The Tao Te Ching is the most translated book only after the bible for a reason, yet most people don't even know its contents. It's is so simple, yet persuasive that people cannot believe that it truly works: they just misinterpret the central teaching of this book as "Stop resisting.", which is clearly not its intention. Rather, it is "Let the flow of the universe carry you and use it to do the work for you."
Well laddies, let me drop this here final Redpill then: the Tao Te Ching correctly and extensively describes how the world works, and what must be done to return it back to health (and even without wronging anyone in the process)! It provides a concrete model for how a country should be run, as well as an idea on how society and the individual humans should behave to lead happy fulfilled lives. If you ever found yourself kinda agreeing with parts of religious or political ideologies which propose a sort of permanent solution to the worlds (or humanities) problems, but still kinda felt that they, while persuasive, were not 100% complete in their reasoning, then this is for you.
I have compared many ideological and philosophical systems on their merit, ancient and modern, from all over the world. And while there are other ideas that have also reached the truth at least in part (Stoicism, Buddhism), or even a full facet of the truth (think the Upanishads, Jesus' mountain sermon), the Tao Te Ching is the only thing I've ever found that feels truly complete in itself, without any ifs and buts.
Philosophical Taoism is unbelievably based, and I believe it really has the potential to be the basis of a cultural/societal/political movement that has a chance to fix most of the worlds problems. Let's discuss how we could use these principles to help goodness prevail in the world, on every level.
Reading and comprehending yes, starting some dead end cult no . Yes/no Good/Bad Delicious/Bitter War/Peace
CONFORMITY/CHAOS
Anthony Campbell
I feel more at home using the term zen
Benjamin Rogers
Thank you! If this reaches even one person, it's already worth it, I also sadly expect that most people won't take it seriously, but we'll see. Also, this is a comfy thread as well now
Camden Cook
Based taoism enjoyer
Connor Ward
Daoism like many eastern practices is closer to a philosophy than religion. I agree there's good things to be learned but they are tools to gain a better understanding of the world.
Lemme quickly look for some based quotes from the book, just a sec...
Carter Sanchez
This one is something the lefties need to hear:
"One who seeks knowledge learns something new every day. One who seeks the Tao unlearns something new every day. Less and less remains until you arrive at non-action. When you arrive at non-action, nothing will be left undone.
Mastery of the world is achieved by letting things take their natural course. You can not master the world by changing the natural way."
- Chapter 48
More following
Justin Jones
"The highest good is not to seek to do good, but to allow yourself to become it. The ordinary person seeks to do good things, and finds that they can not do them continually.
[...]
The kind person acts from the heart, and accomplishes a multitude of things. The righteous person acts out of pity, yet leaves many things undone. The moral person will act out of duty, and when no one responds will roll up his sleeves and use force."
- Chapter 38
These captchas are killing me
Carson Parker
Ah wait here it is, that's one of those with a more practical aim:
"If you want something to return to the source, you must first allow it to spread out. If you want something to weaken, you must first allow it to become strong. If you want something to be removed, you must first allow it to flourish.
[...]
The soft and pliable overcome the hard and rigid."
- Chapter 36
That one seems really anti-intuitive, but you can kinda watch in real-time right now how it applies to the woke movement e.g. I need to look through the book quickly for more juicy ones.
Ryder Torres
I do like this thread despite perhaps being contrary to the principles espoused within the Tao te ching. Let’s discuss anyways.
Have you heard the parable of the hermit and the young maiden?
Jonathan King
"If you can empty your mind of all thoughts your heart will embrace the tranquility of peace. Watch the workings of all of creation, but contemplate their return to the source.
All creatures in the universe return to the point where they began. Returning to the source is tranquility because we submit to Heaven's mandate.
Returning to Heaven's mandate is called being constant. Knowing the constant is called 'enlightenment'. Not knowing the constant is the source of evil deeds because we have no roots. By knowing the constant we can accept things as they are. By accepting things as they are, we become impartial. By being impartial, we become one with Heaven. By being one with Heaven, we become one with Tao. Being one with Tao, we are no longer concerned about losing our life becasue we know the Tao is constant and we are one with Tao."
- Chapter 16
Elijah Bennett
Not yet to be honest, but if you have the time, can you tell me about it?
Ayden King
"When people see things as beautiful, ugliness is created. When people see things as good, evil is created.
Being and non-being produce each other. Difficult and easy complement each other. Long and short define each other. High and low oppose each other. Fore and aft follow each other. Therefore the Master can act without doing anything and teach without saying a word."
- Chapter 2
Benjamin Gomez
"To understand harmony is to understand the Constant. To know the Constant is to be called 'enlightened'. To unnaturally try to extend life is not appropriate. To try and alter the life-breath is unnatural. The master understands that when something reaches its prime it will soon begin to decline. Changing the natural is against the way of the Tao. Those who do it will come to an early end."
