The dharmic Dilemma in Tech: To Build or not to Build

The Dharmic Imperative in Technological Innovation

In an era dominated by rapid technological advancement and relentless innovation, we find ourselves at a crucial crossroads. The compelling question before us is not whether we can create new technologies, but whether we should. This fundamental distinction brings us to the concept of dharma – not as an antiquated philosophical construct, but as a vital framework for evaluating and guiding technological progress in our contemporary world.

Chief Seattle (more correctly known as Seathl) was a Susquamish chief who lived on the islands of the Puget Sound. As a young warrier, Chief Seattle was known for his courage, daring and leadership. He gained control of six of the local tribes and continued the friendly relations with the local whites that had been established by his father. His now famous speech was believed to have been given in December, 1854. There are several versions of his letter; the following was provided by Barefoot Bob. Source: https://www.csun.edu/~vcpsy00h/seattle.htm

Chief Seattle’s Letter

“The President in Washington sends word that he wishes to buy our land. But how can you buy or sell the sky? the land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them?Every part of the earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist in the dark woods, every meadow, every humming insect. All are holy in the memory and experience of my people.We know the sap which courses through the trees as we know the blood that courses through our veins. We are part of the earth and it is part of us. The perfumed flowers are our sisters. The bear, the deer, the great eagle, these are our brothers. The rocky crests, the dew in the meadow, the body heat of the pony, and man all belong to the same family.The shining water that moves in the streams and rivers is not just water, but the blood of our ancestors. If we sell you our land, you must remember that it is sacred. Each glossy reflection in the clear waters of the lakes tells of events and memories in the life of my people. The water’s murmur is the voice of my father’s father.The rivers are our brothers. They quench our thirst. They carry our canoes and feed our children. So you must give the rivers the kindness that you would give any brother.If we sell you our land, remember that the air is precious to us, that the air shares its spirit with all the life that it supports. The wind that gave our grandfather his first breath also received his last sigh. The wind also gives our children the spirit of life. So if we sell our land, you must keep it apart and sacred, as a place where man can go to taste the wind that is sweetened by the meadow flowers.Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the earth is our mother? What befalls the earth befalls all the sons of the earth.This we know: the earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth. All things are connected like the blood that unites us all. Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself.One thing we know: our God is also your God. The earth is precious to him and to harm the earth is to heap contempt on its creator.Your destiny is a mystery to us. What will happen when the buffalo are all slaughtered? The wild horses tamed? What will happen when the secret corners of the forest are heavy with the scent of many men and the view of the ripe hills is blotted with talking wires? Where will the thicket be? Gone! Where will the eagle be? Gone! And what is to say goodbye to the swift pony and then hunt? The end of living and the beginning of survival.When the last red man has vanished with this wilderness, and his memory is only the shadow of a cloud moving across the prairie, will these shores and forests still be here? Will there be any of the spirit of my people left? We love this earth as a newborn loves its mother’s heartbeat. So, if we sell you our land, love it as we have loved it. Care for it, as we have cared for it. Hold in your mind the memory of the land as it is when you receive it. Preserve the land for all children, and love it, as God loves us.As we are part of the land, you too are part of the land. This earth is precious to us. It is also precious to you.One thing we know – there is only one God. No man, be he Red man or White man, can be apart. We ARE all brothers after all.”

True or not, I love the above speech. I first read it when I was in high school and it continues to inspire me. It might as well have been written by one of our ancient sages.

The Eternal Relevance of Dharmic Principles

The wisdom encapsulated in ancient texts like the Bhagavad Gita remains surprisingly pertinent to our modern technological challenges. Just as Arjuna faced moral dilemmas on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, today’s innovators and technologists face complex ethical decisions in their pursuits. The core human questions remain unchanged: What is the right action? What serves the greater good? What are the long-term consequences of our choices? This is what I used to think! Now, sadly the conclusion is that these questions do not even come up when new tech is being envisioned or created. But they should come up!

Sri Krishna’s guidance to Arjuna offers a timeless framework for navigating these decisions. The essence of dharma – doing what is right, maintaining cosmic order, and serving the greater good – becomes even more critical in an age where our technological capabilities can have global ramifications.

The Current Technological Paradigm: Innovation Without Purpose

Much of today’s technological innovation follows a simple yet problematic logic: if something can be built, it should be built. This approach lacks what we might call “dharmic accountability” – consideration of the broader implications and responsibilities that come with innovation. We see this playing out in various sectors:

Urban Development and Environmental Impact

The transformation of Bengaluru serves as a stark example. The city’s journey from having 65% forest cover in the 1980s to merely 8% today starkly illustrates how our current model of development often translates to environmental destruction. This is not development in any true sense – it is degradation masked as progress.

The app driven Economy and Social Disruption

The emergence of platforms like Zomato, Swiggy, Zepto, and Blinkit represents a technological solution to convenience. However, these innovations often overlook their broader social and economic impacts. The concentration of large populations in urban centers, driven by such business models, creates unsustainable pressure on infrastructure and resources.

What is the way out? 

Towards a Dharmic Framework for Innovation

A dharmic approach to technological innovation would require us to ask several fundamental questions before pursuing any new development:

Purpose and Necessity

– Does this innovation serve a genuine need, or does it merely create artificial desires?

– Does it contribute to the greater good of society and the environment?

– Is it aligned with principles of sustainability and harmony?

Impact Assessment

– What are the long-term consequences for society, environment, and human well-being?

– How does it affect the most vulnerable sections of society?

– Does it promote or hinder human development in its truest sense?

Balance and Harmony

– Does the innovation maintain or disrupt natural and social balance?

– How does it impact existing systems and relationships?

– Does it promote sustainable and equitable growth?

The Internal Landscape

A crucial insight from dharmic tradition is that external changes do not necessarily address internal human challenges. As the provided perspective notes, “The changing of the external scenery does not change the landscape inside.” This wisdom is particularly relevant in our technology-driven age, where we often seek external solutions to internal problems.

Our technological capabilities have advanced exponentially, yet human beings continue to grapple with the same fundamental questions about purpose, meaning, and fulfilment. This suggests that true innovation must address both external efficiency and internal well-being.

Learning from Success: Dharmic Innovation in Practice

The path toward more ethical and sustainable innovation isn’t merely theoretical. Several successful initiatives demonstrate how dharmic principles can guide technological development while maintaining economic viability. Consider the case of Ahimsa Silk, developed in India as a response to traditional silk production’s destruction of silkworm pupae. By allowing the silkworm to complete its lifecycle, this innovation created a more sustainable and ethically produced fabric, proving that commercial success and dharmic principles can coexist. I still need to read more deeply on this dharmic innovation but on first glance it seems legit. 

In the realm of transportation, the success of bike-sharing programs in cities like Copenhagen and Amsterdam demonstrates how rethinking our approach to mobility can reduce the need for personal vehicle ownership. These systems succeed not just because of their technology, but because they’re part of a holistic approach to urban planning that prioritizes human and environmental well-being over mere convenience.

Policy Frameworks for Dharmic Innovation

Creating an environment conducive to dharmic innovation requires thoughtful policy interventions that realign economic incentives with broader societal good. Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws, successfully implemented in countries like Germany and Japan, make manufacturers responsible for the entire lifecycle of their products. This creates a powerful incentive to design products that are more sustainable and easier to recycle or reuse.

Another promising approach is the implementation of “true cost accounting” in regulatory frameworks. This would require companies to factor in environmental and social costs when pricing their products. For instance, if disposable diaper manufacturers had to account for the long-term health impacts and environmental cleanup costs of their products, more sustainable alternatives would become comparatively more attractive to both producers and consumers.

Public procurement policies can also play a crucial role. When government institutions prioritize sustainable and ethically produced products, they create reliable markets for dharmic innovations. This has been demonstrated in countries like South Korea, where government procurement of green technologies has helped drive sustainable innovation.

A comprehensive understanding of the following things should guide and inform policymakers and this can happen only if our education is policy is reimagined first:

1. What is a human being and what is the yogic / cosmic anatomy and physiology of a human being?
2. What is Earth and how is the planetary ecosystem designed and how does it function? How is it supposed to function and how our human interventions have damaged the planetary systems?
3. What is the purpose of human life?
4. What is the role of a human being in the universe – in this planetary system? What are the responsbilities of a human being who is inhabiting this earth?
5. What should be / are the limits or boundaries of human action with respect to the ecosystem in which we live?
6. What is the driving desire of every human being? If it is happiness what is happiness? How can a human being achieve and experience happiness of a lasting type?
7. If the answers to the above questions (there are many more and I am sure you can point them out) can help us define Need Vs Greed, then what is an “economy?”
8. How can we design and engineer a society, its culture, its economy and its politics in accordance with the role of a human being in this whole cosmic scheme of things?

The list of questions is in fact longer but the above should suffice for this discussion. A dharmic civilization would find these questions enlivening, enlightening and inspiring. A mechanical, ‘zombieized’, automaton-like civilization would find these questions irrelevant and will categorize you as delusional if you were to ask these questions in the parliament or at Times Square.

The purpose of public policymaking should be to ensure the well being of all life on the planet, not just human. We are not the only ones living here!

Ancient Wisdom in Modern Materials

Traditional knowledge systems offer profound insights for developing new materials and approaches. The ancient Indian understanding of materials as having both gross and subtle properties can guide us in developing truly sustainable alternatives. For instance, the traditional use of copper vessels for water storage, long dismissed as superstition, has been validated by modern science for its antimicrobial properties.

The concept of considering the three-fold impact of any action on the doer, the deed, and the environment – provides a framework for evaluating new materials and technologies. This principle encourages us to consider not just the immediate utility of an innovation, but its effects on the maker, the user, and the broader world.

Traditional knowledge about local materials and seasonal rhythms can inform the development of region-specific solutions. Instead of pursuing one-size-fits-all products, we might develop diverse solutions adapted to local conditions and resources. This approach aligns with both dharmic principles and modern understanding of sustainable development. Not only can localized economies be envisioned we can try to envision localized education, agriculture, healthcare, manufacturing and production. 

Synthesis: A New Path Forward

These examples and approaches point toward a new model of innovation that integrates dharmic principles with modern capabilities. This model would:

• Prioritize regenerative design principles, where products and processes contribute positively to environmental and social systems rather than merely minimizing harm.

• Foster deep collaboration between traditional knowledge holders and modern scientists, creating innovations that draw on both ancient wisdom and contemporary understanding.

• Create economic structures that reward long-term thinking and holistic problem-solving, rather than quick profits and narrow solutions.

• Build educational systems that cultivate awareness of interconnectedness and responsibility alongside technical skills.

The path forward requires us to recognize that true innovation isn’t just about creating new things – it’s about creating them in ways that honor our responsibilities to all life and to future generations. As the ancient warning about akasha reminds us, our technological choices have consequences that extend far beyond their immediate apparent impacts. By integrating dharmic principles with modern capabilities, we can create innovations that truly serve human needs while maintaining harmony with natural systems.

To integrate dharmic principles into technological innovation, we need:

1. Holistic Impact Assessment

Before deploying new technologies, we must evaluate their impact on all stakeholders – human communities, natural ecosystems, and future generations. This assessment should go beyond immediate economic benefits to consider long-term sustainability and social harmony. The paper cup and disposable diaper crises demonstrate how our failure to conduct thorough impact assessments leads to widespread health and environmental issues, particularly affecting vulnerable populations like infants and children.

2. Ethical Guidelines

Development of clear ethical frameworks that incorporate dharmic principles into technological innovation. These guidelines should emphasize responsibility, sustainability, and the greater good. They should also address why certain crucial problems – like developing safe alternatives to plastic-coated paper cups and chemical-laden diapers – remain unsolved while less important but more profitable innovations receive abundant funding and attention.

3. Sustainable Development Models

Creation of development models that balance progress with preservation, understanding that true development enhances rather than destroys existing natural and social systems. This includes rethinking our approach to venture capital and startup funding to prioritize solutions to real human needs over quick returns. We must question why innovations that potentially harm our most vulnerable populations continue to dominate the market while safer alternatives remain underdeveloped.

The Path Forward

The integration of dharmic principles into technological innovation is not about impeding progress – it’s about ensuring that progress serves its highest purpose. As we stand at this crucial juncture in human history, with unprecedented technological capabilities at our disposal, the wisdom of dharma becomes more relevant than ever.

The challenge before us is to harness our innovative potential while maintaining harmony with natural systems and human values. This requires a fundamental shift in how we approach technological development – moving from a model driven purely by capability and profit to one guided by wisdom, responsibility, and long-term well-being.

True innovation, viewed through the lens of dharma and universal wisdom, must contribute to the sustenance and enhancement of life in all its forms. Chief Seattle’s prophetic warning about “talking wires” blotting the view of ripe hills and the transformation from living to mere survival serves as a stark reminder of technology’s double-edged nature. When he asks, “Will you teach your children what we have taught our children? That the earth is our mother?” he poses a challenge that resonates deeply with dharmic principles of environmental stewardship and intergenerational responsibility. If we make it a habit to spend some time in the lap of nature, in a forest or jungle a couple of days every month for 12 months, we will begin to see and understand why the earth is revered as Mother Earth. It is difficult to relate to this concept when you are living in concrete jungles. In concrete jungles the mobile phone is mother and the internet is our father! 

When you have the experience of living in a village for a few months where your sustenance is provided for by the “cow” – milk, butter, ghee, curds, dung, muscle power and human like love and emotional support you will begin to understand why the cow is called “Gau Mata.” It is not a joke, but it has become a joke! In the rest of the world, holy cow is merely an expression in the English language. 

In the days of the wild wild west, stealing a man’s horse would invite death by hanging. Now, figure out why that was the case! 

Our technological advancement, while important, must be balanced with environmental preservation, social harmony, and human development in its fullest sense. As Chief Seattle reminds us, “The air is precious… the air shares its spirit with all the life that it supports.” This understanding of the sacred nature of our environment must guide our technological aspirations.

Ancient Technological Wisdom: Beyond the Physical Realm

The interplay between technology and the subtle dimensions of existence was well understood by ancient civilizations. A remarkable example of this understanding can be found in the Annapoorneshwari temple in Karnataka, southern India. Hidden in its rear section, an inscription in Hala Kannada dating back over 3000 years contains not just technical instructions for aircraft design, but more importantly, a profound warning about the consequences of certain technological endeavors.

This ancient inscription introduces us to the concept of ‘akasha’ – often mistranslated simply as “space” or “ether.” However, akasha represents something far more fundamental: it is a subtle dimension of existence, one of the five elements alongside earth, water, fire, and air. Unlike the modern concept of space as emptiness (kala or non-existence), akasha is very much ‘that which is’ – a vital, substantive element of reality.

The ancient warning is particularly relevant to our current technological trajectory: the disturbance of akasha through certain technological activities would lead to profound psychological disturbances in human beings, preventing them from finding peace in their lives. This eerily prescient observation seems to manifest in our modern world, where despite – or perhaps because of – our technological advancement, we witness increasing levels of psychological distress and disconnection.

The Illusion of Technological Mastery

Universal Wisdom: Ancient Voices on Human Hubris

The wisdom about humanity’s proper relationship with nature and technology transcends cultural boundaries and time periods. From the ancient inscriptions in Hindu temples to the words of Native American chiefs, we find consistent warnings about the consequences of technological hubris. In 1854, Chief Seattle of the Suquamish tribe delivered a message that resonates deeply with dharmic principles about our place in the cosmic order. His words, “Man did not weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web, he does to himself,” mirror both the dharmic understanding of interconnectedness and the ancient Indian wisdom about the delicate balance of akasha.

These diverse traditions share a fundamental understanding: that reality consists of more than just the physical realm we can measure and manipulate. Just as the ancient Hindu temple inscription warns about disturbing the subtle element of akasha, Chief Seattle speaks of the spirit in the air and the voice of ancestors in the water. Both traditions recognize that technological advancement without wisdom can disrupt not just physical ecosystems, but the very fabric of existence that sustains life and consciousness.

The Hidden Costs of Convenience: From Paper Cups to Baby Diapers

Our pursuit of convenience through technological innovation often comes with hidden costs that affect our most vulnerable populations. Consider two everyday products that exemplify this problem: the disposable paper cup and the disposable diaper. The paper cup releases 25,000 microplastic particles into hot beverages within just 15 minutes, while disposable diapers expose infants to a cocktail of harmful chemicals for extended periods throughout their most sensitive developmental stages.

These products represent a broader pattern in our approach to innovation – one that prioritizes immediate convenience over long-term health and environmental impacts. Just as a person drinking three cups of tea daily might unknowingly ingest 75,000 microplastic particles, an infant wearing disposable diapers is continuously exposed to potentially harmful chemicals during their most vulnerable developmental period. The scale of this exposure becomes even more concerning when we consider that these products are used by millions of people globally every day.

What makes these examples particularly troubling is that they represent “solutions” that actually create new, potentially more serious problems. The disposable diaper, marketed as a breakthrough in infant care, may be contributing to a range of health issues in children. Similarly, the paper cup, designed to make beverage consumption more convenient, has become a vector for microplastic contamination. These are not isolated cases but symptoms of a larger problem with our innovation paradigm.

This situation perfectly illustrates several critical failures in our current approach to innovation. First, it shows how we often solve one problem (the need for disposable containers) while creating new, potentially more serious ones (microplastic contamination). Second, it reveals the gap in our innovation ecosystem – despite the clear health implications, no major company or innovator has prioritized developing a truly safe alternative. The reason? The current system of venture capital and startup funding prioritizes scalable, high-return solutions over addressing fundamental human needs safely and sustainably.

The paper cup problem exemplifies what happens when we ignore dharmic principles in technological development. Instead of asking “Should we create disposable cups?” or “What are the long-term consequences of this solution?”, we simply proceeded with what seemed expedient. We could have created some dharmic constraints and requirements and added them to the design problem. We could have tried to find a biodegradable, eco-friendly solution to the problem of serving hot beverages to large numbers of people. I generally carry my own ceramic or steel cup with me whenever I travel – out of the house, out of the city or out of the country! 

The Scale of Unsustainable Development

The magnitude of our current trajectory becomes starkly clear when we examine global transportation trends. According to Bernstein research, the world is heading toward two billion cars on the road by 2040 – nearly double the 1.1 billion in 2015. Similarly, air travel is projected to more than double from 9 trillion revenue passenger kilometers to 20 trillion by 2040. The number of trucks is also set to double from 377 million to 790 million.

These numbers reveal a profound misalignment with dharmic principles of sustainable development. Consider what it means to add nearly one billion more cars to our planet: the massive extraction of natural resources needed for manufacturing, the extensive land required for roads and parking, and the enormous energy demands for operation. This mirrors the transformation we witnessed in Bengaluru, where “development” reduced forest cover from 65% to 8%. We are replicating this pattern globally at an unprecedented scale.

The growth is primarily driven by emerging markets like China and India, as rising GDP makes cars and air travel more accessible to growing populations. While this represents natural aspirations for better living standards, it raises a crucial question: Can we fulfill these aspirations through different means that don’t require such enormous environmental costs?

This challenge exemplifies why we need to reexamine our entire approach to development and innovation. Just as the ancient inscription in the Annapoorneshwari temple warned about disturbing the akasha through certain technologies, we must consider how the cumulative impact of billions of vehicles and massive air traffic might affect both physical and subtle aspects of our world.

The Build vs. Not-to-Build Dilemma

In the technology industry, teams regularly face “build vs. buy” decisions – whether to develop solutions in-house or acquire existing ones. However, a more fundamental question often goes unasked: should we build this at all? This question becomes even more critical when we consider the ancient warnings about disturbing natural balance of the planetary ecosystem. The implications of our technological choices extend beyond the visible physical realm into subtle dimensions that affect human consciousness and well-being.

The current startup ecosystem, with its emphasis on 10X returns and rapid scaling, creates an environment where thoughtful consideration of such deeper impacts becomes nearly impossible. When entrepreneurs are pressured to demonstrate explosive growth and quick returns, the space for dharmic consideration – let alone understanding impacts on subtle realms like akasha – shrinks dramatically. This creates a cycle where innovation is driven by market pressures rather than genuine needs or ethical considerations.

The wisdom from the Annapoorneshwari temple inscription suggests that even technologically advanced civilizations of the past recognized the need to consider the full spectrum of consequences – both visible and invisible – before proceeding with technological development. This ancient understanding that technological capability must be tempered by wisdom about its subtle impacts offers a crucial perspective for our modern innovation landscape.

As we move forward, let us remember that the most significant innovations may not be those that change our external world, but those that help us better navigate our internal landscape while maintaining harmony with the world around us. This is the true essence of dharmic innovation – one that serves not just human convenience, but acknowledges our role as conscious participants in a vast, interconnected universe. The question is not just whether we can build something, but whether we should, and how our creations align with the greater cosmic order.

I leave you with this great example of ecological consciousness from Kautilya’s Arthashastra.

“For cutting off the tender sprouts of fruit-trees, flower-trees or shady trees in the parks near a city, a fine of 6 panas shall be imposed; for cutting off the minor branches of the same trees, 12 panas; and for cutting off the big branches, 24 panas shall be levied. 

Cutting off the trunks of the same shall be punished with the first amercement; and felling the same shall be punished with the middle-most amercement. 

In the case of plants which bear flowers, fruits, or provide shade, half of the above fines shall be levied. 

The same fines shall be levied in the case of trees that have grown in places of pilgrimage, forests of hermits, or cremation or burial grounds. * 

For similar offences committed in connection with the trees which mark boundaries, or which are worshipped or observed (chaityeshválakshiteshucha,) or trees which are grown in the king’s forests, double the above fines shall be levied.”

This excerpt from Kautilya’s Arthashastra offers a striking example of ancient Indian wisdom that intertwines ecological preservation with dharmic principles. The detailed guidelines highlight a sophisticated understanding of environmental stewardship, where natural resources like trees are not only valued for their utility but also revered as integral to cultural, spiritual, and ecological well-being.

In the context of technological innovation, this principle underscores the importance of aligning development with the preservation of natural and cultural systems. The imposition of fines for cutting trees in various contexts—parks, pilgrimage sites, forests of hermits, and cremation grounds—demonstrates a nuanced approach that values:

                  1.             Environmental Responsibility: The protection of fruit-bearing, flower-bearing, and shady trees reflects a deep appreciation for biodiversity and the ecological benefits these trees provide.

                  2.             Cultural and Spiritual Significance: The higher penalties for damaging trees that are worshipped or mark boundaries emphasize their role in social harmony and cultural practices.

                  3.             Context-Specific Penalties: The scaled fines for minor branches, trunks, or entire trees reflect a thoughtful balance between practicality and deterrence, ensuring proportionality in enforcement.

In modern terms, this approach aligns with sustainable development practices such as biodiversity conservation, ecosystem services valuation, and the integration of cultural heritage into environmental policies. It provides a framework for how ancient wisdom can inspire technological innovation by ensuring it serves not just economic and functional purposes but also respects the intrinsic value of natural systems and cultural heritage.

Integrating these principles into technological advancement could lead to innovations that prioritize environmental sustainability and cultural sensitivity, ensuring harmony between human progress and nature. For example, urban planning informed by such dharmic principles might include stringent protections for green spaces and sacred sites, promoting ecological health alongside technological growth.