You are viewing a single comment's thread from:
RE: Tuesday Musings on Tao Te Ching: Chapter 3 (with special guest @EmancipatedHuman)
What I really appreciate about the phrasing of your translation is that it seems to emphasize that people rise (or fall) according to the container within which they live, and the importance, therefore, of leaders crafting a social system which will set people up for peace and fulfillment.
I've been thinking a lot lately about power, violence, social systems, and human nature, so this is in keeping with my current understanding of why people do the things that they do. I especially enjoyed your explanation of Heart/Mind and breakdown of the phrase "empty their Hearts and fill their abdomen".
Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful commentary, and historical contextualization!
I'm pretty sure that was the concern of all the thinkers and schools of thought in ancient, pre-imperial China.
The Tao Te Ching is so much more than a mystical text - in many regards I think its highly political and somewhat revolutionary (in the sense of inciting disruption to the political status quo).
I mean, I would argue that any form of personal gnosis would free an individual from being controlled by media, government, etc. However I would say that Taoism at large has probably been the single biggest influence on me to think/believe that.... so maybe biased and conditioned to think that? HAHA
Here's where a text like this becomes relevant for us today:
In ancient China, it was presupposed that it was the King/Emperor's duty to be moral, and thus a trickle-down effect would occur. This is such an old-school social perspective however.
But the same principle can still apply in a democracy, and I would argue with greater effect.
Because in a democracy every single individual citizen is the sovereign, not just the dude at the top! It becomes our responsibility to be the best versions of ourselves we can be, to then influence how our elected, chosen representatives do the business of running a government (for the people!!) In a sense, it becomes a trickle-up effect (hopefully).
Would people still make choices based in fear and self-interest towards personal security if they felt like they were sovereign beings, I wonder?