Verse Seventeen

To know Tao alone, without trace of your own existence, is the highest. Next comes loving and praising it. Then fearing it. Then despising it.

- The relationship between the individual and the unity
- One one extreme, you may lose your individuality without fear or control
- On the other, you may lose touch with unity and perceive life as a war with all who oppose you

Application: Because I'm writing this blog, I am currently in the second tier of "loving and praising it." I am burdened with the conflict between the yin and yang energies constantly. Although the Tao has brought me closer to the yin, my individuality keeps the yang energy going. I can't help but want things for myself. And it's also hard to love people who usually annoy me and it's hard to help people who rarely reciprocate. According to the unity, I should love and help regardless of the outcome. And that's the conflict I face nearly every day.

If one doesn't trust himself, how can he trust anyone else?

- Trust bonds individuals, brings them closer together
- Trust will only work to achieve unity
- Trust never works for individual gain

Application: A common complaint about modern society is that there is less trust. I believe the central component in "modernization" is individual gain. When people realize that this creates a loss of faith and trust, they turn to religion. Those with lots of fear turn to fundamentalism. Those are two extremes which pit person against person or community against community. I am finding this out now through a lot of books and documentaries I have encountered. Modernization is isolation.

The great ruler speaks little and his words are priceless. He works without self-interest and leaves no trace. When all is finished, the people say, "It happened by itself."

- When individual gain is not considered, the goals of a community/nation can be accomplished
- A greedy leader leaves his people behind
- Everything works out well when greed are power are not involved

Application: I can't help but think of today's rulers who do the opposite of what is written in verse 17. Although I believe it is in their self-interest and therefore an essentail guideline in modern politics to watch out for #1 meaning themselves. This immediately stops the function of a representative democracy. All that is representated is greed and power--nothing else. This is how I perceive politics these days--they control the power but they inspire no leadership at all. Politicians are not people we should look up to. And a union between politics and certain religions take the spirit right out of the religion and replace it with the same greed and power. I see this tainting the fabric of my country today. But I comforted by the fact that nothing lasts forever.