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A Confucian adage.

an anarchist

Your local anarchist.
a Confucian adage from my vague memory
In order to change the world, one needs to only be a good son. If you cannot be a good son, how can you ever hope to accomplish anything more?
Confucius taught about changing the world. Don’t we all change the world, whether we try to or not? So, we should try to change it for the better.
In order to set the world right, one must first set their nation right.
In order to set your nation right, one must have an orderly family life.
In order to have an orderly family life, one must cultivate their personal life.
In order to cultivate ones personal life, one must set their heart right.

I for one am still working on setting my heart right. I intend on setting the world right, however. This I will do.
What about you? Are you having relationship problems or family turmoil? Could it be perhaps you have ignored your own personal cultivation? Is your nation seemingly going down a dark path? What can you do to change that? Be a good son or daughter, be a good father and mother. It is our failure to do these things which causes this world to be chaotic. So let’s together first work on setting our hearts right, and go up from there!
If we don’t change the world, nobody else will.
 

Hermit Philosopher

Selflessly here for you
a Confucian adage from my vague memory
In order to change the world, one needs to only be a good son. If you cannot be a good son, how can you ever hope to accomplish anything more?
Confucius taught about changing the world. Don’t we all change the world, whether we try to or not? So, we should try to change it for the better.
In order to set the world right, one must first set their nation right.
In order to set your nation right, one must have an orderly family life.
In order to have an orderly family life, one must cultivate their personal life.
In order to cultivate ones personal life, one must set their heart right.

I for one am still working on setting my heart right. I intend on setting the world right, however. This I will do.
What about you? Are you having relationship problems or family turmoil? Could it be perhaps you have ignored your own personal cultivation? Is your nation seemingly going down a dark path? What can you do to change that? Be a good son or daughter, be a good father and mother. It is our failure to do these things which causes this world to be chaotic. So let’s together first work on setting our hearts right, and go up from there!
If we don’t change the world, nobody else will.

Yes, as long as we remember that we change the world by changing ourselves; not by attempting to change others - especially not against their own will.


Humbly
Hermit
 

JustGeorge

Not As Much Fun As I Look
Staff member
Premium Member
a Confucian adage from my vague memory
In order to change the world, one needs to only be a good son. If you cannot be a good son, how can you ever hope to accomplish anything more?
Confucius taught about changing the world. Don’t we all change the world, whether we try to or not? So, we should try to change it for the better.
In order to set the world right, one must first set their nation right.
In order to set your nation right, one must have an orderly family life.
In order to have an orderly family life, one must cultivate their personal life.
In order to cultivate ones personal life, one must set their heart right.

I for one am still working on setting my heart right. I intend on setting the world right, however. This I will do.
What about you? Are you having relationship problems or family turmoil? Could it be perhaps you have ignored your own personal cultivation? Is your nation seemingly going down a dark path? What can you do to change that? Be a good son or daughter, be a good father and mother. It is our failure to do these things which causes this world to be chaotic. So let’s together first work on setting our hearts right, and go up from there!
If we don’t change the world, nobody else will.

I'm working on it. :)

I'm hoping to be a good wife and mother. There's seldom any time left after that... but maybe when the kids are old and bored with me, I'll work on being a good neighbor, and work towards the improvement of my city, which so badly needs some love.

I doubt I'll be around to long enough to extend much past that.
 

an anarchist

Your local anarchist.
[
I'm working on it. :)

I'm hoping to be a good wife and mother. There's seldom any time left after that... but maybe when the kids are old and bored with me, I'll work on being a good neighbor, and work towards the improvement of my city, which so badly needs some love.

I doubt I'll be around to long enough to extend much past that.
I can’t find the exact quote, but once Confucius and his disciples were in danger. A band of soldiers had then trapped in a mountain pass. Confucius said something along the lines of “What can the men of (??) do to me, if my words live on?”
They could do nothing to him, even if they killed him. His influence lives on after he died, (a peaceful death I think).
My mother passed when I was a babe, but I’ve witnessed her positive influence shape the world around me. She was a good wife and a good mother, and those positive causes have unseen consequences that ripple throughout the entire world. I am positive you have already changed the world @JustGeorge ! Let’s keep at it :)
 

epronovost

Well-Known Member
Yes, as long as we remember that we change the world by changing ourselves; not by attempting to change others - especially not against their own will.
t

Except the world did and does change by people changing others, even against their own will. We call those "revolution" or "revolt" or sometime "election". Confucius was a wise man, but a terribly conservative man who was preoccupied by maintaining order and harmony in society far more than things like reason, curiosity, justice or fairness. Keep that in mind while reading him. His political and social theories are very different than that more popular in the West like those of Voltaire, Rousseau, Locke, Payne or Moore.
 

Valjean

Veteran Member
Premium Member
Absurd.
Confucius was obsessed with family, family hierarchy, and duty to family. Responsibility to the broader society was an afterthought. He felt that strict observance of one's place in the family hierarchy would somehow ensure a broader social harmony.
 

Hermit Philosopher

Selflessly here for you
Except the world did and does change by people changing others, even against their own will. We call those "revolution" or "revolt" or sometime "election". Confucius was a wise man, but a terribly conservative man who was preoccupied by maintaining order and harmony in society far more than things like reason, curiosity, justice or fairness. Keep that in mind while reading him. His political and social theories are very different than that more popular in the West like those of Voltaire, Rousseau, Locke, Payne or Moore.

Thank you epronovost,

One seldom agrees with everything in another person’s philosophy of life, which is why one adds one’s own bits of reflection when speaking of their writings: to me personal consent and willingness are always essential.

What you say about revolts and revolutions is true in that they lead to change, but in my comment to @Xavier Graham I was also thinking of their other threads about “divine kingdoms”, etc, and I believe that no such state of worldliness is possible through force. To “change the world” in that sense, only genuine participation in personal inner change stands a chance.

I would however add that I do think it possible that some people’s spiritual calling be that of revolution - it’s just not mine.


Humbly
Hermit
 
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