Ep. 165 - Against The Stream: Karma, Mindfulness, and The Algorithms We (Don't Have To) Live By

The Road Home with Ethan Nichtern · Jan 19, 2026 · 44m

Ethan continues recent conversations on tech, mindfulness and dharma to examine how much of our karma (ie "habit energy" according to the late master Thich Nhat Hanh) is determined by pre-chosen and manipulative algorithms. How can we use our mindfulness practice to understand the internal and external forces influencing our patterns of behavior, and use our dharma practice to create more gaps of genuine awareness, gaps in which our intention and agency create a space for right action, or at least not doing exactly what the seemingly almighty algorithm wants us to do?

In 2025, we were able to…