From pandemics to wars, from floods to economic collapse—every global crisis seems to generate not only suffering, but also windfalls. In this episode, we trace how catastrophes become commerce. We begin with a chilling essay on how disasters shape demand, then unpack the economics of profiteering during COVID, climate crises, and wars. Finally, we look at how governments and corporations manipulate crises geopolitically—from vaccine nationalism to weaponized aid. This is not disaster response. It’s disaster capitalism.

From the flickering tube lights of a North Indian childhood to the complex economics behind power bills, this episode of Thread by Thread pulls at the wires connecting energy, equity, and everyday life. In Segment 1, I share what it meant to grow up in a world where electricity wasn’t guaranteed — and how that shaped my understanding of comfort and control. In Segment 2, we break down the real cost of keeping the lights on: subsidies, tariffs, and why access to energy remains deeply unequal.

Coming up in Segment 3: the global tug-of-war over energy supply.

What does a passport really buy — freedom, identity, or just paperwork?
In this opening episode of Thread by Thread, follows a story that begins with a travel delay and unravels into a global question.

Structured in three parts:

• A personal moment that sparked a deeper curiosity

• A powerful real-world narrative that reframes citizenship

• A breakdown of the economic and geopolitical forces shaping who gets to move — and who doesn't

This episode invites you to rethink something we often take for granted: the right to belong.