In obedience there is always fear, and fear darkens the mind.
Interpretation
Fear arising from obedience can cloud judgment and clarity of thought.
This quote by Jiddu Krishnamurti suggests that when individuals comply with authority out of fear, it inhibits their ability to think clearly. The implication is that obedience, particularly when driven by fear, can lead to a lack of critical thinking and understanding, which may prevent one from realizing their true potential and finding the truth.
In practice
This quote can be used in a discussion on leadership styles, emphasizing the importance of fostering a safe environment for open dialogue.
The following of authority is the denial of intelligence. [It] may help us temporarily to cover up our difficulties and problems; but to avoid a problem is only to intensify it, and in the process, self-knowledge and freedom are abandoned.
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I had a quick grasp of the secret to sanity, it had become the ability to hold the maximum of impossible combinations in one's mind.
Of my fifty-seven years I have applied at least thirty to forgetting most of what I have learned or read. Since then, I have acquired a certain ease and cheer which I should never again like to be without. (...) I have stored little in my memory, but I can apply that little, and it is of use in many and varied emergencies. I keep it in order, but resist every attempt to increase its dead weight.
I would give all of my fame for a pot of ale and safety.
Other people's views and troubles can be contagious. Don't sabotage yourself by unwittingly adopting negative, unproductive attitudes through your associations with others.
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