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4 Quotes From Kung Fu Panda That Might Change Your Perspective on Life
An animated children’s movie that’s surprisingly philosophical.
I firmly believe the Kung Fu Panda writers consulted a Buddhist monk before writing the script for this movie.
I remember watching Kung Fu Panda for the first time back in 2008. It was the first time I saw a movie with my friends without any adult supervision.
It was a huge deal.
I was 13 years old, a movie voucher and $20 in my pocket, full of excitement and anticipation. I remember going to the concession counter, buying an overpriced popcorn and drink combo, and sitting down for the hour-and-a-half-long movie, relishing in total freedom.
It wasn’t a movie that was particularly impactful from 13-year-old-me’s perspective; it was just another fun animation. However, it represented a formative experience in my childhood and created a sense of Kung Fu Panda-related nostalgia. So when the title popped up on Netflix on a lazy Friday night, I convinced my girlfriend to watch it with me.
Watching Kung Fu Panda at 25 years old was a completely different experience. Nothing significant changed in terms of the plot. Instead, it was my interpretation of the philosophy of individual beliefs influencing the perception of personal limitations. With the benefit of twelve years of maturity, it felt like I was watching a different movie.
Kung Fu Panda has moments of profound insight into the human condition, conversations between characters that attempt to parse through the personal beliefs we unknowingly hold onto that limit our greatness. They’re as astute as something written by Nietzsche or Victor Frankl. You would more likely find these quotes in The Complete Works of Plato rather than a children’s movie about a panda who learns kung fu.
So here are four quotes from Kung Fu Panda that might just change your outlook on life.
A Clear Mind is Our Greatest Asset
‘Your mind is like this water, my friend. When it is agitated, it becomes difficult to see. But if you allow it to settle, the…