Questioner: Virtual reality has become one of the
most prominent technologies in modern world.
A lot of researchers are exploring this technology
to bring a lot of well-being to human beings.
But, currently the technology is causing a
lot of issues like alter ego, escapism,
anti-social behavior, and especially addiction to gaming.
So, how can virtual reality be used to benefit humans?
And more importantly, what is its
impact on human consciousness?
Sadhguru: Well, when you use it well, you will see right
now you’re using it, Sadhguru’s still in India (Laughter).
See, no technology is harmful,
it is just that,
when human mind is in a certain level of destructive
mode, every technology is harmful – everything.
You can take your laptop and slit
somebody’s head (Few Laugh).
Does it mean to say computers are dangerous?
Suppose a few incidents happen like this,
in many offices it happened – let’s say
in ten offices it so happened somebody took
Apple Air and slit somebody’s head (Laughter).
Does it mean to say laptops are dangerous?
No, human beings are stupid (Laughter).
Whatever comes their way, they know
how to turn it against themselves.
When they turn their own brains against themselves,
what else do you want?
Now there are (Laughs)
technology de-addiction centers.
You know this?
Like there are drug de-addiction, alcohol de-addiction,
now technology de-addiction centers.
Simply because we are in a compulsive mode
– if we start eating, we don’t know when to stop eating.
That’s a problem, big problem!
Quite a big problem.
If we start drinking, you don’t know
when to stop drinking.
If we start shopping, we don’t know
when to stop shopping.
If we start using the phone, we don’t know
when to stop using the phone.
So the problem is not of technology,
the problem is of compulsiveness.
When you say compulsiveness, it’s just 
absence of consciousness, isn’t it?
If we were conscious human beings,
we would use everything for our well-being
and everybody’s well-being.
Because we are compulsive, we start doing something
– we don’t know how to stop.
Endlessly we will do the same silly thing.
So, whether it’s virtual reality, or artificial intelligence,
or anything of anything,
the problem is not of technology never
because they are just devices, created by us,
we are supposed to use it for our well-being –
that’s the idea, isn’t it?
But see most of the cutting edge technology
always goes into military usage in the world,
obviously we don’t know how to use it for our well-being
we are always using it to destroy something.
This has been the thing always, not just now because
we have never worked on human consciousness.
If human beings lived consciously, if the leadership
in the world was a conscious leadership,
the question of using technology against 
human well-being or the well-being of anything,
wouldn’t arise, isn’t it?
Is technology means enhancement
of our capability, isn’t it?
So right now, I have a microphone... 
(Touches beard) hmm (Few Laugh)?
No really, see (Touches beard) (Few Laugh)?
This is an enhancement of our capability, isn’t it?
If I spoke without microphone, only this many
people would hear, this is just an enhancement.
So suppose just because I have a microphone,
I start screaming (Few Laugh),
now the problem is not of microphone.
You think the problem is of microphone?
“Oh, this microphone is screaming so loudly,” is it?
So this is what we are talking –
no technology is a problem, no matter what it is.
The question is will we use it consciously?
Or will we either compulsively or commercially (Laughs)?
Commerce is a compulsion right now.
We started trading like this – I have some rice,
you have some chicken, we exchanged, little okay?
Because I had something extra – I had more
potatoes, you had more eggs, we exchanged.
This is how commerce started,
something excess we give it to you, 
what you have excess you give it to me so that
you live your life, I live my life.
Slowly because of our compulsiveness,
we have grown commerce to such a point!
that it controls every aspect of our life right now.
Well, the government is telling you,
“Please all of you take more loans 
otherwise economy will go down” (Laughs).
Yes or no?
They are encouraging you...
because somebody told me, “Sadhguru you have no credit worthiness (Few Laugh)
because you’ve never taken a loan.”
I thought it’s a good thing (Laughter).
I thought I’ve never taken a loan is a very good thing.
But they’re telling me it’s a bad thing, tch.
“You have no credit worthiness,
you must take some loan.”
“What do I do?”
“Just buy a house somewhere (Laughter).
Just buy a house somewhere and rent it, Sadhguru.
You’ll have credit worthiness” (Laughter).
This is compulsiveness transformed itself 
into commerce, isn’t it?
Well, people built a home
because they want to live there.
But now we’ve made this so compulsive,
that commerce is eating up the planet!
Just recently, I don’t know if you saw this news,
about twenty days ago,
one of the Russian container carriers – a big ship
a big ship something like 40,000 ton ship
broke through the Atlantic ice
and they established a new route because...
I’m sorry, the Arctic ice where they could not come.
This reduces the distance to where it 
used to travel by 8,000 kilometers
and they’re going to save so much money 
but they’re going through the Arctic ice.
Because it’s thin, they’re breaking through
and commercial shipping is
going to happen through the Arctic.
This is compulsive commerce – you don’t
understand what the hell you are doing, isn’t it?
Yes or no?
It’s just compulsiveness!
Don’t call this commerce, this is just human compulsiveness –
they can’t keep quiet, they have to do something.
This is why we thought at least
if we get the whole population to simply sit quietly for
twenty-one minutes, planet could be saved (Laughter)!
Even if they don’t know how to meditate
(Laughs) (Applause)!
Just imagine, all these 7.6 billion people
did nothing for twenty minutes in a day (Laughter).
This is why I’ve been saying...
see, it is not human intelligence
which is saving the planet,
it is not human love or compassion saving the planet –
it’s human lethargy (Laughter).
Half the people are lazy – they are the
ones who are saving the planet (Laughter).
If everybody gets fully industrious
using all the technology we have, poof,
in fifteen-twenty years, I think the planet 
will be shaved clean (Laughter).
Yes or no?
We’re going there?
So, doesn’t matter what’s the technology,
never a technology or any kind of enhancement of capability, should be a problem! Isn’t it?
If human capability’s enhanced,
should it become a problem?
Always it’s a solution for something, isn’t it?
But we make it a problem 
because we use it compulsively.
So the key is not in holding back the technologies,
the key is making human beings more 
conscious about how they function.
