Won the Battle, Lost the War? What Is Your Equation of Value?

Dear Friends,

Alvin Foo, the famous AI strategist, recently posted a video! It was a 100m race at a school. The first-place winner received a few thought-provoking books, the second received a gaming PC, and the third received an Orange iPhone 17 Pro Max. Interestingly, the guy who won first, instead of feeling happy upon receiving the prize, looked morose and looked at the 2nd- and 3rd-place winners and their prizes. It looked like he was thinking, “Maybe I should have performed slightly worse!” The caption says, “Won the battle, lost the war.”

The obvious interpretation is, “The student who performed best received the prize that may feel least desirable.” The deeper question is, “Who decided what the winner actually values?” If you seriously think about it, they designed it right. The idea is to further inspire him by giving him these biographies of famous athletes. They wanted to nourish his aspirations. Having said that, at face value, it is discouraging from a material-value perspective.

The rewards are of two types—Material value: What is it worth today? Developmental value: What might it make me capable of tomorrow?

When we speak more about material values at home and in college, students/children value them more than developmental values. They are essential. Personally, I also recommend setting a minimum material value; otherwise, we will not be able to survive in this world. However, defining that minimum is becoming an issue at work, at home, and in society.

This has become an interesting question that has popped up in society: Is a salary of ₹1 lakh+, while living with parents and children, better than a ₹50 lakh package, while living far away but supporting relatives financially and emotionally, or a ₹1 crore salary, while living far away and unable to support them in any way?

Recently, a post went viral on PublicNext.com about the requirements of a bride—she earns ₹15K per month but rejected a boy earning ₹15L per year, citing a low salary. Netizens are outraged and said marriage has become a business deal. What is the outcome of this social symptom?

As per my research—and, of course, these figures vary from one context to another—I have arrived at the following figures. India’s headline CPI inflation was 3.93% year-on-year; urban inflation was 3.53% and rural inflation 4.25%. I would define decent as: reasonable accommodation, nutritious food, local transport, utilities, healthcare, some recreation, the ability to handle small emergencies, and 10–15% savings. A Decent Salary = Survival + Security + Dignity + Future. However, this is the most complicated and debatable topic.

However, when someone is spiritually elevated and does not worry about tomorrow, takes life as it comes, and remains peaceful, calm, and composed in any situation, the above definition does not hold true. The reason is that there is another gift called Spiritual Value. Not everybody receives this highest-order prize. I feel it is purely based on our past karma.

Essentially, real education lies in understanding material, developmental, and spiritual value.

Material value depreciates fast. Developmental value decays slowly. Spiritual value endures.

I am not that great at math, but a simple equation can be brought in like this:

E(t) = M₀e^(-λM t) + D₀e^(-λD t) + S₀

E(t) represents how the total value of education changes over time. M₀ refers to the initial material value, such as salary, possessions, qualifications, or immediate benefits. D₀ represents developmental value, including knowledge, skills, confidence, judgement, and personal growth, while S₀ represents spiritual value such as character, purpose, values, wisdom, and meaning. λM and λD indicate how quickly material and developmental values fade with time. Since λM > λD, material value is assumed to decline faster, developmental value lasts much longer, and spiritual value is treated as the most enduring dimension of education.

What is your equation?
Ravi Saripalle