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But there is yet time to change our ways. Give up all…

“But there is yet time to change our ways. Give up all those old discussions, old fights about things which are meaningless, which are nonsensical in their very nature. Think of the last six hundred or seven hundred years of degradation when grown-up men by hundreds have been discussing for years…” quote by Swami Vivekananda
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““But there is yet time to change our ways. Give up all those old discussions, old fights about things which are meaningless, which are nonsensical in their very nature. Think of the last six hundred or seven hundred years of degradation when grown-up men by hundreds have been discussing for years whether we should drink a glass of water with the right hand or the left, whether the hand should be washed three times or four times, whether we should gargle five or six times. What can you expect from men who pass their lives in discussing such momentous questions as these and writing most learned philosophies on them! There is a danger of our religion getting into the kitchen. We are neither Vedantists, most of us now, nor Pauranics, nor Tantrics. We are just "Don't-touchists". Our religion is in the kitchen. Our God is the cooking-pot, and our religion is, "Don't touch me, I am holy". If this goes on for another century, every one of us will be in a lunatic asylum. It is a sure sign of softening of the brain when the mind cannot grasp the higher problems of life; all originality is lost, the mind has lost all its strength, its activity, and its power of thought, and just tries to go round and round the smallest curve it can find.””

Swami Vivekananda

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Obsessive focus on trivial rituals shows a decline in intellectual vigor, urging a return to deeper, meaningful inquiry.

In simple terms: Over‑emphasis on minor rituals signals mental stagnation; seek higher truths.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize profound understanding over petty debates.

Themes

spirituality criticism modernity intellectual decay tradition

Mood

critical thought‑provoking

Type

philosophical inspirational

When to use this quote

  • religious gatherings
  • educational curricula
  • public discourse
  • personal meditation

Key Concepts

philosophical critique cognitive stagnation cultural analysis

Questions to Reflect On

  • What practices can renew intellectual vigor without discarding tradition?
  • How can we balance ritual with deeper inquiry?
A Different Perspective

Critique may alienate those attached to tradition.

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