You would have no power over me were it not given you from above.
(Jesus of Nazareth)
Unknowable
Taoism
and tai chi have no interest whatsoever in politics.
They both advocate personal
responsibility
for your
actions and express an indifference to
authority.
The nature of
existence is too
complex to be comprehended.
No single human can even understand their
own specific body - every miniscule
relationship,
function and purpose - and how it all works together.
Lacking so little knowledge of ourselves, how can we possibly grasp the
complexity of society or the world?
It is too vast to be known and too intricate to be fathomed.
Politics is like taking a headache tablet instead of addressing the root of
the pain.
Choosing
If we see that existence is too
vast
and complicated to be understood, let alone managed, why would you trust a
person who claims that they are capable of acting in your best interests?
A politician is claiming (in principle) to have the ability to comprehend
the complexity of reality and the insight to organise matters in such a way
as to serve you.
This is positively ludicrous.
What is more ridiculous is the person who then chooses which liar they
entrust with this endeavour.
Consider: if you are fundamentally incapable of understanding the
complexity of reality - human relationships, nature, the environment,
animals, political/ideological/religious differences - then how can you
choose who might best undertake the task of managing things on your behalf?
Politics: a new religion
Some people embrace
politics as though it were a new religion - they listen avidly to the
news,
and read magazines and newspapers.
But politics is not a religion.
It is a game.
It will not bring peace on earth, happiness or spiritual fulfilment.
It will make you feel frustrated and helpless.
There is a saying:
If you wish to drown, do not torture yourself with shallow water.
(Bulgarian proverb)
Individual power
There is a myth that voting enables the
individual to have some say over what happens in the world.
Government is about commerce.
Business runs the country, not the individual.
If you want to make a
difference, do it
in your relationships with everyone and everything around you.
Empowering politicians is simply a ritual.
Nobody trusts these people, and no one
believes what they have to say.
It is a social custom.
Make a change by
caring about
things that matter.
Give money to charity, spend time helping the
homeless, the
needy, the weak and the helpless.
Be kind and warm to everyone you have dealings with; pass on your strength
and your
consideration.
Know the world by being part of it, by doing something constructive. Don't
abdicate responsibility.
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Page created 9 January 2005