Friday

Practicality

Being useful is a central value of taoist philosophy - how something is useful, why it is useful, and for what. The context could be anything you could possible conceive of, regardless of perceived value, including health, wealth, social interaction, morality and ethics, spirituality, or a tai chi movement.

Practicality is the mantra.

Instead of asking if you ought to be conventionally moral or if it doesn't matter, taoists would ask "is it useful to be moral?" The answer would be yes. Rather than focussing on your narrow self-interest or the wrath of God, taoists genuinely consider what the natural consequences are to yourself, human relations, the entire society, and spirituality if you are not moral.

(Bruce Frantzis)

No comments: