Monday, May 10, 2010

"Man is Always a Slave to the Past"

Read this today. It was like a revelation. I knew it to be true. But actually reading it in as many words felt like an enlightenment of sorts. Not sure why that should be.
To be rid of influences from the past - is that even remotely achievable? A daunting thought. But only then can one react freely to any situation. Only then can there be novelty to life.

Stumbled upon words of JK and have been reading some of his works since. Come upon conflicting ideas - "through the understanding of the contents of his own mind, through observation and not through intellectual analysis or introspective dissection". Don't you need to do introspective dissection to understand the contents of ones mind? What am I missing?

Had a similar conversation with a friend recently where I insisted what he was putting forth was just a play on words. But is the truth really that I am missing some essential difference my head is too thick to perceive yet?


"Insight without any shadow of the past" - JK
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5 comments:

me said...

maybe JK means taking things for what they are [as is observed] versus contemplating through 'introspective dissection' as what they could be..

hmm.. and being rid of influences from the past.. i think.. is impossible.. I think we are what we are because of how we handled what's gone by.. Now to channel/regulate what of out past we let influence us, makes more sense.

Tell JK i said so and ask not to introspectively dissect it but just observe and retain :)

K said...

hmmm interesting thought but how does one do that...Im thinking our existance is a sum total of our experiences ...would be nice to be brand new like babies but doesnt happen does it

Journeyer said...

@ Chaitu - you say "I think we are what we are because of how we handled what's gone by". I think thats exactly what JK is saying we shouldn't do - don't form opinions/choices and be closed to the option of change (in whatever caused your reaction)!

Good point on the observation part - I guess he does not want us to contemplate past? only look to future actions...

@K - yes, definitely hard to throw off the past.. but I see that life would be that much more novel if we can..

On The Move said...

i dont think whoever this JK is, is asking us to forget everything thats happened in the past. I agree with Chaitu - ".. to channel/regulate what of our past we let influence us, makes more sense. "
We are constant learners - but if we did succeed in being totally unbiased by everything thats happened in the past, we'd try to eat shit and fire everyday.

Journeyer said...

@VJ: Jiddu Krishnamurti. He refers to interactions with people only... but yea, he sure does talk about an ideal situation which is hard to realize in real life.. was saying to Chaitu the other day how most philosophers never lead a regular life with personal relationships... I guess one needs to be disconnected to be so idealistic...