Acharya Prashant gives examples of how people's energy is wasted on trivial matters. He describes a scenario where a young man is preparing for a competitive exam, but his parents decide to hold his sister's wedding just a month before. The parents are described as amazing. The brother, filled with an indomitable sense of brotherhood, feels that jobs come and go, but his dear sister becoming a bride is a once-in-a-lifetime event. He then gets busy running errands on his scooter, sometimes to the tent provider, sometimes to persuade his uncle to attend, and sometimes arranging buses for the wedding party. While doing all this, he feels a great sense of pride, thinking of himself as a responsible and self-sacrificing man for giving up his exam for his sister's sake, wondering if there could be a brother like him. In another example, the speaker talks about women who manage to get a career. After working for two to four years and establishing their roots in their career and reaching responsible positions in their organization, their husbands get an itch and give them the gift of pregnancy. The career is then ruined. The woman's ancient Indianness awakens, and she thinks that a career is all about money, and now she will become a mother. The speaker says, "Go ahead, become one." Acharya Prashant then shares a personal story. He had his IAS interview scheduled for May 10th. His parents had gone to his maternal grandparents' home, about 800-1000 kilometers away. It was not the age of the internet or Android phones. Two weeks before his interview, his parents had a terrible road accident. The car caught fire, the driver's leg had to be amputated, his mother's arm became almost non-functional, and his father's face was so injured it was unrecognizable. They were in the hospital for two weeks, but he was not informed. His parents, and the relatives who gathered, gave strict instructions that the news should not reach him. They did not want the shadow of any trouble to fall upon his life, keeping him completely insulated. He contrasts this with the previous examples, stating that his family and relatives ensured he was not burdened. He says that whether it's a child, wife, husband, or sibling, one should not drag them into foolish matters. He concludes that it's very easy and common to at least inform the person, but his family did not. They decided that whatever happens, his interview is important and he should not be informed. To help a child move forward, you may or may not be able to make a big positive contribution, but at least do not involve them in unnecessary troubles.
