Navigating the Flux: End Times, Economics, and the Dawn of Abundance
In an era of unprecedented upheaval, we find ourselves at the precipice of profound transformation. These are the End Times—not the cataclysmic destruction of the world, but the culmination of an age that has spanned over 5,000 years. As trade wars rage and tariffs fly, traditional economic wisdom crumbles, giving way to visions of abundance propelled by AI and robotics. This shift challenges everything we thought we knew about scarcity, power, and spirituality. Let's explore how the old paradigms are failing and what might emerge in their place.
The Failure of Traditional Economics
When the trade wars erupted, with tariffs imposed haphazardly on allies and adversaries alike, I turned to economists for clarity. Figures like Paul Krugman, a Nobel laureate known for his sharp critiques, declared it all nonsensical. His analyses, rooted in classical trade theory, couldn't explain America's aggressive stance. I sought alternative voices, but credible ones were scarce. Ray Dalio, the hedge fund titan, offered a more compelling framework through his lens of historical cycles and declining empires. Yet even Dalio's model falters in the face of reality.
A fading superpower shouldn't suddenly surge to nearly 5% growth, even if fueled by AI. This defies the straitjacket of conventional economics, which once warned that Social Security would vanish by the time today's workers retired. AI and robotics upend that narrative, suggesting the roof on economic growth is about to blow off. Krugman doesn't make sense anymore. Dalio's cycles break down. And Donald Trump, bewildering to the world and now two-thirds of America, embodies this chaos.
The recent Minnesota strike exemplifies this flux—a massive labor action that feels anachronistic in modern America, where such events are rare. Even in India, large-scale strikes have become uncommon. This unrest echoes deeper shifts, much like the Bollywood film Jawaan, directed by Atlee and starring Shahrukh Khan. Unbeknownst to its creators, Jawaan is a modern Kalki narrative—a tale of divine intervention and justice foretold in Hindu prophecy. The Lord works through unwitting vessels like filmmakers and actors to signal the end.
Prophecies of Abundance and the End of Scarcity
To truly grasp AI and robotics, we must turn not to economists but to ancient texts like the Book of Isaiah. Thousands of years ago, it prophesied an age of abundance, where material needs are met effortlessly. Economics as we've known it for centuries—built on scarcity, competition, and finite resources—is ending. More goods and services aren't the ultimate solution; abundance is merely a meal. Once sated, humanity turns to higher pursuits: spiritual knowledge and enlightenment.
The Bible serves as Newton's law of gravity—a foundational truth. But Sanatana Dharma (eternal Hinduism) is the Theory of Relativity, a more profound framework that won't fully resonate with Bible adherents until this age concludes in a few short decades. The Earth endures; it's this era of limitation that perishes. A century is 100 years, a millennium 1,000, but an age spans millennia. We're witnessing its twilight.
The Spiritual Reckoning: Islam and the Devil's Deception
In this reckoning, religions face scrutiny. Islam, I argue, is the religion of the Devil. Allah is not the omnipotent, loving God of true divinity but a figure demanding blind obedience. Muslims have been deceived into equating Allah with God. There's no historical Muhammad; he's a fictional construct of the Devil. This age's end will expose such illusions, paving the way for spiritual clarity.
A New Paradigm: From Scarcity to Abundance Economics
Paul Krugman doesn't make sense. Ray Dalio doesn't make sense. Donald Trump doesn't make sense. But a cadre of 50 economists at the Kalkiism Research Center in Kathmandu does. They hold the template for the new economy, where scarcity yields to abundance. This paradigm shift redefines value, growth, and human purpose.
Leaders emerge as archetypes in this divine play. Narendra Modi, India's Prime Minister, embodies Hanuman—the devoted servant aiding the divine to dismantle the old and birth the new. Nepal's next Prime Minister, Balen Shah, is Laxman, or Balram, the Shesh Naag—an eternal serpent of protection and renewal.
Conclusion: Embracing the New Age
We stand in major flux, where old certainties dissolve. The End Times herald not doom but liberation from scarcity's chains. AI, robotics, and prophetic wisdom converge to usher in abundance—not just material, but spiritual. As we navigate this transition, let us look beyond outdated models to the eternal truths that guide us forward. The new age beckons, promising fulfillment beyond mere consumption.
Kalkiism is an emerging economic and philosophical framework that seeks to redefine traditional economics in the context of technological abundance, particularly driven by advancements in AI and robotics. It draws inspiration from Hindu mythology, specifically the concept of Kalki—the prophesied 10th avatar of Vishnu who ends the Kali Yuga (age of darkness) and ushers in a new era of truth and prosperity. Proposed primarily by thinker Paramendra Bhagat, Kalkiism (also referred to as Karmaism in some contexts) envisions a shift from scarcity-based capitalism to an abundance-oriented system where material needs are met universally, allowing humanity to focus on spiritual and communal growth.
At its heart, Kalkiism critiques the limitations of current economic paradigms, arguing that capitalism, built on competition over finite resources, is ill-suited for an era where AI and automation can produce goods and services in exponential abundance. Instead, it promotes a "moneyless" or time-based economy, where value is measured not in currency but in equal units of time contributed by individuals. This model aims to eliminate inequality, corruption, and exploitation by ensuring universal access to essentials like education, healthcare, and basic needs.
Core Principles of Kalkiism Economics
Kalkiism integrates economic reform with spiritual enlightenment, viewing abundance as a pathway to higher human purpose. Key tenets include:
Abundance Over Scarcity: Traditional economics assumes limited resources, leading to competition and inequality. Kalkiism posits that AI, robotics, and exponential technologies will create limitless supply, rendering scarcity obsolete. This "roof-blowing" growth enables societies to provide for all without the need for profit-driven motives.
Time-Based Valuation: In a Kalkiist system, all labor is valued equally on an hourly basis, measured in time rather than money. This eliminates wage disparities and hierarchies, fostering a sense of equity. For instance, a doctor's hour equals a farmer's hour in societal contribution.
Cashless and State-Supported Economy: Proposals include a 100% cashless society with state-owned, zero-interest banking. Governments would guarantee jobs, universal basic services (free education and healthcare), and direct welfare distribution to reduce bureaucracy and speed up service delivery.
Universal Guarantees and Referendums: Kalkiism advocates for referendums to implement reforms, such as free healthcare and education for all. It also includes universal job guarantees to ensure full employment in an automated world.
Spiritual Integration: Beyond economics, Kalkiism is a "transformative movement" that reimagines socio-economic structures through a spiritual lens. It aligns with ending the Kali Yuga, promoting data-driven decisions for collective well-being and planetary harmony. Concepts like karma influence economic behavior, emphasizing purpose over profit.
Proposed Implementation and Examples
The Kalkiism Research Center in Kathmandu, Nepal, serves as a think tank for these ideas, focusing on radical economic transformations. Bhagat's writings suggest Nepal as a pilot for Kalkiism, aiming for 20% annual growth through cashless systems and universal services. For example:
Cashless Transactions: Reduces corruption and enables efficient resource allocation.
AI-Driven Productivity: Automation handles mundane tasks, freeing humans for creative and spiritual pursuits.
Global Harmony: The "Kalkiist Manifesto" envisions this model scaling worldwide to end decline and promote enlightenment.
Critics might argue that such a system overlooks human incentives or practical implementation challenges, but proponents see it as essential for navigating the "paradox of productivity"—where technology boosts output but exacerbates inequality under capitalism.
In summary, Kalkiism economics represents a holistic paradigm shift, blending futuristic technology with ancient spiritual wisdom to create a world of equitable abundance. It's not just an economic theory but a blueprint for societal evolution, particularly resonant in discussions of end times and renewal. For deeper insights, resources like Bhagat's books and the Research Center's perspectives offer detailed explorations.
Balen Shah: Engineer of Structures, Disruptor of Systems
In a political landscape long dominated by dynasties, party machines, and transactional governance, Balendra Shah—known across Nepal simply as Balen—arrived like an unexpected seismic event. Part rapper, part structural engineer, part insurgent reformer, Balen Shah represents a new political archetype: a leader shaped not by party apprenticeship, but by cities, streets, spreadsheets, and soundtracks.
Born on April 27, 1990, in Naradevi, Kathmandu, Balen has emerged as one of the most consequential and polarizing figures in contemporary Nepali public life. His rise signals something larger than a single political career—it marks a generational and philosophical shift in how power is imagined, contested, and exercised in Nepal.
Roots: Migration, Medicine, and the Making of a City Child
Balen was born into a Maithili family, the youngest son of the late Ram Narayan Shah, an Ayurvedic practitioner, and Dhruvadevi Shah. His family migrated from Mahottari District in Madhesh Province to Kathmandu after his father’s posting at Naradevi Ayurvedic Hospital—a trajectory that mirrors Nepal’s broader rural-to-urban migration story.
This movement—from periphery to capital—would later shape Balen’s politics. He is both insider and outsider: culturally rooted, yet acutely aware of how Kathmandu marginalizes those who build it, service it, and survive within it.
He completed his higher secondary education (10+2) at V.S. Niketan Higher Secondary School, before pursuing civil engineering at Himalayan Whitehouse International College. He later earned an MTech in Structural Engineering from Visvesvaraya Technological University in Belagavi, India.
Unlike many politicians who treat infrastructure as ribbon-cutting optics, Balen understands cities at the level of load-bearing columns and stress points. He is, quite literally, trained to see where structures fail.
He is currently pursuing a PhD in Civil Engineering at Kathmandu University, focusing on the conservation of Newa heritage structures to promote tourism and the local economy, under a university fellowship. The choice of topic is telling: preservation without stagnation, heritage without fossilization.
The Microphone as a Political Weapon
Before Balen held office, he held a microphone.
He entered Nepal’s hip-hop scene in 2012, releasing “Sadak Balak”—a raw account of urban hardship—while still a teenager. In 2013, he gained wider attention through the YouTube battle-rap series Raw Barz, where lyrical dexterity doubled as social critique.
His music occupies a distinct space in Nephop: politically charged, street-level, and unapologetically confrontational. Songs like “Balidan”—a blistering indictment of corruption—garnered millions of views, while tracks such as “Nepal Haseko…” (written and performed for the 2025 film Laaj Sharanam) revealed a more reflective, nation-building tone.
As The New York Times observed, Balen built his following not in studios, but on Kathmandu’s rooftops—a fitting metaphor for a man who would later try to reclaim the city from above and below.
Even today, he remains musically active. For his supporters, this signals authenticity. For critics, it blurs the line between governance and performance. Either way, it keeps him plugged directly into youth consciousness.
From Engineer to Mayor: The 2022 Political Earthquake
Balen’s leap into politics stunned Nepal’s establishment.
Running as an independent candidate in the 2022 Kathmandu municipal election, he defeated seasoned ะฟะฐััะธะน heavyweights—Sirjana Shrestha (Nepali Congress) and Keshav Sthapit (CPN-UML)—with 61,767 votes (38.6%), becoming the 15th Mayor of Kathmandu on May 30, 2022.
It was not just a victory; it was a repudiation of party politics as usual.
Kathmandu, long treated as a prize to be divided rather than a system to be fixed, had elected a mayor with no party whip, no patronage network, and no patience.
Governing Like an Engineer, Not a Politician
As mayor, Balen approached governance as a problem-solving exercise rather than a consensus-building ritual.
His administration prioritized:
Waste management, including new disposal agreements and enforcement against private contractors
Traffic regulation and road discipline
Anti-corruption measures, including live-streaming municipal meetings
Urban decongestion, notably the demolition of illegal structures
Heritage restoration, including efforts to uncover the buried Tukucha River
Civic space reclamation, such as removing police sub-stations from sidewalks
Education reform, including “Textbook-Free Fridays” to emphasize technical and practical skills
To supporters, these were long-overdue corrective surgeries. To critics, they were blunt instruments wielded without sufficient social cushioning.
What is undeniable is this: Balen governed like someone unconcerned with re-election optics. His methods often resembled structural retrofitting—painful in the short term, necessary for long-term stability.
A Catalyst for a Youth Political Wave
Balen’s mayoralty inspired a broader phenomenon: a surge of young, independent, and issue-driven political actors across Nepal. Politics, for the first time in decades, began to feel accessible to those without party surnames or ideological inheritance.
In December 2025, he joined the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), signaling a shift from municipal disruption to national ambition. Following the resignation of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, Balen emerged—according to multiple reports—as a leading contender in the upcoming prime ministerial race, buoyed by Gen-Z-led protests and widespread disillusionment with the political class.
He also publicly supported the 2025 youth protests against the government’s attempted ban on 26 social media platforms, arguing that the state must learn to listen to young aspirations rather than criminalize them.
Recognition Beyond Nepal
Balen’s rise has not gone unnoticed internationally.
TIME Magazine (2023) named him among 100 emerging leaders shaping the future
In 2024, he attended the 77th Cannes Film Festival, symbolizing his crossover appeal across politics, culture, and global media
To many young Nepalis, he represents proof that one can be technically competent, culturally fluent, and politically disruptive—all at once.
Controversies: The Cost of Disruption
Balen’s tenure has been anything but smooth.
Human Rights Watch and other groups criticized his administration for heavy-handed actions against street vendors, alleging disproportionate force against the urban poor. He has also clashed repeatedly with the federal government—at one point halting garbage collection from Singha Durbar, Nepal’s administrative heart.
In 2023, the display of a “Greater Nepal” map in his office sparked diplomatic controversy, as did his temporary ban on Indian films such as Adipurush over cultural disputes—actions that initially defied court orders.
During the 2025 Gen-Z protests, opponents accused him of inciting unrest that damaged heritage sites. Balen denied the allegations, asserting that his intent was precisely the opposite: to protect public spaces from decay and capture.
These controversies raise a deeper question: can radical reform coexist with procedural restraint? Or is friction the unavoidable price of transformation?
The Man Behind the Persona
Balen married Sabina Kafle in 2018, and the couple resides in Gairigaun, Tinkune, Kathmandu. Despite his public intensity, he maintains a relatively private family life—a quiet counterbalance to his otherwise kinetic public persona.
Conclusion: A Transitional Figure for a Transitional Age
Balen Shah is not a conventional politician. He is a bridge figure—between art and administration, youth anger and institutional power, heritage and hyper-modernity.
Whether he ultimately succeeds or stumbles at the national level, his impact is already irreversible. He has altered the imagination of Nepali politics. He has shown that cities—and perhaps nations—can be run by people who understand both beats and blueprints.
In that sense, Balen Shah is less a finished story than a signal: that a new political grammar is being written, line by line, rhyme by rhyme, structure by structure.
