Bit by Bit - Chapter 17, Part 11

Trey Smith

"From the point of view of preference, if we regard a thing as right because there is a certain right to it, then among the ten thousand things there are none that are not right. If we regard a thing as wrong because there is a certain wrong to it, then among the ten thousand things there are none that are not wrong. If we know that Yao and Chieh each thought himself right and condemned the other as wrong, then we may understand how there are preferences in behavior.
~ Burton Watson translation ~

Each one of us has preferences -- things we like or choose over other things. For example, when it comes to eating, I prefer almost ANY food item over tuna fish (a food I absolutely detest). This does not mean, however, that there is anything inherently wrong with tuna. Tuna has its place in the overall order of things just as I do. I simply would prefer not to eat tuna fish...or smell it. Phew!

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