Huainanzi - Entry 28

Trey Smith

Greedy leaders and harsh rulers oppress their subjects and bleed their people to staisfy their own interminable desires. Thus the commoners have no way to benefit from the harmony of heaven or walk upon the blessings of the earth.
~ a passage from The Book of Leadership and Strategy by Thomas Cleary ~

It is mind-boggling that we live on a planet that can more than adequately sustain all life right now, yet millions of people starve to death every year. While a small majority lives in the lap of luxury, the vast majority ekes out a bare subsistence, if that much.

If the resources of Mother Earth were shared more equitably, almost every being could live a life of unlimited potential. When put in these terms, what is most striking about human society is the percentage of potential that is squandered or thwarted each day. This sad fact, in and of itself, offers a horrible commentary on the history of humanity.

To read the introduction to this ongoing series, go here.