Acharya Prashant explains that in spirituality, only the truth is timeless and immune to destruction by time. He asserts that the duration of a relationship is inversely proportional to its degree of falseness. Short-lived relationships and friendships occur because they are built on false grounds. When people attend to something false, their attention span naturally remains short because only the truth possesses the beauty and enchantment required to make a connection sustainable or durable. He describes how most relationships are driven by the desire to gain something. Using the analogy of a mango, he explains that once the utility of a person is exhausted, they are discarded like a peel or a seed. This cycle of consumption means that if a person gets what they want, the relationship ends because it is exhausted; if they do not get it, they dump the other person and move on. He likens this to a snacks bar where one consumes a food item and then leaves, noting that a philosophy centered on consumption leads to exploiting others for personal satisfaction. Acharya Prashant emphasizes that a relationship only remains sustainable when it is based on an inexhaustible beauty that time cannot erode. He argues that one cannot improve their relationships without first changing their own worldview and gaining self-understanding. Without a center or self-knowledge, individuals act without stability. He critiques the tendency to view others—whether humans or animals—merely as means to please oneself, calling this mindset a curse to the individual and the world. Addressing the concept of friendship, he clarifies that seeking a bond for the sake of future benefits or help is essentially a form of exploitation. He challenges the idea of priorities in relationships, suggesting they are often hazy and ill-defined. Finally, he explains that most such interactions are driven by a broad sexual motive, which he defines as seeking anything to further or satisfy the physical self. He concludes that real love and lasting connections are impossible as long as one maintains a consumption-oriented view of life.
