The spiritual crisis of our age: Why our future depends on consciousness, dharma and responsibility, explains an expert

Technology can expand human potential, but it cannot decide whether power should exploit or sustain, manipulate or liberate, or divide or serve.

Human beings these days have more knowledge, technology and power than ever before, yet they are still grappling with a basic question: What should all this power be used for? What is the main purpose?

Vivek Singhal, Founder of Dominion Dharma & Destiny Institute, believes this moment could also be an opportunity for humanity to develop a more conscious way of living. Rather than simply asking how much power we can gain, he suggests that we also need to ask how responsibly we use it.

For centuries, societies have often separated ideas such as science and faith, body and spirit, individual and community, and humanity and nature. While these divisions helped shape modern progress, they also contributed to patterns of domination and exploitation.

That decision, Singhal argues, requires wisdom and consciousness. The idea of “Zorba the Buddha,” associated with Osho, offers one way to understand this balance. It brings together the joy of living with inner awareness. In the age of artificial intelligence, Singhal extends the metaphor with the idea of “Einstein the Buddha,” suggesting that scientific intelligence needs to be guided by compassion, responsibility, and wisdom.

What dharma means in a changing world

Indian philosophical traditions have long explored the relationship between power, responsibility and purpose. The Ramayana examines duty and leadership, while the Mahabharata shows the consequences of ambition without discernment. Concepts such as karma, moksha and Buddhist teachings on suffering and awakening also explore how human choices shape individual and collective life.

Singhal’s Dominion-Dharma-Destiny-Identity framework builds on these questions. Dominion represents the ability to influence and control, while dharma asks whether that power creates, sustains and renews life. Destiny reflects the consequences of collective choices, while identity considers whether people see themselves through separation or interdependence.

The concept of shakti adds another dimension. Power need not be understood only as control or conquest. It can also be seen as creative energy used for renewal, protection and collective well-being.

Can humanity become more conscious?

As the physical and digital worlds increasingly overlap, the challenge may be to find a purpose that goes beyond consumption, competition and technological acceleration. The question is not only what machines can do, but what humans should choose to do with those capabilities.

The spiritual challenge may not be about withdrawing from civilization, but transforming how you participate in it. When power becomes stewardship, knowledge can move toward wisdom, freedom can be balanced with responsibility, and differences can make room for dialogue.

Disclaimer: This article presents philosophical and spiritual perspectives shared by the expert and is intended for informational purposes only. It does not offer definitive answers to complex social, technological or spiritual questions.