Mark Vonnegut: It is no measure of health

It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a sick society.

– Mark Vonnegut in The Eden Express, often (mis)attributed to Jiddu Krishnamurti

I too initially misattributed it to J. Krishnamurti. Since the quote felt slightly off to me, I was surprised he apparently had said it.

It turns out, he did not. The earliest source seems to be The Eden Express by Mark Vonnegut. For more details, see Regarding the Quote ‘It Is No Measure of Health…’ by the Krishnamurti Foundation Trust.

This verified quote from Krishnamurti sounds more like him:

Is society healthy, that an individual should return to it? Has not society itself helped to make the individual unhealthy? Of course, the unhealthy must be made healthy, that goes without saying; but why should the individual adjust himself to an unhealthy society? If he is healthy, he will not be a part of it. Without first questioning the health of society, what is the good of helping misfits to conform to society?

I agree with this more, although the essence of the quote is similar.

Yes, what’s unhealthy in us seems to largely come from society – from collective and intergenerational trauma and the larger scale domination culture that was formed after the agricultural revolution.

As we find more health and recognize the unhealthy dynamics and where they come from, we are not keen on rejoining these dynamics in society. It doesn’t mean we become hermits, and how this looks will be different for each of us.

Healing includes recognizing the world as my mirror and finding in myself what I see “out there” in others and society. This reduces reactivity and brings a visceral sense of universality and being in the same boat as others.

And, as mentioned above, it doesn’t mean that we are drawn to actively participating in all of what society offers…! Some may no longer resonate as much.

I am still very much in the middle of own healing process. Maybe partly for that reason, I am often drawn to nature and solitude. I am very selective in terms of what I participate in. I have a small circle of friends I resonate with. And I am engaged in some projects to help society more in a more life-centered direction.

Updated July 1, 2026. See the original from 2014 below.

ORIGINIAL VERSION

I partly agree. And it also seems slightly cynical to me, and it seems it can be used as an excuse to “check out of” or “rebel against” society.

I agree that it’s not necessarily a measure of health to unconsciously and in certain ways be well adjusted to our society. It’s perhaps not a measure of health to work yourself to the ground because it’s expected of you, or go to war to benefit corporations, or ignoring your own needs while trying to get love and appreciation from others.

At the same time, being healthy includes being well adjusted to society. We can be well adjusted, contribute in meaningful and valuable ways to society, and still chose to not participate in some of the expectations and habits of our society. We can even work to change society in constructive ways, including by supporting new expectations, structures and habits.

The quote does highlight something important, and perhaps especially in the historical situation it was initially said. At the same time, I would question both assumptions behind the quote, and also find examples of how the reverse is true.

The original:

It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a sick society. Yes, I can find that. It’s possible to be well adjusted to unhealthy expectations and habits of our society. For instance, being really good at suing people with only money in mind, or increasing profits of your organization with little or no regard for the social and ecological consequences, or selling things that people don’t need, or producing things that destroy life. Or even to ignore our own needs and wishes, to the benefit of our work life, or an image, or being liked and accepted.

Our society is sick. I can find that too. We live in a society that’s not aligned with ecological realities, and where what’s easy and attractive in the short term – for individuals and organizations – sometimes is not good for society as a whole, and often is not good for ecosystems and future generations. We have organized ourselves in a very short-sighted way.

The reverse:

It is a measure of health to be well adjusted to our society. Yes, as mentioned above. It’s perfectly possible to be well adjusted to our society, not participate in certain expectations or habits, while actively contributing to creating a more healthy society. (However we envision a healthy society.)

Our society is healthy. Yes, in many ways. There is room for improvement. And in a historical context, we live in a quite amazing society where we are allowed to vote, speak our minds, explore our passions, and more.