Podcast with Lokesh D

Everything I Need to Know I Learned in the Forest by Vandana Shiva is a reflective essay in which she recalls how the Himalayan forests shaped her understanding of ecology, justice, and simple living. Through her memories of Chipko, seed-saving, and the creation of Navdanya and Earth University, she shows how forests teach union, compassion, and enoughness, taking only what we need and sharing the Earth with all beings.

“The Gentlemen of the Jungle” by Jomo Kenyatta is a political fable that uses talking animals to represent European colonial rulers and a poor man to represent the colonized Africans. Set in a jungle, the story shows how an act of kindness by the man is abused by powerful animals, who then use biased “commissions of enquiry” and fine words about law and civilization to justify taking over his hut and land. Through simple narrative and irony, the lesson exposes greed, injustice, and abuse of power under colonial rule, while also highlighting the determination of the oppressed to resist and reclaim their rights.

"Too Dear!" is a satirical story by Leo Tolstoy that critiques modern governance and the justice system. The plot revolves around a tiny kingdom where the government finds it too expensive to carry out capital punishment or maintain a prisoner in jail. As a result, the prisoner is simply freed, exposing the absurdity and inefficiency of bureaucratic systems. Tolstoy uses the story to highlight how financial considerations can overshadow justice and morality. The title "Too Dear" cleverly reflects the high cost (both moral and material) associated with enforcing justice in a flawed system