Latest news with #SheldonCooper
Forbes
12 hours ago
- Business
- Forbes
Meme Stocks Are Back And Retail Is About To Get Burned Again
CHINA - 2023/08/31: In this photo illustration, the Reddit logo is displayed in the Apple App Store ... More on an iPhone. (Photo Illustration by Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) They're back. It's not the businesses making a comeback; it's the same reckless behavior wrapped in new tickers. Meme stocks are ripping on no news, no turnaround, just vibes, and short interest déjà vu from 2021. Kohl's surged nearly 40%, not because of earnings, not because of strategy, but because some folks online decided it should. That's all it takes now. Retail's lit again. But scroll the forums, and it's all heat, no floor, no fundamentals. If this feels familiar, it should. GameStop. AMC. Bed Bath & Beyond. We've seen how this plays out. The move looks smart, until it isn't. And the fall is usually as sharp as the rise. But this isn't about Kohl's. It's not even about stocks. It's about memory. Or lack of it. The meme resurgence tells us less about opportunity and more about the refusal to learn. Investors aren't just repeating a trade; they're repeating a mistake. This isn't a rerun of a trade. It's a rerun of a train wreck and if you know where to look, the signs are everywhere. What Meme Stocks Did To Retail Last Time We don't need to guess how this plays out. We've already lived it. Back in August 2023, I laid it bare in Why You're Almost Guaranteed to Lose Money Trading GameStop, AMC & Other Meme Stocks. The pattern was clear: online hype caught fire, retail flooded in late, and institutional money used the wave to cash out. Social chatter turned into FOMO flows. Stocks surged. Then came the rug pull. Most retail traders weren't early; they were ammunition. They bought the highs and sold the pain. Meanwhile, professionals, armed with liquidity and exit plans, let the frenzy work for them. GameStop soared above $480 at its peak. Today, it trades under $30. AMC touched $72. It now limps below $5. That's not 'hold the line' loyalty. That's capital destruction. And yet, with the same names trending again, the crowd looks ready to walk into the fire a second time. The Real Lessons From The Meme Stock Bubble The meme stock bubble wasn't just a wild moment—it was a classroom. And in my January 2024 piece, What We Learned From The Stock Market Meme Bubble, the takeaways were clear. First: narrative is not strategy. A good story might move price in the short term, but it doesn't anchor value. Second: short interest, while flashy, is not a catalyst. It's a setup, not a reason to buy. Third, and maybe most crucial: community isn't capital. Online unity might create a movement, but it doesn't replace liquidity or discipline. And finally, behavioral traps ruled the day, confirmation bias, herd mentality, and the illusion of control all played leading roles. As I wrote then: 'Retail got a taste of power—and then a dose of reality.' The lessons were there in plain sight. Anyone willing to step back from the noise could see the cracks forming. But in every mania, reason is the first casualty. And now, as the same trades cycle back into fashion, we're finding out just how few people were paying attention. AMC What's Happening Now We're seeing the signs again. This time it's Kohl's. The stock jumped nearly 40% in a single session on absolutely nothing. No earnings release. No new strategic plan. No operational inflection. Just movement. And in 2024, that's all it takes to light up Reddit threads and X timelines with déjà vu-level energy: 'Squeeze coming.' 'Institutions are scared.' 'This is the next GameStop.' According to Barron's, it's meme traders driving the action, again using short interest as a battle cry, not a risk signal. And that's the issue. The crowd sees a high short float and mistakes it for an opportunity, not a warning. The irony? The very setup they're piling into is the one institution are often waiting to sell into. What's changed since 2021? Not much, except now there's no stimulus check liquidity, no novelty in zero commissions, and far less of a surprise factor. What's left? Noise with no fuel. Urgency built on fumes. As I warned in my May 2024 piece, The Risk Of Losing Big On GameStop And Other Meme Stocks: 'Retail investors often confuse movement with meaning. Just because a stock moves doesn't mean it's moving for you.' This time may look familiar, but the backdrop is very different. And when the music stops, it won't be the short sellers left standing without a chair. The Psychology Driving Meme Stock FOMO This latest meme stock wave isn't driven by analysis; it's driven by psychology. Recency bias leads traders to believe that because a squeeze happened once, it will happen again. Survivorship bias keeps them focused on the few who struck it rich last time, not the thousands who got burned. Add in community bias where being part of the crowd feels like validation and you've got a cocktail for poor decision-making. What's really fueling this is social reinforcement. TikTok clips showing fake P&L gains. X posts hyping charts with no context. The illusion of credibility from anonymous accounts shouting conviction. It's all theater. And with every like, share, and comment, that group think spreads. What's missing? Due diligence. Valuation. Anything resembling a thesis beyond 'shorts will cover.' This isn't investing. It's a TikTok trend with margin calls. The danger isn't just that these trades unravel. It's that the behavior behind them keeps getting rewarded by attention, not outcome. And when the feedback loop breaks, the fallout is real. The Structural Problem Even when meme stocks spike, most traders don't win. The reason isn't just timing; it's structure. Liquidity vanishes at the top. Platforms freeze. Bid-ask spreads widen. Right when you should sell, conviction freezes. Hesitation takes over. Emotion takes over. No plan, no discipline, just the hope it'll go higher. Nail the entry? Great. Now try getting out before the bid vanishes. These trades sell the illusion of repeatability. But the structure doesn't support the outcome. Most retail investors are playing a game where the rules shift mid-trade. The system isn't built for fast exits or disciplined decision-making at scale. And that's the catch: meme stocks promise outsized gains but offer little in terms of practical execution. By the time you hear the alarm, the exits are already jammed. That's the meme stock playbook. It's hard to win when the game isn't designed for you to leave with chips. What's Next For Meme Stocks: A Familiar Trap We've seen this script before and it doesn't end well. Here's what's likely next. One or two meme names pop, and Kohl's is already on that path. Maybe Bed Bath & Beyond will return from the dead via some illiquid microcaps. Social media does the rest. Reddit threads light up. TikTok gets flooded with charts and rocket emojis. 'The squeeze is on.' Retail starts piling in. FOMO kicks in hard. Flows accelerate. Then the air starts thinning. Liquidity evaporates. The same volatility that attracted traders begins to repel them. Without fundamentals or fresh capital, prices collapse under their own weight. Retail holds the bag, again. The difference this time? The players who won last time weren't even on the field. Institutions aren't surprised. Market makers are prepared. There's no novelty here, just a rerun. But it's a rerun with worse odds. No stimulus tailwind. No surprise factor. No second wave of liquidity. This isn't momentum. It's old muscle twitching in a dead trade. And those hoping for a different ending are ignoring the script. The Meme Stock Sequel Will End the Same Way Meme stocks aren't back because the fundamentals changed. They're back because memory faded and the crowd got bored. That's not opportunity; it's risk in disguise. In any greater fool game, the last one is the one who loses most. So, take this as a warning, not a headline to chase. Just because stocks are moving doesn't mean they're moving toward profit. Ask anyone who is still holding AMC. You've seen this movie before, and the ending didn't change. And like every sequel, this one's got the same ending, just fewer people left to cheer.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
12 Big Bang Theory Castmates: Where Are They Now?
The Big Bang Theory ran for 12 seasons and 279 episodes on CBS, earning big ratings and minting some new TV stars. CBS had no complaints about The Big Bang Theory. It had a ton of fans, as the ratings indicated. For a while, reruns on TBS were that network's highest-rated airings as well. It also won Emmys, People's Choice Awards, and more. However, critical assessments were mixed, and The Big Bang Theory was culturally relevant enough that it also had a lot of detractors who griped that the characters were broadly drawn. But the show's very talented cast helped lend The Big Bang Theory more substance, especially as the show went on. Here's what the Big Bang Theory cast is up to now. Related Headlines 12 Shameless '80s Comedies That Don't Care If You're Offended Generations Clash Over #MeToo in Luca Guadagnino's After the Hunt 10 Movie Sex Scenes Someone Should Have Stopped Jim Parsons Parsons, a relative unknown when The Big Bang Theory began, was not supposed to be the star. Sheldon Cooper was an eccentric secondary character. He proved the breakthrough star, though, and yielded a spinoff, Young Sheldon, that has itself yielded a spinoff. Parsons also won a whopping four Emmys for playing Sheldon. In addition to narrating Young Sheldon, Parsons has kept busy producing and occasionally acting. He acted on stage in a version of The Boys in the Band, and then starred in a 2020 film adaptation of that play. Parsons also co-starred in Hollywood, a limited series wherein he played closeted gay Hollywood agent Henry Willson, and the 2022 drama Spoiler Alert. Oh, and bazinga, of course. Kaley Cuoco Cuoco was one of the most recognizable stars of The Big Bang Theory when it debuted. As a kid, she had been on the sitcom 8 Simple Rules. Cuoco's Penny was the 'hot chick' (quotation marks not a comment on Cuoco's looks but to indicate this was the archetype she was playing) who the 'nerds' could not comprehend at first, though of course eventually she and Leonard would get together. There's a good chance you have seen Cuoco all over your television in recent years. In addition to the litany of advertisements you can see her in, Cuoco starred in The Flight Attendant and Based on a True Story. She's also loaned her voice to the cultishly adored Harley Quinn cartoon. That's not one to watch with your family. Johnny Galecki Galecki, who played Leonard, was the ostensible 'star' of The Big Bang Theory when it debuted, and to be fair he and Cuoco always remain at the center, even if others joined him. As a younger man, Galecki had been on Roseanne. Starring in The Big Bang Theory made Galecki, and others in the cast, very rich. That is to say, Galecki never needs to work again. He's popped up in a few episodes of The Connors, and also the movie A Dog's Journey, but both of those instances occurred in 2019. He is generationally wealthy, got somewhat recently married, more recently had a kid, and has a child from a previous relationship. If he doesn't want to work, he's got plenty else to do. Simon Helberg Helberg is, in our opinion, the best actor from the main cast of The Big Bang Theory, though he didn't get to show it a ton on the show. Howard was arguably the most broadly-drawn character, and early on, even if you liked the show, Howard may have been a bit much. Check him out in something like A Serious Man, though, and you can see his skills. On occasion Helberg has flashed those skills post-Big Bang as well. He's done a couple movies, most notably the weirdo indie masterpiece Annette. On television, in addition to a smidge of voiceover work, Helberg played a tertiary, but important, role in Poker Face, the excellent Peacock series starring Natasha Lyonne. Check that one out for sure. Kunal Nayyar If you're American, there's a good chance you haven't seen Nayyar, who played Raj, much recently. Maybe you have heard him, as he's voiced Guy Diamond in three Trolls movies (and two Trolls TV specials), but that's more or less it on the American side of the pond. Nayyar was actually born in London, though, and while he mostly grew up in India before moving to the United States for college, he's been back working in the United Kingdom since the end of The Big Bang Theory. He co-starred in British thriller series Suspicion, and he was also in an episode of Criminal: UK. For the latter, Nayyar was actually nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the British equivalent of the Emmys. Mayim Bialik To try and create new dynamics in the universe of The Big Bang Theory, and also to add a bit more female presence on the regular as well, Bialik debuted as Amy Farrah Fowler in a guest role in the third season before joining the main cast starting in Season 4. It was a sensible casting. Not only was Bialik well-versed in sitcoms, having starred in Blossom, she has a PhD in neuroscience. There has been a lot of Bialik on TV since The Big Bang Theory ended. She starred in the FOX sitcom Call Me Kat for a couple seasons. Also, notably, she was in the running to host Jeopardy!. Awkwardly, it was decided that she and Ken Jennings would share the role of host, but the Jeopardy! diehards, a raucous bunch, loudly preferred the game show icon to the interloping actress. Thus, Bialik's time as host has come to a conclusion. Melissa Rauch Rauch, who joined the show midstream to play Bernadette, eventual wife of Howard, has something going that no other Big Bang Theory cast member does at the moment: an extant sitcom. Rauch stars in the reboot of Night Court on NBC. She plays Abby Stone, daughter of Harry T. Stone, Harry Anderson's character from the original run. That's basically it, though, as Rauch hasn't done a ton else since Big Bang Theory ended. Not that we're knocking her! She's the star (and executive producer) of a network sitcom! There just isn't much else to say, so we will point out something odd and interesting. In 2017, Rauch did voiceover work in a direct-to-video Batman movie. It's called Batman and Harley Quinn, and she voiced Harley Quinn. That means two Big Bang Theory cast members have played Quinn in an animated project. Kevin Sussman Sussman played Stuart, the owner of the comic book shop the guys frequent. In the first few seasons he was in a recurring role, but eventually, as often happens, a tertiary character had his role expanded. Sussman was considered a member of the main cast for seasons eight through 12, which meant a major uptick in salary, we're sure. In total, Sussman was in 85 episodes of The Big Bang Theory, and he's stayed quite busy in the interim. He doesn't have that Galecki money, after all. Sussman popped up in a couple episodes of Bialik's Call Me Kat, and also a couple episodes of AMC's prestigious, beloved Better Call Saul. He was quite good in the excellent Hulu limited series The Dropout, about Elizabeth Holmes, and has been seen occasionally in Lessons in Chemistry as well. Sara Gilbert Gilbert was recurring in Season 1 and a guest in seasons three and nine, but for the second season of The Big Bang Theory, she was contractually in a starring role. While the show moved well past the era of Leslie Winkle, she should be included. Especially since, you know, she's been up to a lot of stuff and was already famous. When Gilbert was brought in, it was a bit of stunt casting. She played Darlene on Roseanne, after all, and Galecki played her character's boyfriend. The same time that The Big Bang Theory was ending, Gilbert's View-style show The Talk ended as well. Also, Gilbert and her wife Linda Perry divorced. Tough year for Gilbert! She bounced back, though. Gilbert has been back playing Darlene on The Connors since it debuted, giving her a regular network sitcom role once again. Laura Spencer Raj finally got himself a long-term thing on The Big Bang Theory, though without the success of the other relationships among the main cast. Emily, the morbid dermatologist, was in the main cast in Season 9, and was in a recurring role in seasons seven, eight, and 10. At the same time, Spencer also had a recurring role on Bones. Since then, she was in a somewhat obscure tornado disaster movie called 13 Minutes and appeared in one episode of Reservation Dogs. John Ross Bowie Barry Kripke was not one of the main characters on The Big Bang Theory. Bowie was credited in a recurring role in most seasons of his run, and a guest role in a couple of them. However, we decided to include him because the dude works. Bowie popped up in Jumanji: The Next Level, and he's been all over television. During the end of the run of The Big Bang Theory, Bowie was one of the leads of the sitcom Speechless. Since then, he's popped up in recurring roles and one-off spots all over television. In 2022 alone you could see him in four different TV shows. Bowie is a character actor, and to that end, he had a podcast called Household Faces for a bit where he interviewed other character actors. It's a good listen. Thanks for Reading The Big Bang Theory Cast: Where Are They Now You might also like this list of the 12 Best Seinfeld Episodes, Ranked or this list of 10 Gen X Film Stars Gone Too Soon. Main image: The Big Bang Theory cast. All photos from CBS. Related Headlines 12 Shameless '80s Comedies That Don't Care If You're Offended Generations Clash Over #MeToo in Luca Guadagnino's After the Hunt 10 Movie Sex Scenes Someone Should Have Stopped Solve the daily Crossword
Buzz Feed
12-07-2025
- General
- Buzz Feed
After Having It For A Week, We Never Want To Be Without It: 28 Products Under $20 That Truly Make A Difference
Helpful faucet extenders so your little one can wash their hands all on their own and feel all grown up without needing your help. A tub of The Pink Stuff that's so effective at removing tough stains, you might just want to throw out all your other cleaning products. I kid you not; this can clean all kinds of surfaces. Kitchen counter? Oven door? Bath tiles? This *pink magic* can do it all! A Flip It! bottle emptying kit, so you can get all the precious product out of those pesky pump bottles. Whether it's soap or lotion, you'll never waste another ~flipping~ drop of product again. A spa-worthy exfoliating mitt to get rid of all that dry, crusty skin that has been building up. This thing will leave you feeling as smooth as a dolphin. An Orly Bonder base coat that will keep your gorgeous manicures intact for days and days so you don't have to repaint them quite so often. A genius device that sticks right on your (or your kid's or pet's) pill bottle so you never have to wonder again, "Wait, did I take my medication today?" An impressive peanut butter knife so you can get every last drop of peanut butter out of the jar without getting your hands all sticky and making a huge mess. An incredibly helpful blind spot mirror if you're maybe not the best driver (like me) and could use a little extra help staying safe on the roads. Black Girl Sunscreen SPF 30, a vegan and cruelty-free formula specifically designed for folks with darker skin who don't want that nasty white cast left behind that's common in many other sunscreens. A moisture meter you can just pop in the (indoor or outdoor) soil to make sure you're watering your plants often enough and don't accidentally kill them. (We've all been there.) A small-but-mighty pet hair scraper so you can defuzz furniture, clothing, and carpet in case you've forgotten what color your couch is since it's so covered in hair. A beyond satisfying three-step cradle cap kit that includes a sponge, brush, and comb (plus a storage stand for them) to gently remove nasty dead skin from your little one's sweet, sweet head. An amazing automatic spinning makeup brush cleaner and dryer, so you can finally clean the same brushes you've been using since 2017. Just put soap and water in the jar, attach the right size "collar" (there are eight, so together they can fit almost any brush) to the spinner, and let them spin to get rid of excess product that has been building up. A pair of exfoliating foot peel booties you just pop on for an hour to watch all that dead skin fall away. A pair of AirPods-compatible hooks in case you're sick of your headphones flying out when you're on the run. These will make sure they stay put and you don't lose your beloved AirPods. A shirt-folding board, because maybe Sheldon Cooper was on to something. This wonder will make folding clothes more satisfying and fun (a low bar, I know) and get your tees and other garments folded so well that they'll actually take up less space. A beyond convenient document clip that attaches to your monitor via a Command Strip and can hold up to 30 sheets of paper for you to easily reference when studying, transcribing, or doing any other task. No more glancing up and down constantly and losing your place, which means you'll get things done faster. A portable, digital luggage scale if you've ever waited to weigh your bag at the airport only to realize you're 4 pounds over so then you have to carry your MASSIVE size 10 Dr. Martens platform sandals in your purse for the whole flight. A set of Wad-Free detanglers that'll help prevent your sheets from tangling up in the washer and dryer. Your bedding will be less wrinkly *and* dry faster in the process. Where have these been your whole laundry-doing life?!? A cute duck spout cover to help prevent kiddos from burning themselves or bumping their heads on the faucet, and the beak even has an opening for perfect bubble bath dispensing! This thing ducking rocks! Howard Feed-N-Wax Wood Polish and Conditioner, a beeswax and orange oil formula that polishes your wood surfaces while also providing a protective layer to keep it from drying out or fading. A must-have, keychain-friendly car escape tool with a seatbelt cutter and a window breaker in case you are ever in an accident and need to get out of the car ASAP. Foot Glide that'll help prevent blisters, so you don't have to dread breaking in that new pair of shoes you've been dying to wear. A simple-yet-brilliant lid organizer with adjustable because you are SICK AND TIRED of NEVER having the matching lids you need for your containers. An amazing detangling brush that over 32,000 people swear by with flexible plastic bristles to help separate 3a–4c hair without leaving your locks frizzy. Plus, you can use it on wet or dry hair! Rejoice! A sheet of 100 adhesive, sound-dampening bumpers if you're sick of your noisy roommates slamming drawers closed and making it sound like there was an explosion in your home. An incredible purse-cleaning sticky ball, because at this point, your purse has basically become it's whole own ecosystem because of all the debris that has collected over time. Just pop this in your bag and be amazed how much crud it picks up. CND SolarOil if you love using press-on nails like I do, but once you take them off, you're left with brittle, split nails that could use some extra love.
Forbes
07-07-2025
- Business
- Forbes
What's Happening With ORCL Stock?
CHINA - 2025/06/15: In this photo illustration, the logo of Oracle is seen displayed on the screen ... More of a smartphone. (Photo Illustration by Sheldon Cooper/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) With a 43% increase year-to-date (YTD), Oracle stock (NYSE:ORCL) has performed significantly better than the broader S&P 500 index, which has risen by 7%. This outperformance can be partly linked to the increasing demand for Oracle's cloud services amidst the AI boom. The company's Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) and Cloud Application (SaaS) revenues have been steadily growing at impressive rates. Even when considering a slightly longer timeframe, ORCL stock has skyrocketed an astonishing 3x since early 2023, propelled by three key factors: We will delve into these factors in greater detail. Although ORCL stock has provided substantial returns, those in search of growth with lower volatility than individual stocks might consider the High Quality portfolio, which has surpassed the S&P 500 with returns exceeding 91% since its inception. Additionally, refer to – SOUN Stock To $20? What's Behind The Revenue Growth? Oracle has shown robust fundamental performance with a 35% increase in revenue, which has expanded from $42 billion in 2022 to $57 billion in the trailing twelve months. The company's impressive advancement is primarily driven by the increasing demand for its Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), significantly fueled by the Artificial Intelligence (AI) boom. What's Driving The Valuation Higher For Oracle Stock? Oracle's stock has undergone a significant surge in valuation multiples, with its price-to-sales (P/S) ratio escalating 127% from 5.2x in 2022 to 11.8x presently. Several critical factors are propelling this continued growth: But What Next? Is ORCL Stock A Buy At $235? Currently trading at around $235, Oracle (ORCL) stock appears to be highly valued. Its price-to-sales (P/S) multiple is at 11.7x, significantly above its four-year average of 6.5x. Likewise, the stock's trailing adjusted earnings multiple is 54 times, considerably higher than its average price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 32 times over the previous four years. While Oracle is undoubtedly positioned to gain from the growing adoption of AI and the increased demand for cloud infrastructure, these favorable elements appear to be fully accounted for in the existing stock price. See Oracle's Valuation Ratios for more context. But There Are Risks Despite the positive outlook, there are significant risks to consider. During the inflation-driven downturn of 2022, ORCL stock fell by 41%, dropping from a peak of $104 in December 2021 to $61 by September 2022. In comparison, the S&P 500 experienced a smaller decline of 25%. Although ORCL recovered to its pre-crisis peak by May 2023, a similar sell-off took place earlier this year due to trade war fears, with ORCL plunging nearly 34%, which was steeper than the 19% drop for the S&P 500. More information is available in our Buy or Sell Oracle Stock dashboard. In addition to macroeconomic and geopolitical risks, Oracle faces internal challenges, particularly concerning its significant capital expenditures. From just $4.5 billion in 2022, the company's capital expenditures soared to over $21 billion in fiscal 2025 and are projected to exceed $25 billion this year. A critical question remains: What happens if these large-scale investments do not yield the anticipated returns? We now implement a risk assessment framework as we construct the 30-stock Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio, which has a proven record of comfortably outperforming the S&P 500 over the last 4-year period. What is the reason? As a collective, HQ Portfolio stocks have yielded superior returns with reduced risk compared to the benchmark index, providing a less volatile experience, as reflected in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.
Time of India
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
What Makes Us Intelligent? Lessons from Big Bang Theory to Bhagwad Gita
In the sitcom Big Bang Theory, protagonist Sheldon Cooper has a high Intelligence Quotient (IQ). Still, he struggles to understand sarcasm and fails to 'read the room' when confronted with subtle emotions. Sheldon's twin sister, Missy, does not have a prodigious IQ, but she is more perceptive than her child prodigy brother in sensing emotional cues, a sign of higher Emotional Quotient (EQ). American developmental psychologist Howard Gardner has identified eight types of intelligences, including linguistic, logical-mathematical, spatial, musical, bodily-kinaesthetic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and naturalistic. Naturalistic intelligence refers to our innate ability to interact with our environment, identifying, classifying and labelling the natural world around us. However, natural world exists at myriad levels, some of which can be explained by modern science, and others are still being studied. Greek philosopher Plato's 'theory of forms' refers to the physical world as merely a shadow, an imitation of things, while their perfect, eternal forms dwell in higher realms. Plato regarded intuition and reason as the highest forms of intelligence, as they enabled contemplation on perfect Forms. Indic schools of thought hold that a human being is made of five sheaths, panch koshas: annamaya, gross body, pranamaya, energy body, manomaya, mental body, vijnanamaya, intellectual body, and anandamaya or bliss body. According to Indic spirituality, the ultimate aim of human existence is to attain sat-chit-anand, truth-consciousness-bliss. Human intelligence, too, is like a mirror reflecting nature's intelligence and super intelligence underlined by consciousness that is both within and without. It is visible in beautiful patterns unfurling on their own accord in nebulae, gazillions of light years away or in the tiniest invisible-to-the-naked-eye atom, nay quark, which scientists constantly try to observe through experiments. Then there is Artificial Intelligence that mimics human capabilities, and Artificial General Intelligence (AGI), which, in theory, would possess capacity for abstraction, an understanding of human emotions, and ability to engage in self-directed learning. One look at the night sky or our garden is enough to know that nature's intelligence is at work, guiding life and other phenomena in the multiverse and beyond. And nature's work speaks for itself. So many processes run smoothly at the same time. Natural selection ensures that various species develop attributes for survival. Cells in our body die and are replaced by new ones. Mitochondria are not coded software but programmed to initiate apoptosis (programmed cell death). Beauty of nature's designs and intricate patterns often makes even the hardest of non-believers ponder the question: Is there an intelligent designer? by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Harwich: If You Were Born Between 1945-1974 You Could Be Eligible For This British Seniors Get Quote Undo In Indic systems of thinking, creation emanates from consciousness, jada, inanimate matter appears from chetan, consciousness principle, for Ex nihilo nihil fit , that is, nothing comes out of nothing. This consciousness reflects in all of creation, including human intelligence. Bhagwad Gita identifies 20 types of intelligence, the highest among them being Atma-Vishyak Buddhi, intelligence born of placidity of mind brought about by meditation, that is, when individual consciousness becomes aware of its true nature, the Self. The second is Vishudha Buddhi, pure intelligence, followed by Nishchayatmak Buddhi, a determinate intelligence concentrated on the Self. Buddhi Yog/Buddhi Sanyog is an undistracted intelligence resting steady in bliss because of one's samskaras in a previous birth. The fifth is Asakti-rahit Buddhi, detached intelligence, unaffected by victory or defeat. The sixth is Sambuddhi, abandoning all attachment to success or failure. The seventh is Sthirabuddhi, a stable mind indicative of a God-realised soul; eighth is Sukshm Buddhi, subtle reasoning purified by meditation on Supreme Consciousness. It is followed by Dhairya yukt Buddhi, a tranquil mind, fixed on the Divine. Shuddha Buddhi, sinless mind, Sattvic Buddhi, intelligence that correctly determines paths of activity and renunciation – what ought to be done and what should not be done, what is bondage and what is liberation, and Buddhiman, a wiseman, who practices self-control, which allows him to attain higher intelligence. Besides these higher intelligences, Gita deals with lower intelligence, too. These are: Swarthi Buddhi, intelligence characterised by greed, restlessness, craving; Bhedon-wali buddhi, intelligence of ignorant men moved by desires; Rajasi Buddhi, intelligence that is unable to perceive what is dharm and adharm, what should be done and what should not be done; Mamatva Buddhi, performing of actions only in self-interest; Tamasi Buddhi, total ignorance; Ashuddha Buddhi, impure mind, considering itself the doer. Manda Buddhi, intelligence attached to bodily consciousness; Buddhiheen, an ignorant individual, who regards the Supreme Spirit to have assumed a finite form through birth as an ordinary human being. According to Indic philosophical systems, intelligence and intellect not just enable day-to-day functions but also prepare an individual to realise the ultimate Sachidanand, bliss. Authored by: Sonal Srivastava With inputs from Agam Khare Beyond anger & hurt: Navigating family disputes with Bhagavad Gita wisdom's from Chapter 1, Verses 37 and 38
