Ask Osho!

Are children truly intelligent as often stated?

Synthesized from Source definition

"Children are not just intelligent; they are born absolutely intelligent, meeting each moment with fresh awareness rather than mechanical reaction. Stupidity is learned, as society lures us into comfort and conformity, dulling our original seeing."

According to Osho, children are not just intelligent—they are born absolutely intelligent. Free of prejudices, second‑hand knowledge, and memory crutches, a child meets each moment from not‑knowing, responding freshly rather than reacting mechanically; that responsiveness is intelligence. Stupidity is learned later as society, schooling, and degrees substitute borrowed knowledge for awareness, luring us into comfort and conformity and dulling original seeing.
Kids start out truly smart because they look at everything fresh, and we make them dull by stuffing them with ready-made answers.
Why this matters practically
- Encourage curiosity and direct experience over rote answers.
- Teach responsiveness: pause, observe, and meet situations freshly.
- As parents/teachers, protect wonder by valuing questions more than credentials.
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