"A consistent thinker is a thoughtless person, because he conforms to a pattern; he repeats phrases and thinks in a groove"
About this Quote
Consistency is usually sold as a virtue: a sign you know who you are, what you believe, and that you can be trusted. Krishnamurti flips that praise into an insult. The “consistent thinker” isn’t disciplined; he’s domesticated. His consistency is evidence not of rigor but of dependence on a mental template - ideology, identity, party line, even the polished personal “brand” of being the same in every room.
The line works because it targets a quiet human addiction: the relief of repetition. “Conforms to a pattern” and “thinks in a groove” aren’t metaphors of stability; they’re images of mechanization. A groove is where a needle runs automatically. You don’t have to risk fresh perception when the track is already cut. “Repeats phrases” is the tell: language becomes a storage unit for pre-made conclusions. In Krishnamurti’s view, the moment you’re reaching for slogans, you’ve stopped looking.
Context matters. Writing and speaking in the mid-20th century, Krishnamurti was reacting against organized belief systems - not only religion, but also nationalism, mass politics, and the modern habit of outsourcing attention to authorities. His broader project was radical self-observation: to see fear, desire, and conditioning as they arise, before they crystallize into doctrine.
The subtext is almost accusatory: if your thinking never surprises you, it may not be thinking at all. Consistency can be a comfort blanket - and, for Krishnamurti, comfort is the enemy of awareness.
The line works because it targets a quiet human addiction: the relief of repetition. “Conforms to a pattern” and “thinks in a groove” aren’t metaphors of stability; they’re images of mechanization. A groove is where a needle runs automatically. You don’t have to risk fresh perception when the track is already cut. “Repeats phrases” is the tell: language becomes a storage unit for pre-made conclusions. In Krishnamurti’s view, the moment you’re reaching for slogans, you’ve stopped looking.
Context matters. Writing and speaking in the mid-20th century, Krishnamurti was reacting against organized belief systems - not only religion, but also nationalism, mass politics, and the modern habit of outsourcing attention to authorities. His broader project was radical self-observation: to see fear, desire, and conditioning as they arise, before they crystallize into doctrine.
The subtext is almost accusatory: if your thinking never surprises you, it may not be thinking at all. Consistency can be a comfort blanket - and, for Krishnamurti, comfort is the enemy of awareness.
Quote Details
| Topic | Reason & Logic |
|---|
More Quotes by Jiddu
Add to List
