Stand Alone

To stand alone in the world is one of the most difficult things: not to belong to any nation, except perhaps having a passport; not to belong to any ideology, any particular kind of activity of the left or right; not to repeat a single word that you yourself have not known, so that there is integrity. Because if you belong to any organization, any group, or follow any guru, anyone, you are not being honest. So, in a world that is so disorderly, divided, full of antagonism, bitterness and falsehood, can you stand completely alone? Sorry, either you do this or you don’t. You can’t say, “Well, I do belong to a particular little group, but I am really free from all that.” You know, when there is no integrity, when there is no honesty and virtue, systems and organizations become tremendously important. Haven’t you noticed this? Then the organizations, systems, control the mind. But if the mind is really honest, straight, clear, then no system is required because it is totally virtuous.

From J. Krishnamurti’s first public talk at Saanen, 16 July 1972.