One is everlastingly comparing oneself with another, with what one is,
with what one should be, with someone who is more fortunate.
This comparison really kills. Comparison is degrading, it perverts one's outlook.
And on comparison one is brought up. All our education is based on it
and so is our culture. So there is everlasting struggle to be something other than
what one is. The understanding of what one is uncovers creativeness,
but comparison breeds competitiveness, ruthlessness, ambition,
which we think brings about progress. Progress has only led so far
to more ruthless wars and misery than the world has ever known.
To bring up children without comparison
is true education.
with what one should be, with someone who is more fortunate.
This comparison really kills. Comparison is degrading, it perverts one's outlook.
And on comparison one is brought up. All our education is based on it
and so is our culture. So there is everlasting struggle to be something other than
what one is. The understanding of what one is uncovers creativeness,
but comparison breeds competitiveness, ruthlessness, ambition,
which we think brings about progress. Progress has only led so far
to more ruthless wars and misery than the world has ever known.
To bring up children without comparison
is true education.
~ J. Krishnamurti
with thanks to j krishnamurti online
art by van gogh
1 comments:
:)
in the supermarket today i saw a woman i was friends with in my childhood. we have so little in common. i imagined us coming together there in the cold aisles and i imagined her asking me of my children. hockey is big here, the natural comparison and yet my children are not interested in competition and so purposely are not involved in such things. i imagined saying, my son does not like competition, but enjoys the breakfast club at school, serving others.
we never did meet in those cold aisles.
xo
erin
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