Watching the Wheels

About Watching the Wheels

Watching the Wheels is a show hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan and Pranay Kotasthane, in which they talk about this, that, and whatever's left.

Publisher

Amit Varma

Category

society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

31 Jul 2026

Latest episode

16 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

13 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   16 Oct 2026

   Ep 12: These Are a Few of Our Favourite Quotes

   Who doesn’t love quotes? Everyone loves quotes! Quotes are the best! Welcome to episode 12 of Watching the Wheels, hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan and Pranay Kotasthane. In this episode, Amit, Shruti & Pranay share 20 quotes they turn to again and again — on mobility, human nature, reading, excellence & humour. You will find Ambedkar & Rawls on caste and fairness, Pinker & EO Wilson on human nature, Schelling on models, Schopenhauer on reading, and Finding Dory. There’s a Swades couplet, two lines from Newton, & poems in Tamil & Urdu. In the Infinite Game, we will witness the follies of male self-confidence — and the recommendations at the end will keep you awake at night in a good way! TABLE OF CONTENTS00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8) Hype the Episode!00:21 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=21s&pp=0gcJCWMAwfN6Pr3D) Intro: That’s What She Said01:54 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=114s) Main Course02:29 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=149s) Haves, Have-Nots and Want-To-Haves05:41 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=341s) Caste as a Division of Laborers11:11 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=671s) Nature, Nurture & the Middle Stage14:14 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=854s) Pinker, Axelrod & the Blank Slate23:45 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=1425s) Models, Mentors & Being Interesting33:04 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=1984s) Plans, Progress & Public Life47:09 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=2829s&pp=0gcJCWMAwfN6Pr3D) The Art of Not Reading51:48 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=3108s) Favourite Films & Hindi Movie Lines1:02:07 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=3727s) Excellence, Pratchett & Brecht1:07:58 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=4078s) Poems in Tamil & Urdu1:12:28 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=4348s) The Infinite Game1:27:14 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8&t=5234s) Recommendations For the greatest show notes in YouTube history, click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJKtLnHeBs8)!

2. 

   9 Oct 2026

   Ep 11: Are We Running Out of Things?

   There are so many people! There are so few things! Are we going to run out? Is the earth going to hell? How on earth (pun intended) can markets help? People are brains, not stomachs. No, we’re not running out of things. Yes, markets can solve these problems. Welcome to episode 11 of Watching the Wheels, hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan & Pranay Kotasthane. In this episode, Amit busts the myths around too many people & too few things. Shruti steelmans the environmental position before elaborating on how markets & voluntary action can be a force for good. The Infinite Game this week will delight lovers of Indian cities, which is all of us, right? Right? TABLE OF CONTENTS00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=froFGPKI8vg) Hype the Episode!00:22 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=froFGPKI8vg&t=22s&pp=0gcJCWMAwfN6Pr3D) Intro00:39 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=froFGPKI8vg&t=39s) Main Course 13:52 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=froFGPKI8vg&t=832s) Are We Running Out of Things?34:15 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=froFGPKI8vg&t=2055s) Markets & the Environment1:45:03 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=froFGPKI8vg&t=6303s) The Infinite Game2:10:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=froFGPKI8vg&t=7800s) Recos For full show notes with many fantastic resources, click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=froFGPKI8vg)!

3. 

   4 Oct 2026

   Ep 10: The Multitudes of Mahatma Gandhi

   Mohandas Gandhi lived a life of action, wrote furiously for decades, constantly examined himself & the world, & kept changing. He contained multitudes. Welcome to episode 10 of Watching the Wheels, hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan and Pranay Kotasthane. In this episode, our hosts discuss what we can learnt from Gandhi — and what we should not. His genius, his contradictions, his morality, his failures, his will, his multitudes. There is also The Infinite Game at the end of this episode — can Amit redeem himself? TABLE OF CONTENTS00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw) Hype the Episode!00:28 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=28s) Intro01:09 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=69s) Main Course04:47 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=287s) Means Over Ends20:32 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=1232s&pp=0gcJCWMAwfN6Pr3D) Nonviolence43:11 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=2591s&pp=0gcJCWMAwfN6Pr3D) The Self-Taught Man52:07 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=3127s) Gandhi the Blogger55:10 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=3310s) Bias For Action56:02 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=3362s&pp=0gcJCWMAwfN6Pr3D) Skin in the Game1:00:38 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=3638s) The Problem With Top-Down Change1:19:36 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=4776s) The System is the Problem, Not the People1:27:20 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=5240s) The Power of Symbols1:37:35 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=5855s) The Big Tent1:43:30 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=6210s) Patriotism and Nationalism1:55:44 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=6944s) The Infinite Game2:07:38 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw&t=7658s) Recommendations For full comprehensive show notes, please go to the YouTube page for this episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqoXRrhmAiw)!

4. 

   25 Sept 2026

   Ep 9: Policy Mistakes We Can't Unsee

   Do you own your own body? Your own land? Your own money? The State has, at some point, told someone no to all three. This episode is about such PolicyWTFs. Your head will spin as you watch the wheels go around. Welcome to episode 9 of Watching the Wheels, hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan and Pranay Kotasthane. We pick one Policy WTF each from our hall of shame. Pranay traces how an anti-dumping duty on a chemical input gutted India’s textile exports and women’s factory jobs. Shruti tells the story of a legitimate 1979 land sale in West Bengal, overturned in court 25 years later under an obscure right of pre-emption still on the books today. Amit recounts Romania’s Decree 770, Ceaușescu’s ban on abortion, and its human cost. Plus a nail-biting Infinite Game, & recommendations spanning jazz, Romanian cinema & British satire. TABLE OF CONTENTS00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsOSZgWW2So) Hype the Episode!00:20 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsOSZgWW2So&t=20s) Intro02:38 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsOSZgWW2So&t=158s) Main Course 03:39 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsOSZgWW2So&t=219s&pp=0gcJCWMAwfN6Pr3D) Policy WTF #1: Protectionism and India’s Textile Exports12:47 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsOSZgWW2So&t=767s) Policy WTF #2: West Bengal’s Right of Pre-emption28:46 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsOSZgWW2So&t=1726s) Policy WTF #3: Romania’s Decree 77059:23 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsOSZgWW2So&t=3563s) Infinite Game1:16:57 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsOSZgWW2So&t=4617s) Recommendations For full & compehensive show notes, click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EsOSZgWW2So)!

5. 

   18 Sept 2026

   Ep 8: The OpenAI–Hugging Face Incident

   Are AI swarms out to get humans? Welcome to episode 8 of Watching the Wheels, hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan and Pranay Kotasthane. In this episode, Shruti talks about the Open AI- HuggingFace incident & shares her latest paper on governing agentic AI. TABLE OF CONTENTS00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps) Hype the Episode!00:32 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps&t=32s) Intro00:57 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps&t=57s) The OpenAI-HuggingFace Incident05:05 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps&t=305s) Our experience with LLMs16:58 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps&t=1018s) Inside the Breach26:09 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps&t=1569s) Anthropomorphizing Agents37:06 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps&t=2226s) It's All Code Says Pranay1:02:37 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps&t=3757s) Shruti’s Paper: Governing Agentic AI1:11:45 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps&t=4305s) Two Millennia of Legal Personhood1:18:53 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps&t=4733s) Three Categories of AI Agents1:33:30 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps&t=5610s&pp=0gcJCWMAwfN6Pr3D) The Stack1:56:16 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps&t=6976s) Infinite Game2:06:57 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps&t=7617s) Recommendations For full show notes, please go to the YouTube page for this episode (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2nZJPmNW-Ps)!

6. 

   11 Sept 2026

   Ep 7: How to Be a Late Bloomer

   Most of us don’t achieve early success. Or we wonder about building a second life even as the years slip by. Is it doable? Yes. Welcome to episode 7 of Watching the Wheels, hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan and Pranay Kotasthane. In this episode, Amit shares his thoughts about late blooming: why he relates to it so much, the late bloomers he admires, & the ways in which growing older is a feature & not a bug. All three hosts share a path of becoming a late learner & bloomer. Also, our finest edition of The Infinite Game sees a worthy winner! IMPORTANT: Cohort 5 of Amit’s course, LIFE LESSONS, runs from October 3 and is now open for registration: https://lifelessons.co.in/ (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUM4Zm9rU3Z3UG1VVW5oaDV1Uld2dHhoX0JxN3xBTl9pYzRjVDlldm8yS2xGcGhSdnRLT3B1MndGVE5iZFlxZjJrdkxnSkIxY2d5TFRHZEg0RW9jRG5RNUZhNFp3QzUzejllVzFDc3JmOGJ6NkthOFRfcGJwd3JydDRxNWVLLU51&q=https%3A%2F%2Flifelessons.co.in%2F&v=q7IfQ2SIim0) TABLE OF CONTENTS00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7IfQ2SIim0) Hype the Episode!00:58 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7IfQ2SIim0&t=58s) Life Lessons & Late Blooming08:56 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7IfQ2SIim0&t=536s) Main Course: How to Be a Late Bloomer16:19 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7IfQ2SIim0&t=979s) The Myth of Early Achievement34:56 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7IfQ2SIim0&t=2096s) Late Bloomers to Inspire Us!56:27 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7IfQ2SIim0&t=3387s) The Tradeoffs of Ageing1:11:38 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7IfQ2SIim0&t=4298s) Advice For Late Bloomers1:36:27 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7IfQ2SIim0&t=5787s) The Infinite Game1:50:26 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7IfQ2SIim0&t=6626s) Recommendations For full show notes, head on over to this episode's YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7IfQ2SIim0).

7. 

   6 Sept 2026

   Ep 6: Numbers Will Kill You! Numbers Will Save You!

   Numbers can help you see the world clearly — or they can be turned into a weapon against you. This week, a masterclass in spotting the difference. Welcome to episode 6 of Watching the Wheels, hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan and Pranay Kotasthane. In this episode, we go deep on why numbers matter, where they mislead us even with the best intentions, and the deliberate tricks used to bend numbers into propaganda. TABLE OF CONTENTS00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0f2e7Y9mlI) Hype the Episode!00:29 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0f2e7Y9mlI&t=29s) Intro08:30 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0f2e7Y9mlI&t=510s) Why Numbers Matter29:30 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0f2e7Y9mlI&t=1770s) The Limits of Numbers42:55 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0f2e7Y9mlI&t=2575s) How Numbers Can Fool Us1:08:04 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0f2e7Y9mlI&t=4084s) Defence Against the Dark Arts1:25:37 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0f2e7Y9mlI&t=5137s) The Finite Game1:32:21 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0f2e7Y9mlI&t=5541s) The Infinite Game1:44:06 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0f2e7Y9mlI&t=6246s) Recommendations For the full show notes of this episode, please head on over to the original YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0f2e7Y9mlI) for this episode!

8. 

   28 Aug 2026

   Ep 5: A Citizen’s Guide to Public Finance

   Why should we care about government spending? Welcome to episode 5 of Watching the Wheels, hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan and Pranay Kotasthane. In this episode, we launch Pranay Kothastane & Sarthak Pradhan’s new book Fiscal Fables: A Citizen's Guide to Public Finance. Pranay gives a masterclass in the public finance frameworks. Amit provides comic relief through limericks. And in the Infinite Game, we understand why Shruti is not a professor of geography or history. Please pick up Fiscal Fables right away: https://amzn.in/d/04Btr8MD (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUM4Zm9rUll5S1BENmR3RkduUG1XUDZoWWhvU3xBR3JiS2FrY3FZR0JOQ0ZBTmFYNUg4XzdaR1BEQnM2RGRTVE1mQjhnZU1TeFlUUTRLY1c2OUx5UU16OGdXcXdIVkJ6eXFzMnNnaERCVWYxVWdFcktZNkxBWU1ZdFZwWlFOZnp1&q=https%3A%2F%2Famzn.in%2Fd%2F04Btr8MD&v=Uv_KcDwUvJc) TABLE OF CONTENTS00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc) Hype the Episode!00:20 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc&t=20s) Intro: What a book!01:18 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc&t=78s) Main Course: A Citizen’s Guide to Public Finance04:10 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc&t=250s) Why we should care about government spending?11:50 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc&t=710s) Kinds of Taxes16:45 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc&t=1005s) India’s Failed Tax Experiments29:50 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc&t=1790s) Why Taxes Exist35:14 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc&t=2114s) The Tax Code is Not a Social Engineering Manual54:45 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc&t=3285s) Indian Cities and Decentralization 1:10:36 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc&t=4236s) Centrally Sponsored Schemes1:21:04 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc&t=4864s) Fiscal Federalism1:33:22 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc&t=5602s) Infinite Game1:56:06 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc&t=6966s) Recommendations Our show notes are so legendary that people stop us often on the streets to say, "Give us a link! Give us a link!" You can browse full show notes for this episode here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uv_KcDwUvJc).

9. 

   22 Aug 2026

   Ep 4: Making Sense of World Disorder

   The old world order has gone to pieces, and you are trying to make sense of the new world disorder. Need help? We are here! Welcome to episode 4 of Watching the Wheels, hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan and Pranay Kotasthane. In this episode, Pranay shares some useful frameworks that will help you think clearly about the world we are in. Shruti then humiliates the boys in an Infinite Game, and everyone takes refuge in art. Shamed before your viewers? No problem. Babble about design. Play some Bach. You are your own Jaani Dushman. TABLE OF CONTENTS00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjIIA8tHD9k) Hype the Episode!00:23 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjIIA8tHD9k&t=23s) Intro: Jaani Dushman02:41 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjIIA8tHD9k&t=161s): Main Course: World Disorder!05:59 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjIIA8tHD9k&t=359s) Framework 127:40 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjIIA8tHD9k&t=1660s) Framework 245:56 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjIIA8tHD9k&t=2756s) Framework 31:01:52 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjIIA8tHD9k&t=3712s) Infinite Game1:16:04 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjIIA8tHD9k&t=4564s) TIL (Trivia I Love)1:21:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjIIA8tHD9k&t=4860s) Recommendations Who has the best show notes in the world? We do. Who, who who? We, we, we! Check out the full show notes here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjIIA8tHD9k)!

10. 

    14 Aug 2026

    Ep 3: A Wishlist for Independence Day

    Long years ago, India got Independence — but did we get freedom? How can this country be a better place for all its people? If we had to dream, what would our dreams be Welcome to episode 3 of Watching the Wheels, hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan & Pranay Kotasthane. In this episode, our hosts share their dreams for India. Each of them talks about four things they would like to see change. Amit elaborates on the importance of freedom, Pranay gets concrete with his policy suggestions, and Shruti illustrates with examples why political freedom & economic freedom must always go together, & one does not make sense without the other. Amitabh Bachchan is also discussed. Do you think that Pranay is a Laawaris, Amit is Mahaan & the Dostana of this trio is good Naseeb that has led to this Trishul of a show? You surely can’t deny that everyone in India deserves Roti, Kapda aur Makaan, which is what this episode is about! TABLE OF CONTENTS00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf48JSFyLJc) Hype the Episode!0036 Intro03:29 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf48JSFyLJc&t=209s) Amit’s wishlist30:18 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf48JSFyLJc&t=1818s) Pranay’s wishlist47:34 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf48JSFyLJc&t=2854s) Shruti’s wishlist1:28:03 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf48JSFyLJc&t=5283s) Infinite Game: Amitabh’s greatest hits1:54:49 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf48JSFyLJc&t=6889s) Recommendations Our show notes among the best the human history. (We're being modest here; they're basically the best only.) So check out the full show notes on our YouTube page, where you can watch this podcast (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wf48JSFyLJc)!

11. 

    7 Aug 2026

    Ep 2: What a Wonderful World

    We live in a magical world, but we normalize the good stuff and aren’t grateful enough. And sure, the world still has much that is messed up, and we must fight for progress — but it’s good to take inspiration from the distance we have already travelled! Welcome to episode 2 of Watching the Wheels, hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan and Pranay Kotasthane. In this episode, our hosts share stories from their lives as well as data about the world to discuss the many ways in which our lives are better. They also acknowledge the distance left to travel, and because they are foolhardy, they even make projections into the future. Lol, peeps are gonna laugh at them 30 years from now, if not today only. Enjoy! :) TABLE OF CONTENTS00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9SSPGGlevI) Hype the Episode!01:13 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9SSPGGlevI&t=73s) Intro03:02 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9SSPGGlevI&t=182s) Main Course: What a Wonderful World!1:34:16 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9SSPGGlevI&t=5656s) Infinite Game: Actors Born Abroad For the full show notes in all their wholesome awesomeness, and to also SEE the charts and stuff our hosts talk about, click here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9SSPGGlevI).

12. 

    31 Jul 2026

    Ep 1: Where Have All the Women Gone?

    Where are our women? As one paper shows, they’re not on the streets. As another paper shows, they don’t leave home. As a third paper shows, they’re not even in the colleges of their choice. What’s going on?Welcome to episode 1 of Watching the Wheels, hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan and Pranay Kotasthane. In this episode, Shruti digs deep into three fantastic papers that reveal deep truths about the lives of women in India — and explains why we shouldn’t jump to conclusions. Everything is multi-causal and complicated. Amit discusses pink shoes and the phenomenon of Simultaneous Sameness. Pranay shares how a dog bit him in central Bengaluru, and raises an ethical and policy question about street dogs. The 1983 Cricket World Cup is discussed. (Ballu zindabad!) And viewers from Kerala will love the chart of the week. :)And oh, btw, we released our pilot episode last week as episode 0. Watch it here:    • AI Can Help You. AI Can Hurt You | Episode...   (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOci4R-pk2M)TABLE OF CONTENTS00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fKfxlcnjWk) Hype the Episode!00:27 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fKfxlcnjWk&t=27s) Intro01:25 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fKfxlcnjWk&t=85s) Main Course: Where Have All the Women Gone?43:19 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fKfxlcnjWk&t=2599s) TIL (Trivia I Love): Pink Shoes & Simultaneous Sameness55:18 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fKfxlcnjWk&t=3318s) In My Life: Dog Bites Pranay1:13:28 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fKfxlcnjWk&t=4408s) Infinite Game: The 1983 World Cup1:26:33 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fKfxlcnjWk&t=5193s) Chart of the Week: Kerala’s Schools1:31:53 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fKfxlcnjWk&t=5513s): Recommendations For the rest of our maginficent show notes, please visit our YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fKfxlcnjWk)!

13. 

    31 Jul 2026

    Ep 0: AI Can Help You. AI Can Hurt You

    Should we let AI help us with our writing? What are the qualities of a successful narrative? Who will win the Infinite Game?Welcome to the pilot episode of Watching the Wheels, hosted by Amit Varma, Shruti Rajagopalan and Pranay Kotasthane. This is a weekly podcast that will appear here every Friday. We begin next week, but this is a trial episode we shot a few weeks ago, so we figured we might as well put it up. Please subscribe for more!In this episode, Amit explains the writing advice he gives his students when it comes to using AI: Use it extensively for research and brainstorming, but NEVER for writing. Shruti describes the implications for copyright law. Pranay talks about how his AI-forward organization, Takshashila, uses AI to accelerate the spread & use of knowledge. They also discuss what makes a narrative successful, why you should propose by carving Sanskrit Shlokas on Eucalyptus trees, why Gullak is great but piggybanks are bad & why Sonny Rollins was a saxophone colossus. Much fun!TABLE OF CONTENTS00:00 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOci4R-pk2M) Intro02:31 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOci4R-pk2M&t=151s) Main Course: The Use of AI in Writing (& Research)32:28 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOci4R-pk2M&t=1948s) The Infinite Game49:25 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOci4R-pk2M&t=2965s) Framework of the Week: All About Successful Narratives1:04:58 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOci4R-pk2M&t=3898s) Book Capsule: Simple Rules for a Complex World1:08:02 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOci4R-pk2M&t=4082s) Paper Capsule: The Use of Knowledge in Society1:17:52 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOci4R-pk2M&t=4672s) Recommendations For full show notes, in all their awesomeness and wholesomeness and joyfullness, visit our YouTube page (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOci4R-pk2M)!

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