External control of environment cannot substitute for mastery of one's own nature through spiritual practice.Listen — Srila Prabhupada Uvaca
Hayagrīva: Well that’s the end of Kierkegaard.
Hayagrīva: Do you want to go on to Skinner, or stop?
Hayagrīva: Tomorrow? Well tomorrow we go…, we travel.
Prabhupāda: Oh, that’s all right. How many are there?
Hayagrīva: I’m trying to make it as short as possible. Prabhupāda: No, we can discuss some philosophers; but whether it is necessary to increase the volume. But if you, if you think that all these advertised philosophers should be touched, therefore I…, I have no objection. Hayagrīva: Well this, erm, B. F. Skinner, Śyāmasundara began him. Prabhupāda: That’s all right. Hayagrīva: Some people thought he’s…, think he’s important.
I, I personally don’t. That’s my personal opinion on… He’s a behaviorist, and he tried to set up a, a community called… He wrote a book called Walden Two, and it became a very popular book. When communities were being set up like New Vṛindaban, in 1968, this book became popular. And it was, uh… I don’t think much of his philosophy, but he’s a behaviorist.
He believes that if you can control…, you can control people by controlling the environment in which they live. Hari Śauri: That’s the same as Marx’s philosophy. Hayagrīva: Mmm-hmm. And, er... Prabhupāda: That is everyone’s philosophy. Everyone wants to make a group. Hari Śauri: That’s what you were saying this morning. They want to control nature rather than control their own natures. Hayagrīva: He felt first you control the environment, then you can control man, instead of the other way.