Raising children in a profoundly sick society
When it comes to raising our daughter, one quote I think a lot about is Krishnamurti’s
“It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society.”
Knowing that our society has adopted so many dysfunctional habits and practices, the conundrum becomes: how does one raise a child to be able to flourish and yet be well adjusted to their surroundings?
The wonderful film Captain Fantastic explores this question from the angle of prioritizing flourishing over well-adjustedness… including the resistance that arises as a result.
The answer, I believe like so often, has to be one of balance: Conceding to “culture” where harm can be contained, but knowing one’s boundaries and the hill to die on, when it comes to protecting one’s children.
Above all this means trying to shape our direct surroundings to be nurturing and conducive to human flourishing.
