Few words, Deep Thoughts

Austin has posted again, this morning on Southern Gothic

GO EAST


By not exalting the talented you will cause the
people to cease from rivalry and contention.

By not prizing goods hard to get, you will cause
the people to cease from robbing and stealing.

By not displaying what is desirable, you will cause
the people's hearts to remain undisturbed.

Tao Teh Ching
-Lao Tzu


I have only just begun to read this work.
This is the beginning of the third chapter.

I have nothing really to say about it,
except that it has, in a very brief period,
already had quite an impact on the way I
treat people, myself, how I understand my
beliefs, concerns, and convictions.

The way I organize my life, or un-organize it,
the way I hurl myself through space, or just
let myself be hurled.

I think everyone could take away something
from this writing. :)

your faithful servant,
wild turkey


The way I organize my life, or un-organize it,
the way I hurl myself through space, or just
let myself be hurled.

Something about this sentence that connected, there is something strangely freeing and wonderful when you allow to be un-organized and letting yourself go with the whatever happens. In both the process of doing it, and after you've done it. Maybe it is naive and presumptuous for me to interpret that sentence.

While there are things in your life you must organize and plan and have goals, there are other things that giving up control and allowing them to happen let you find something even greater than you ever imagine. And the first word that comes to mind is love.

Can love be control? Organized? Planned? Maybe I just the spout the words of a hopeless romantic but I say no. Love is ultimate expression being unorganized and allowing to be hurled around by it and surrendering to it. There is no rhyme or reason to who we love or why we love them it just is what it is. But it is not just eros love, but storge (affection), philia (friendship), agape (unconditional) as well.

But the sentence also shows a creative approach to life as well. There is something creative in the way your let life and patterns find their own way to you. Some of the best thoughts I've ever had were when in what some would come from the randomness of two or three things that coming together in a way I or no one else has ever thought before. Like creating art or creating a performance. Ok, well maybe I am now just justifying my disorganized ways. ; )


Again, another post from a man who uses few words that speak volumes.



The Tao Te Ching is fundamental to the Philosophical Taoism and strongly influenced other schools, such as Legalism and Neo-Confucianism. This ancient book is also central in Chinese religion, not only for Religious Taoism but Chinese Buddhism, which when first introduced into China was largely interpreted through the use of Taoist words and concepts. Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers, and even gardeners have used the Tao Te Ching as a source of inspiration. Its influence has also spread widely outside East Asia, aided by hundreds of translations into Western languages.


* Dào/Tao 道 literally means "way", or one of its synonyms, but was extended to mean "the Way". This term, which was variously used by other Chinese philosophers (including Confucius, Mencius, Mozi, and Hanfeizi), has special meaning within the context of Taoism, where it implies the essential, unnamable process of the universe. Tao also means god, and peace.

* Dé/Te 德 basically means "virtue" in the sense of "personal character", "inner strength", or "integrity." The semantics of this Chinese word resemble English virtue, which developed from a (now archaic) sense of "inner potency" or "divine power" (as in "healing virtue of a drug") to the modern meaning of "moral excellence" or "goodness". Compare the compound word dàodé (道德 "ethics", "ethical principles", "morals," or "morality"). Te also means love.

* Jīng/Ching 經 as it is used here means "canon", "great book", or "classic".