Line by Line - Verse 67, Line 2

Now it is just its greatness that makes it seem to be inferior.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Because it is great, it seems different.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

It is only because of its greatness
That it seems beyond compare
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

But it's only powerful
because it's inconceivable.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

For the most part, societies are about conformity. We are taught from an early age how to think WITHIN prescribed parameters. Usually these modes of thinking are developed to serve the powers of the society and those powers encourage people not to think "outside the box."

When some decide to go beyond the box, their new ideas and formulations are ridiculed. People -- powerful and not -- will say, "John, what a "great" idea. NOT!"

But some of these conceptions turn out to be great and, within a generation or two, become self-evident truths.

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