Confucius met two boys who were arguing. One said: "When the sun rises it is closer to the earth and at midday it is farther away. I know this because it looks bigger when it rises in the morning annd smaller at midday and distance makes objects seem smaller." The other boy disagreed furiously, insisting: "No. No. When it rises the sun is cool, but at midday it is hot. Therefore it must be nearer at midday because near things are warmer than distant things." The two boys asked Confucius to settle their disagreement. Having thought for a while, Confucius had to admit, "I don't know." "So why do they call you wise?" demanded the boys. "Because I know that is is possible to prove anything with clever arguments," replied Confucius.
from Taoist Wisdom: Daily Teachings from the Taoist Sages
Timothy Freke, editor.
Wise he is, but there's something else that demonstrates Confucius' wisdom in this story, something rarely seen in the wise of all ages and eras, especially today. He is able to say, "I don't know."
R.T.,
ReplyDeleteHe seems unique in that so few today are able to admit they don't know. If they don't know, rather than admit it, they don't answer the question or worse, lie and make up something.
very rare in the story of man: he who has that capacity... that must be why his name has been passed down in history... not much is known about him except his work, which has been by some miracle preserved in some fairly cohesive form...
ReplyDeleteMudpuddle,
ReplyDeleteLike Buddha and Christ and Socrates and others,he had followers and disciples who wrote down what he said. Enough copies were made so his teachings were preserved, and we now know what he taught, or at least what his followers thought he taught.
It takes courage to say that in public today (maybe it always did). People would rather bluff or invent their own facts.
ReplyDeleteYvette,
DeleteI suppose that it always have been difficult, but what seems so different to me now is that it is done so blatantly and openly as if they know their followers won't notice it.
"nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the american public": Mencken, i think... demonstrated in the 1930's Germany, and now again in modern day America...
DeleteBecause the truth is, Fred, that their followers WON'T notice it. Wisdom is not in great supply these days.
DeleteMudpuddle,
DeleteI think PT Barnum also said something similar.
boy, i'm losing it... i distinctly remember us having this exchange once before... oh well, what can one do besides get a brain transplant...
DeleteMudpuddle,
DeleteI don't remember it, but I'll take your word for it. Don't get a transplant for you don't know what you will get in the exchange.
Yvette,
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately there's been too much proof of that lately.
R.T.,
ReplyDeleteSee you there.