tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10694316.post1042246979352424916..comments2024-03-27T20:10:46.984-07:00Comments on The Rambling Taoist: Wen Tzu - Verse 95, Part IIThe Rambling Taoisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04730292897416827840noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10694316.post-73196616988007291772009-12-28T18:45:16.934-08:002009-12-28T18:45:16.934-08:00I need to read the whole passage, but my first tho...I need to read the whole passage, but my first thought is that(as is traditionally expressed) the way of heaven is yang, the way of earth is yin...man/humanity has both yang and yin aspects. In the post-yang/post-heaven state in which humanity finds itself, there is always imbalance, unjust distribution of assets, war and so on. <br /><br />I'm not sure what is meant by "the way of humanity" here.baroness radonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14593108634484542286noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10694316.post-29411668778247204382009-12-28T07:17:46.262-08:002009-12-28T07:17:46.262-08:00... is not to give 'what thing'?.
Is thi...... is not to give 'what thing'?.<br /><br /> Is this about a tangible 'thing' after all?.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10694316.post-46770180284137249432009-12-28T06:12:08.358-08:002009-12-28T06:12:08.358-08:00The DJ,
That's an excellent point!! I think I ...The DJ,<br />That's an excellent point!! I think I understand it better now.The Rambling Taoisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04730292897416827840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10694316.post-23589317242398152082009-12-28T06:04:59.872-08:002009-12-28T06:04:59.872-08:00The more I think of this passage the more I begin ...The more I think of this passage the more I begin to see the equality line drawing itself out vividly. <br /><br />The way of heaven is to reduce what is much add to what is little.(striving equality, a natural balance, not necessarily entropy. Stars are being born constantly. In some areas far faster than they are burning out)<br /><br />The way of earth is to decrease what is high to augment what is low: erosion of mountains and shorelines... again striving thru natural law to achieve balance. <br /><br />but suprisingly he says in this last part, not what we do... but rather what we do not do. Humanity does not give to those who have much. Rather, those who have much develop ways to take more. Unfortunately, those who have little have no way of getting more and those in the middle are typically terrified of being thrust into the lower bracket, and therefore cling to their worldly posessions. <br /><br />I believe the mistake that we all made initially, myself included, was that the final statement inferred that humanity gave to those with less... when in fact one does not logically denote the other.The Drifting Jesterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01845065183151569802noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10694316.post-75261921387718938442009-12-27T21:37:54.805-08:002009-12-27T21:37:54.805-08:00Happy, no. Surprised, yes.
I don't know what ...Happy, no. Surprised, yes. <br />I don't know what it means either. <br />I see what it might mean. <br />Knowing comes later. <br />Maybe.The Crowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04323413604073160469noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10694316.post-7065347906328919842009-12-27T18:49:22.319-08:002009-12-27T18:49:22.319-08:00You should be happy with this entry then because I...You should be happy with this entry then because I didn't force a meaning onto it! :)The Rambling Taoisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04730292897416827840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10694316.post-49178904120303381862009-12-27T15:29:21.748-08:002009-12-27T15:29:21.748-08:00The way of heaven: Entropy in process. The running...The way of heaven: Entropy in process. The running down of all things. Mighty stars reduced to burned-out husks. Fewer stars and more husks. <br /><br />The way of earth: Entropy again: Mighty mountains reduced to alluvial plains: the high places lower, while the lower places become higher. <br /><br />The way of humanity: Nonsense and unreason. <br /><br />Makes complete - if perverse - sense to me. <br />Who is "given more" or "given less"? In the real world, nobody is "given" anything. <br />People generally have to do something to get something. <br /><br />If Lao Tzu did indeed write that verse, his meaning is obscure. Maybe he was human, after all. <br /><br />Notice, though, that what he says about humanity is apparently an observation, not a judgement. <br />Humanity does not give to those who have much. <br />Why should they? It is not necessary. <br /><br />The sentence is what it is. <br />Whether or not one understands it. <br /><br />I have found that it is useful to put aside what one does not understand, without forcing a meaning onto it. <br />Later, the meaning may crystallize all by itself.The Crowhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04323413604073160469noreply@blogger.com