The Root Of Contradiction - Classic Text | Alexandria
The Root of Contradiction represents one of Jiddu Krishnamurti's most penetrating explorations of human consciousness and psychological conflict, published posthumously in 1990. This seminal work encapsulates Krishnamurti's lifelong investigation into the nature of human thought, behavior, and the fundamental sources of discord both within individuals and society at large.
Born in 1895 in colonial India, Krishnamurti emerged as an unconventional philosophical voice after dramatically dissolving the Order of the Star in 1929, an organization created to promote him as a world teacher. This act of refusing messianic status set the stage for the ideas that would later crystallize in The Root of Contradiction. The work draws from talks and writings spanning the 1950s through the 1980s, reflecting Krishnamurti's mature thinking on psychological transformation.
The text examines how the human mind creates and sustains contradictions through its very attempt to resolve them, a paradox Krishnamurti explored with characteristic precision and depth. Through dialogues and contemplative passages, he challenges readers to examine the nature of thought itself, suggesting that psychological contradiction stems from the fragmentary nature of human consciousness. This radical perspective influenced numerous thinkers, including physicist David Bohm and psychologist David Shainberg, contributing to dialogues between Eastern philosophy and Western science.
Krishnamurti's exploration of contradiction continues to resonate in contemporary discussions of mindfulness, psychological well-being, and social change. The work's enduring significance lies in its invitation to examine the root causes of human conflict without seeking escape through traditional religious, philosophical, or psychological systems. Modern readers find particular relevance in its analysis of how individual consciousness relates to collective crises, from environmental degradation to social division. The text raises provocative questions about whether true psychological transformation is possible without first understanding the nature of contradiction itself – a query that remains as pertinent today as when Krishnamurti first posed it.