Ask Osho!

Are children really as intelligent as often claimed?

Synthesized from Source definition

"Children are born with a natural intelligence that flourishes in openness and play, but society's layers of ego and ambition can suffocate this delicate awareness."

According to Osho, intelligence is inborn in all life; children are naturally intelligent, even more so before society layers them with ego. Education and ambition harden a defensive ego that suffocates intelligence’s delicate, open, rebellious quality. When allowed openness, play, and vulnerability, a child’s intrinsic awareness flowers; when forced into competitiveness and conformity, that living intelligence stagnates.
Yes—kids are born smart like all living things, but adults often cover their light with a hard shell called ego by pushing ambition and conformity.
Why this matters practically
- Guide children with love and curiosity, not ambition and comparison.
- Encourage play, questioning, and openness to keep their natural intelligence alive.
- Reduce ego-building (status, fear, competition) in parenting and schooling.
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