The Way of Life & Politics...(Lao Tze and my perspective)

[sinisterwilliam]

I'm pulling from two versions here, the older book I have that is one translation (it has a formidable forward on Chinese mysticism and then also foot notations interpreting and also comparing on occasion to biblical principles or proverbs...and then I also present the common freely available online version

Comments

...while good men do nothing.

[sinisterwilliam]

Despite the talk, I think Obama's perspective (though certainly not fully enlightened) seems to be to be surprisingly close to the idea of ALLOWING change to occur...the worst thing I can say about the previous administrations- all the way back to Reagan is that they RESISTED change in the world or rather- they subjugated the world the way it is.

The problem now is NOT that the United States or THE WORLD needs fixing or change, but that so much has been done without being in sync with the people, with nature, with heaven.

Certainly I have doubts, and I think you should. Frankly I do not think this was a strong comparison, but an uplifting one that it should occur to me in our Western sense.

As to the Way not taking sides, I think that is exactly my point. An accepting nature to leadership- one that does not try to be ruler, but guide and friend is better and IF that is Obama's intent more so than not- then I am comforted, but hardly so much so that I should find myself closed to the realities of the world or the evils and failures in goodness of man.

at anyrate, this is as much a personal path as a hope of things coinciding with such wisdom.
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Again, Obama's position is greater in being with Hope than Fear.

Re: ...while good men do nothing.

[sinisterwilliam]

Additionally as familiar as I am at this point with the poems- it is fairly rife with the idea of losing the Way- falling short, or not being with The Way loses the blessing conveyed by its virtues...as one might put it- they lose the blessing of heaven or more concretely- the support of the people.