clout.jpg

Clout

In the old days, the best influencers were a bit mysterious, strangely reasonable, definitely inscrutable. In fact, being so inscrutable is what made them so compelling.

They were careful, like a winter crossing, and reserved, like respectful neighbours. They were as serious as they were polite, but chill, like melting ice. They were as true as timber, as wide as valleys, as messy as mud.

Who else would quietly clean up by calming us down, and who else would quietly steady us by keeping us moving?

These days, people like that don't care about clout. In fact, they don't flex because their superpower is making a difference without making it about themselves.

Notes

There's a lot of variation in this one between different versions, especially in the sayings. Words have double meanings, definitions specific to Daoism, and entries in the Yijing, so it's obscure, like the inaudible, invisible, ineffable influence it describes.

I've been trying to wrap my head around , and for a long time, and the only constant I've found is that contrasts of the previous saying, and it's something like the difference between patience and good will () and the arrogance and idealism of power ().

Vocabulary

1 + 3
no, not; un-; negative prefix
jiǔ
4 + 2
long time (ago); time passage, grow late
zhī
4 + 3
marks preceding phrase as modifier of following phrase; it, him her, them; go to
9 + 3
by means of; thereby, therefore; consider as; in order to
bǎo
9 + 7
protect, safeguard, defend, care
yǎn
9 + 20
grave, respectful, majestic
12 + 2
exclamatory particle
12 + 6
his, her, its, their; that
dōng
15 + 3
winter, 11th lunar month
bīng
15 + 4
ice; ice-cold
dòng
19 + 9
move, happen; movement, action
30 + 2
old, classic, ancient
30 + 2
may, can, -able; possibly
wéi
30 + 8
only; yes
shàn
30 + 9
good, virtuous, charitable, kind
31 + 2
four
shì
33 + 0
scholar, gentleman; soldier
37 + 1
man, male adult, husband; those
miào
38 + 4
mysterious, subtle; exquisite
shú
39 + 8
who? which? what? which one?
ān
40 + 3
peaceful, tranquil, quiet
róng
40 + 7
looks, appearance; figure, form
jiāng
41 + 8
will, going to, future; general
chuān
47 + 0
stream, river; flow; boil
qiáng
57 + 8
strong, powerful, energetic
60 + 7
slowly, quietly, calmly; composed, dignified
wēi
60 + 10
small, prefix micro-, trifling
chéng
62 + 2
completed, finished, fixed
66 + 5
ancient, old; reason, because
dūn
66 + 8
esteem; honest, candid, sincere
xīn
69 + 9
new, recent, fresh, modern
kuàng
72 + 15
extensive, wide, broad; empty
75 + 12
simple, honest; plain; rough
76 + 7
desire, want, long for; intend
77 + 2
this, these; in this case, then
shè
85 + 7
ford stream, wade across
shēn
85 + 8
deep; depth; far; very, extreme
hùn
85 + 8
to mix, blend, mingle; to bumble along
qīng
85 + 8
clear, pure, clean; peaceful
huàn
85 + 9
scatter; scattered, dispersed; hexagram ䷺
zhuó
85 + 13
muddy, turbid, dirty, filthy
wèi
86 + 5
do, handle, govern, act; be
yóu
94 + 9
like, similar to, just like, as
xuán
95 + 0
deep, profound, abstruse; Kangxi radical 95
shēng
100 + 0
life, living, lifetime; birth
wèi
102 + 4
fear, dread, awe, reverence
yíng
108 + 4
fill; full, overflowing; surplus
zhě
125 + 4
that which; he who; those who
néng
130 + 6
to be able; can, permitted to; ability
ruò
140 + 5
if, supposing, assuming; similar
140 + 12
cover, hide, conceal; shelter
shí shì
149 + 12
recognize, understand, know
150 + 0
valley, gorge, ravine; Kangxi radical 150
152 + 9
relaxed, comfortable, at ease; hexagram ䷏
tōng
162 + 7
pass through; common; communicate
dào
162 + 9
path, road, street; method, way
lín
163 + 12
neighbor; neighborhood
shì
165 + 13
interpret, elucidate; release
jìng
174 + 8
quiet, still, motionless; gentle