evolution.jpg

Evolution

We all find purpose in communion with nature. We all find meaning in the rhythm of life. We all receive life from the bounty of the earth. Can we be as wind and waves whose only desire is peace?

When children take over the family business, I think they must be good children, but when citizens take over capitol buildings, I think they must be traitors.

But can a traitor be a hero?

I think George Washington was one.

He was a hero because he refused to engage in partisan politics and because he lived by the golden rule.

> He was a hero because he understood that progress grinds to a halt when reformers feel the rush of power, that legitimacy crumbles to dust when conservatives cling to power, and that innocent lives are lost when tyrants take power.

By studying his life and times, we realize that actions have consequences. 滿 Taking power and not letting go is a disaster. 滿 Supporting a tyrant is a fatal mistake. 退 Regular, free and fair elections follow a universal principle. Good citizens step up when they're needed. They step back down when they lose.

滿 滿 George Washington wasn't a power-hungry politician, so he wouldn't bend the knee to a power-hungry family. He just wouldn't support such spoiled, arrogant, cruel, violent people.

Notes

I started looking at this passage because I was struck by how close it is in theme and vocabulary to Daodejing chapter 9.

King Wu, not George Washington, was the great hero who overthrew his tyrannical lord and set the stage for a new golden age.

Vocabulary

tiān
大 37 + 1
sky, heaven; god, celestial
zhī
丿 4 + 3
marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
shì
示 113 + 7
look at, inspect, observe, see
ér
而 126 + 0
and; and then; and yet; but
jīng
米 119 + 8
essence; semen; spirit
囗 31 + 2
four
辛 160 + 6
law, rule; open up, develop
zhī
矢 111 + 3
know, perceive, comprehend
qíng
心 61 + 8
feeling, sentiment, emotion
rǎng
土 32 + 17
soil, loam, earth; rich
土 32 + 0
soil, earth; items made of earth
臼 134 + 8
and; with; to; for; give, grant
shēng
生 100 + 0
life, living, lifetime; birth
néng
肉 130 + 6
to be able; can, permitted to; ability
ruò
艸 140 + 5
if, supposing, assuming; similar
大 37 + 1
man, male adult, husband; those
fēng
風 182 + 0
wind; air; manners, atmosphere
水 85 + 5
waves, breakers; undulations
丿 4 + 4
interrogative or exclamatory final particle
wéi
口 30 + 8
only; yes
八 12 + 6
his, her, its, their; that
suǒ
戶 63 + 4
place, location; numerary adjunct
欠 76 + 7
desire, want, long for; intend
shì
辵 162 + 11
match, comfortable; just
攴 66 + 5
ancient, old; reason, because
zi
子 39 + 0
offspring, child; fruit, seed of; 1st terrestrial branch
dài
人 9 + 3
replace, replacement (of person or generation); era, generation
父 88 + 0
father; KangXi radical 88
yuē
曰 73 + 0
say; KangXi radical 73
羊 123 + 7
right conduct, righteousness
乙 5 + 2
also; classical final particle of strong affirmation or identity
chén
臣 131 + 0
minister, statesman, official
jūn
口 30 + 4
sovereign, monarch, ruler, chief, prince
cuàn
竹 118 + 10
usurp
人 9 + 5
what, why, where, which, how
欠 76 + 10
song, lyrics; sing, chant; praise
止 77 + 4
military; martial, warlike
wáng
玉 96 + -1
king, ruler; royal; surname
shì
日 72 + 5
indeed, yes, right; to be; demonstrative pronoun, this, that
yōng
广 53 + 8
usual, common, ordinary, mediocre
厶 28 + 3
go away, leave, depart
biàn
辛 160 + 14
dispute, argue, debate, discuss
qiǎo
工 48 + 2
skillful, ingenious, clever
hái
辵 162 + 13
still, yet, also, besides
zhòng
目 109 + 6
masses, people, multitude, crowd
rén
人 9 + 0
man; people; mankind; someone else
tóng
口 30 + 3
same, similar; together with
dào
辵 162 + 9
path, road, street; method, way
心 61 + 5
think, consider, ponder; final particle
suǒ
糸 120 + 4
large rope, cable; rules, laws; to demand, to exact; to search, inquire; isolated
zhě
老 125 + 4
that which; he who; those who
míng
日 72 + 4
bright, light, brilliant; clear
皿 108 + 5
profit, benefit; advantage
shuāi
衣 145 + 4
decline, falter, decrease; weaken
彳 60 + 12
ethics, morality, virtue
xíng
行 144 + 0
go; walk; move, travel; circulate
xiū
人 9 + 8
study; repair; cultivate
xiá
犬 94 + 7
narrow, limited; narrow-minded; to pinch
臣 131 + 2
lie down; crouch
頁 181 + 7
cheeks; jaw; chin; rear; to nourish
míng
口 30 + 3
name, rank, title, position
刀 18 + 5
gains, advantage, profit, merit
xiě
宀 40 + 12
write; draw, sketch; compose
wēi
卩 26 + 4
dangerous, precarious; high
zhōu
口 30 + 5
Zhou dynasty; circumference
方 70 + 4
in, at, on; interjection alas!
liù
八 12 + 2
number six
口 30 + 3
combine, unite, join; gather
nèi
入 11 + 2
inside, interior; domestic
口 30 + 4
i, my, our; resist, impede
yǒu
月 74 + 2
have, own, possess; exist
wèi
火 86 + 5
do, handle, govern, act; be
阜 170 + 5
impede, hinder, obstruct; oppose
chí
手 64 + 6
sustain, support; hold, grasp
滿
mǎn
水 85 + 11
fill; full, satisfied
nǎi
丿 4 + 1
then; really, indeed; as it turned out, after all; namely
dài
歹 78 + 5
dangerous, perilous; endanger
xià
一 1 + 2
under, underneath, below; down; inferior; bring down
一 1 + 3
no, not; un-; negative prefix
己 49 + 0
already; finished; stop
jìn
辵 162 + 8
advance, make progress, enter
shēn
身 158 + 0
body; trunk, hull; rad. no. 158
退
tuì
辵 162 + 6
step back, retreat, withdraw
shèng
皿 108 + 6
abundant, flourishing; contain; fill
guó
囗 31 + 8
nation, country, nation-state
口 30 + 2
may, can, -able; possibly
人 9 + 3
by means of; thereby, therefore; consider as; in order to
shì
人 9 + 3
official; serve government
rèn
人 9 + 4
trust to, rely on, appoint; to bear, duty, office; allow
jiā
宀 40 + 7
house, home, residence; family
jià
女 38 + 10
to marry, give a daughter in marriage
jiāo
馬 187 + 12
spirited horse; haughty
人 9 + 8
arrogant, haughty, rude
ào
人 9 + 11
proud, haughty, overbearing
bào
日 72 + 11
violent, brutal, tyrannical
jiāo
亠 8 + 4
mix; intersect; exchange, communicate; deliver