There are two chapters in the Tao Te Ching that I turn too when the world is being particularly sucky.
The first is about moral relativity Chapter 2.
When people see some things as beautiful, other things become ugly. When people see some things as good, other things become bad.
One person's good is another person's bad. Most people don't wake up and say 'hahahaha, I'm am going to perform evil acts rubs hands together' the world isn't that black and white, if it was, well, it would make life so much easier wouldn't it? That's why fundamental monotheist religions (predominantly islam and christianity) are so popular, someone tells you this is wrong, this is right, there isn't any of that crazy thinking or shades of grey to confuse things.
Sometimes good people do bad things, sometimes bad people do good things, sometimes bad things are done for good reasons and vice versa. If you put a line in the sand then that's the greatest injustice of all, because not every case is the same, not every evil is ...well evil.
The other chapter that I hold fast too, and it's possibly my favourite (depending, my favourites change all the bloody time).
Throw away holiness and wisdom, and people will be a hundred times happier. Throw away morality and justice, and people will do the right thing. Throw away industry and profit, and there won't be any thieves.
If these three aren't enough, just stay at the center of the circle and let all things take their course.
Keep to the three treasures, and if that isn't enough, let things take their natural course.
The three treasures: simplicity, patience, compassion.
If you do the right thing in life, if you live your life well, if you respect others, that's a big impact on the world, if you live your life the way you want the world to be, truly live your life that way, you are a living example to others.
Real life example, the United States, the country, it shouldn't interfere with the affairs of other nations, it should invest it's resources to being the best damn country in the world socially, and democratically, and the rest of the world will look at the United State and say 'wow, that is cool ' I truly believe that would have a more positive impact on the world then it's military interference.
Never undestimate the power of example, it's done more good in the world then I believe people realise.
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There are two chapters in the Tao Te Ching that I turn too when the world is being particularly sucky.
The first is about moral relativity Chapter 2.
When people see some things as beautiful,
other things become ugly.
When people see some things as good,
other things become bad.
One person's good is another person's bad. Most people don't wake up and say 'hahahaha, I'm am going to perform evil acts rubs hands together' the world isn't that black and white, if it was, well, it would make life so much easier wouldn't it? That's why fundamental monotheist religions (predominantly islam and christianity) are so popular, someone tells you this is wrong, this is right, there isn't any of that crazy thinking or shades of grey to confuse things.
Sometimes good people do bad things, sometimes bad people do good things, sometimes bad things are done for good reasons and vice versa. If you put a line in the sand then that's the greatest injustice of all, because not every case is the same, not every evil is ...well evil.
The other chapter that I hold fast too, and it's possibly my favourite (depending, my favourites change all the bloody time).
Throw away holiness and wisdom,
and people will be a hundred times happier.
Throw away morality and justice,
and people will do the right thing.
Throw away industry and profit,
and there won't be any thieves.
If these three aren't enough,
just stay at the center of the circle
and let all things take their course.
Keep to the three treasures, and if that isn't enough, let things take their natural course.
The three treasures: simplicity, patience, compassion.
If you do the right thing in life, if you live your life well, if you respect others, that's a big impact on the world, if you live your life the way you want the world to be, truly live your life that way, you are a living example to others.
Real life example, the United States, the country, it shouldn't interfere with the affairs of other nations, it should invest it's resources to being the best damn country in the world socially, and democratically, and the rest of the world will look at the United State and say 'wow, that is cool ' I truly believe that would have a more positive impact on the world then it's military interference.
Never undestimate the power of example, it's done more good in the world then I believe people realise.
Source: http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/core9/phalsall/texts/taote-v3.html