Huainanzi - Entry 62

Trey Smith

If people can use what is not beneficial to them in such a way as to benefit others, that is acceptable.
~ a passage from The Book of Leadership and Strategy by Thomas Cleary ~

In our society, such an idea seems preposterous! We're taught always to look out for #1 -- ourselves. We need to find or development what will benefit us and toss the rest on the scrapheap. It's the responsibility of others to fend for themselves! (Hey, am I my brother's keeper?)

This crass selfishness has caused great estrangement. My people don't care a lick about your people and your people could care less about mine. It is by not caring for the whole -- only concerning ourselves with our own little speck of existence -- that we injure the overall organism of life.

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