India's system of competitive entrance exams is broken. There is too much pressure on kids and their families -- and we don't even get the best outcomes.

Welcome to Episode 70 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah.

In this episode, Amit and Ajay discuss what's broken about the system. What can we do to make the current system work better? What can we do to attack the root cause and build a better world for the generations to come? Listen in!

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 00:00 Packaging 00:13 Intro: A Multiple Choice Question! 01:03 Chapter 1: The Problem With Competitive Exams 03:56 Chapter 2: The Meritocracy Lie 11:39 Chapter 3: Coaching Classes are Not the Problem 15:47 Chapter 4: Ajay’s Three-Part Solution 26:36 Chapter 5: Free the Colleges! 34:02 Chapter 6: The Lottery Proposal 43:24 Chapter 7: The Root Cause 49:00 Chapter 8: Ajay’s advice For Parents and Students 50:38 Chapter 9: Recommendations

For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

The specialisation of our species is storytelling -- and yet, some people say, we are really just telling the same stories again and again.

Welcome to Episode 69 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah.

In this episode, Amit discusses the classic book by Christopher Booker, The Seven Basic Plots. Booker asserts that there are just seven storylines we recycle again and again -- and all of literature & Hollywood & Bollywood & Tollywood & Lollywood draw on these. What are they? Can there be more? Why should we never feel constrained as storytellers? What do Jaws, Sholay and the Russia-Ukraine war have in common?

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 00:00 Packaging 00:13 Intro: What Is That Orange Ball in the Sky? 03:31 Prologue: Finding the Tropes 11:22 Chapter 1: Overcoming the Monster 14:41 Chapter 2: Rags to Riches 18:40 Chapter 3: The Quest 24:05 Chapter 4: Voyage and Return 27:55 Chapter 5: Comedy 34:56 Chapter 6: Tragedy 40:38 Chapter 7: Rebirth 43:25 Chapter 8: A Tragic Ending to the Episode

For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.

Inflation is a tax on the poor. High and variable inflation can shatter the fine interplay of incentives and information within an economy. And, as Milton Friedman famously said, inflation is always and everywhere a monetary phenomenon.

The state is responsible -- and the central bank's one job should be to keep inflation in check.

Thankfully, we got that right with inflation targeting.

Welcome to Episode 68 of Everything is Everything, a weekly podcast hosted by Amit Varma and Ajay Shah.

In this episode, Ajay talks about why inflation can be such a problem, and Inflation Targeting is an elegant way to keep it under control. Ajay was in the policy community in India that made it happen. Here's the inside story!

TABLE OF CONTENTS: 00:00 Packaging 00:13 Intro: Ajay Loves Bumper Stickers! 00:55 Chapter 1: A Basic Guide to Inflation 05:40 Chapter 2: What Do You Measure? 13:25 Chapter 3: Why Inflation Matters 30:02 Chapter 4: Introducing Inflation Targeting 36:45 Chapter 5: Inside the Boiler Room 42:05 Chapter 6: The India Story 1:01:23 Chapter 7: Recommendations

For magnificent, detailed, juicy show notes, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠click here⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.