According to Osho, problems arise not from “subversive thoughts” but from societies that fear thinking. All real thinking is subversive—it doubts, questions authority and dogma—so conformist systems brand it dangerous and persecute thinkers (Jesus, Socrates, Galileo, Buddha). Yet only such subversion births progress and true humanity. Countries in conflict with thinkers reveal their own insecurity; the issue is repression of reason, not the thinkers’ harm.
Real thinking questions bad rules; frightened authorities call that trouble, but this courage to question is what makes life better.
From the Discourses
Passages where Osho speaks to this question — each links to the complete discourse.
Beloved Osho, you have had problems staying in some countries. Is it because your thoughts are subversive?
I said to the person, "What danger can I be? I will be sleeping. It is already eleven o'clock in the night, and I will simply be sleeping in the lounge. And from the lounge there is no way to enter England!" But he said, "We cannot do anything about it. We cannot leave you free; you have to be in jail if you want to stay overnight." In Sweden they did the same. Germany has passed an order that no visa should be allowed to me from any embassy. Strange... and we call this "civilization." Civilization has not happened yet. This is all fake. I was dangerous -- now the cloud carrying the nuclear radiation from Chernobyl... prevent it and put it in a jail! It is not dangerous! Now they are all feeling impotent; they can't do anything. And I am subversive, because I have been saying for…
A friend has asked: Osho, is the samadhi attained when consciousness is lost a state of swoon? Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa would lie for days as if near death!
In the West they have invented new ways: even blows are not enough; so they set up many lights, rapidly changing, deafening sound, assorted dances and songs; a completely deranged atmosphere is created. After an hour in that derangement one feels: ah, there is some life, some experience of living! We have died so much that unless the blow is enormous, there is no experience of life. Soft tones we cannot hear at all. Yet the natural tones of life are all soft. We cannot hear the night’s silence, nor the heart’s own beat. Have you ever heard the sound of your blood’s flow? It is very soft; you cannot hear it; but there is a sound. Buckminster Fuller wrote that for the first time he went into a building—a scientific laboratory—completely soundproof, where no sound from outside could enter. Inside he began hearing two kinds of sounds. He asked…
Osho, from your talks we get a fairly clear sense of what ought to be done. But how should it be done? And not so much on an individual basis—please tell us, in more detail, what should be done as a community and as a society.
That would be easier if I came again and stayed a day or two. But for now, there is only one thing before the country: do not be in a hurry to do anything, and spread a climate of thought. Do not rush into action right now. Until the country has a right clarity, any attempt at doing will more likely lead to mistakes and upheaval. The country does not yet have a clear mind; haste for action will drop us into a ditch and take us nowhere. So I say: for the next five to ten years, the nation should strive to create a mind. Then action follows that mind the way a shadow follows you. Action in itself is not the main issue. Once the country’s mind is clear, what to do and how to do it both become easy. The real difficulty is: who is the doer,…
Question: BELOVED OSHO, WHY IS IT THAT WESTERN SOCIETY REACTS SO STRONGLY TO ANY INDIVIDUAL DEVIATING FROM THE NORM, PARTICULARLY AS FAR AS HIS MENTAL STATE IS CONCERNED? IT LOOKS ON THOSE WHO HAVE FALLEN BELOW THE MIND IN SUCH A WAY AS TO CAST A STIGMA ON THEM, AND REGARDS THE POSSIBILITY OF GOING BEYOND THE MIND -- ENLIGHTENMENT -- -WITH SKEPTICISM. IT DOES ALLOW A SLIGHT MARGIN OF DEVIATION IN ITS CREATIVE PEOPLE AND GENIUSES; HENCE SUCH PEOPLE ARE EXCUSED FOR THEIR "ECCENTRICITIES." IT IS AS IF THE MIND IS THE TOUCHSTONE OF ONE'S ADJUSTMENT TO SOCIETY, AND ANY ABERRATION THAT MIGHT THREATEN THE STATUS QUO IS REGARDED WITH FEAR. WHAT IS THAT FEAR? -- BOTH OF THE SICK MIND AND THE ENLIGHTENED NO-MIND? I would like that man more than this collective madness; at least he has the courage to do something private, individual.
A question has just been asked of me—that all great men draw inspiration from others’ ideas.
Two thoughts stand before you—maintain neutrality toward them. Choose none; do not grab any option. One clings to Jainism, another to Islam, another to Christianity. Whoever is clinging to Christianity cannot even listen—literally cannot—when a Jain text, word, or idea is being spoken. He has already taken a side; he is prejudiced. He cannot hear the other thought, cannot understand it. We are so prejudiced, so surrounded by partiality, that we cannot even hear the other side. Understanding is far away; we cannot even hear. The moment a contrary word reaches the ear, our prejudice rises up in between. Just this morning I was talking to a friend. I spoke to him, but he was not listening. I finished, and he started another question which had no relation to the first. I told him, “While I was speaking, you must have been thinking what you are now saying.” He said,…