A year ago I wrote about an engineer who lost a $150k job and was driving for DoorDash, living in an RV. Last week, out of nowhere, I looked him up. He's now Head of Engineering at a startup. I felt relieved. Not just for him, but for everyone wondering when their number comes up. Wrote about what his story made me think about: identity, layoffs, and the version of yourself that exists outside the job.
The Machine That Listens Too Well
It's a piece about how AI is affecting human ability to build and nurture relations with fellow-humans.
When AI becomes Your Therapist
In 2013, Her showed us a man falling in love with his AI operating system. We watched it as science fiction—a little unsettling, but safely distant. That was 13 years ago. Today, people are using AI for therapy. For companionship. For the kind of emotional support we used to get only from other humans.
What 2025 Taught Me About Survival and Meaning
This is the 100th edition of "Elephant in the Room", and my most personal. It's the story of survival in face of uncertainty. Edition 100 is about the year that forced me to learn the difference—and what actually kept me intact when everything felt uncertain.
The Waiting Room We Never Left
"What if a demon were to creep after you one night... and say, 'This life which you live must be lived by you once again and innumerable times more...' Would you throw yourself down and gnash your teeth and curse that demon? Or would you answer, 'Never have I heard anything more divine'?" - Friedrich... Continue Reading →
Wondering If You Should Follow Up After Interviews? Here’s The Answer.
Radio silence after an interview? Should you follow up? Or will it make you look desperate? I wrestled with this myself this year, sending dozens of follow-ups and tracking the results. My finding: while silence usually means rejection, there's a crucial 20% upside you're leaving on the table if you don't act strategically.
Finding Happiness in Everyday Monotony
I explore why happiness proves elusive even as you conquer your goals. We expect life to be full of purpose, meaning and passion. What we face is incessant monotony. How can we find purpose, meaning and happiness? I ponder at length.
Why Preparation Beats Planning
I posit that there are 4 broad modes in which you approach life. The mode you operate in makes all the difference. Also, why preparation always beats planning.
3 takeaways from Adolescence (Netflix series)
I talk about ADOLESCENCE, the new rage on Netflix. The series speaks about a critical social issue: the radicalizing influence of social media on children, particularly boys.
Best Practices for Communicating Layoffs
I talk about the best practices for communicating layoffs. I talk about the common pitfalls to avoid, and suggest a few precautions to do it with least friction. I conclude with a template of prerequisites for layoff communication.
Musings by Madhav 