Isn’t it natural to be conditioned?

Following is an excerpt from a samvaad (dialogue) session with Acharya Prashant.

Questioner: After watching a few videos on conditioning, I understood a few methods to work on conditioning. I still have one doubt. Why must one work on conditioning in the first place? Is it not natural to have conditioning, including social conditioning? Does it not serve the purpose of Liberation?

Acharya Prashant: You have hit it right on it’s head Anisah (the questioner). Conditioning does serve the purpose of Liberation, just as the stinking body helps the purpose of entering the washroom.

But why let it come to that? Why not wash up on your own? Why let the conditioning fester and ferment, and raise an odious stink?

I indeed have said that the greatest method for Liberation is suffering. But why suffer so much? I haven’t said that you require an unmitigated and infinite suffering to be Liberated.

Wisdom lies in suffering little, and flying away quickly.

Or must one allow herself to be skinned alive before she knows that it is a wrong life?

Biological conditioning exists, social conditioning exists. Realise that quickly, see what effect they have upon you. Ask yourself, “Do I like the effect they have upon me?” And if you don’t like what they…