Bit by Bit - Chapter 23, Part 18

Trey Smith

Let me try describing this analysis of yours. It takes life as its basis and knowledge as its teacher, and from there proceeds to assign "right" and "wrong." So in the end we have "names" and "realities," and accordingly each man considers himself to be their arbiter. In his efforts to make other men appreciate his devotion to duty, for example, he will go so far as to accept death as his reward for devotion. To such men, he who is useful is considered wise, he who is of no use is considered stupid. He who is successful wins renown; he who runs into trouble is heaped with shame. Analyzers - that is what the men of today are! They are like the cicada and the little dove, who agreed because they were two of a kind.
~ Burton Watson translation ~

Though we don't like to admit it, each of us acts like god.  Within the confines of our own egoic worlds, we decide what is good and bad, right and wrong.  We pass judgments on ourselves and others -- we tend to grant ourselves the benefit of the doubt!

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