Exploration

It's true of most of us that, as we age, we can get really set in our ways. This is particularly true when it comes to the realm of ideas and concepts. We're used to looking at the world through one narrow lens and, in time, it's not uncommon to develop tunnel vision.

Consequently, I think it's a good thing to stretch one's legs from time to time, to walk around the block with eyes wide open. In going through the Wen Tzu (which, by the way, I should f-i-n-a-l-l-y complete in the next two days or so) and pondering the ideas laid out, it has frequently challenged me to move beyond my current perspective. Like a lot of people I know, I sometimes have resented the nudge and have tried valiantly to cling to my comfortable worldview.

But the philosophies of Lao Tzu and Chuang Tzu are beginning to get under my skin (in a most positive way) and, try as I might, I think it's time I dig myself out of my self-imposed ideological rut. So, in the coming weeks, I plan to broaden the scope of my explorations into the realm of philosophic ideas and I will share my journey and analyses of such in this space.

It has been suggested by many that the early Taoist writings present a view of humankind that tilts toward and advocates for anarchism. To be quite frank, I've never given this idea much serious thought. Further, due to my peace activism of the past 15 years, I haven't held a very positive view of contemporary anarchists because they tended to turn peaceful marches and rallies into tense confrontations between protesters and the police.

Still, despite my obvious reticence toward the concept of anarchy, even I can't deny that this theme raises its head again and again in the thoughts of Lao Tzu and, especially, Chuang Tzu. So rather than simply sweep it under the rug and pretend that this ideation is not present, I've decided I need to explore the concept of anarchy as well as other concepts that lie outside of my accepted framework.

To this end, here is something for you to chew on. It comes from An Anarchist FAQ*:

Anarchism is a socio-economic and political theory, but not an ideology. The difference is very important. Basically, theory means you have ideas; an ideology means ideas have you. Anarchism is a body of ideas, but they are flexible, in a constant state of evolution and flux, and open to modification in light of new data. As society changes and develops, so does anarchism. An ideology, in contrast, is a set of "fixed" ideas which people believe dogmatically, usually ignoring reality or "changing" it so as to fit with the ideology, which is (by definition) correct. All such "fixed" ideas are the source of tyranny and contradiction, leading to attempts to make everyone fit onto a Procrustean Bed. This will be true regardless of the ideology in question -- Leninism, Objectivism, "Libertarianism," or whatever -- all will all have the same effect: the destruction of real individuals in the name of a doctrine, a doctrine that usually serves the interest of some ruling elite.

...Dogmas are static and deathlike in their rigidity, often the work of some dead "prophet," religious or secular, whose followers erect his or her ideas into an idol, immutable as stone. Anarchists want the living to bury the dead so that the living can get on with their lives. The living should rule the dead, not vice versa. Ideologies are the nemesis of critical thinking and consequently of freedom, providing a book of rules and "answers" which relieve us of the "burden" of thinking for ourselves.

*Note: Interestingly enough, I found this site because the information contained within is part of a package I downloaded for my Debian GNU/Linux operating system. I can't imagine Microsoft making this kind of information available to Windows users.