one will crave honor, and this craving for livelihood is directly proportional to the intensity of one's body-consciousness. The more you identify with the body, the more you will crave food and, consequently, the honor that secures it. This entire mechanism is biological and linked to the evolutionary journey, with the sole purpose of propagating the body and its DNA. Nature itself, and even animals, play this game of creating an image in the minds of others because it furthers the business of survival and propagation. Every emotion, whether it's anger, love, jealousy, or attachment, ultimately serves this one purpose. The speaker uses the example of a snake that changes its shape to appear larger to intimidate others and ensure its survival, which is a way of creating an image. Similarly, the emphasis on a woman's honor in society is linked to her economic dependence on men; her honor ensures she receives material support.
