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 stops when reformers feel the rush of power, that legitimacy crumbles 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 Laozi 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 zhū
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 néng
而 126 + 0
and; and then; and yet; but; Kangxi radical 126
jīng qíng
米 119 + 8
essence; semen; spirit
囗 31 + 2
four
pì bì
辛 160 + 6
law, rule; open up, develop
zhī zhì
矢 111 + 3
know, perceive, comprehend
qíng
心 61 + 8
feeling, sentiment, emotion
rǎng
土 32 + 17
soil, loam, earth; rich
tǔ dù
土 32 + 0
soil, earth; items made of earth
yǔ yú
臼 134 + 8
and; with; to; for; give, grant
shēng
生 100 + 0
life, living, lifetime; birth
néng tái
肉 130 + 6
to be able; can, permitted to; ability
ruò ré
艸 140 + 5
if, supposing, assuming; similar
fū fú
大 37 + 1
man, male adult, husband; those
fēng fèng
風 182 + 0
wind; air; manners, atmosphere; Kangxi radical 182
bō bēi
水 85 + 5
waves, breakers; undulations
丿 4 + 4
interrogative or exclamatory final particle
wéi wěi
口 30 + 8
only; yes
qí jī
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 dí
辵 162 + 11
match, comfortable; just
攴 66 + 5
ancient, old; reason, because
zǐ zi
子 39 + 0
offspring, child; fruit, seed of; first earthly branch
dài
人 9 + 3
replace, replacement (of person or generation); era, generation
fù fǔ
父 88 + 0
father; Kangxi radical 88
yuē
曰 73 + 0
say; Kangxi radical 73
yì yí
羊 123 + 7
right conduct, righteousness
yě yí
乙 5 + 2
also; classical final particle of strong affirmation or identity
chén
臣 131 + 0
minister, statesman, official; Kangxi radical 131
jūn
口 30 + 4
sovereign, monarch, ruler, chief, prince
cuàn
竹 118 + 10
usurp
hé hè
人 9 + 5
what, why, where, which, how
欠 76 + 10
song, lyrics; sing, chant; praise
止 77 + 4
military; martial, warlike
wáng wàng
玉 96 + -1
king, ruler; royal; surname
shì tí
日 72 + 5
indeed, yes, right; to be; demonstrative pronoun, this, that
yōng yóng
广 53 + 8
usual, common, ordinary, mediocre
qù qū
厶 28 + 3
go away, leave, depart
biàn pián
辛 160 + 14
dispute, argue, debate, discuss
qiǎo
工 48 + 2
skillful, ingenious, clever
hái huán
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 tòng
口 30 + 3
same, similar; together with
dào dǎo
辵 162 + 9
path, road, street; method, way
sī sāi
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 mèng
日 72 + 4
bright, light, brilliant; clear
皿 108 + 5
profit, benefit; advantage; hexagram ䷩
shuāi suō
衣 145 + 4
decline, falter, decrease; weaken
彳 60 + 12
ethics, morality, virtue
xíng háng
行 144 + 0
go; walk; move, travel; circulate; Kangxi radical 144
xiū
人 9 + 8
study; repair; cultivate
xiá
犬 94 + 7
narrow, limited; narrow-minded; to pinch
臣 131 + 2
lie down; crouch
míng mìng
口 30 + 3
name, rank, title, position
刀 18 + 5
gains, advantage, profit, merit
xiě xiè
宀 40 + 12
write; draw, sketch; compose
wēi
卩 26 + 4
dangerous, precarious; high; 12th lunar mansion, determinative star α Aquarii (Sadalmelik)
zhōu
口 30 + 5
Zhou dynasty; circumference
yú wū
方 70 + 4
in, at, on; interjection alas!
liù lù
八 12 + 2
number six
hé gě
口 30 + 3
combine, unite, join; gather
nèi
入 11 + 2
inside, interior; domestic
wú yú
口 30 + 4
i, my, our; resist, impede
yǒu yòu
月 74 + 2
have, own, possess; exist
wèi
火 86 + 5
do, handle, govern, act; be
zǔ zhù
阜 170 + 5
impede, hinder, obstruct; oppose
chí
手 64 + 6
sustain, support; hold, grasp
滿
mǎn mèn
水 85 + 11
fill; full, satisfied
nǎi ǎi
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
bù fǒu
一 1 + 3
no, not; un-; negative prefix
己 49 + 0
already; finished; stop
jìn
辵 162 + 8
advance, make progress, enter
shēn juān
身 158 + 0
body; trunk, hull; Kangxi radical 158
退
tuì
辵 162 + 6
step back, retreat, withdraw
shèng chéng
皿 108 + 6
abundant, flourishing; contain; fill
guó
囗 31 + 8
nation, country, nation-state
kě gē
口 30 + 2
may, can, -able; possibly
yǐ sì
人 9 + 3
by means of; thereby, therefore; consider as; in order to
shì
人 9 + 3
official; serve government
rèn rén
人 9 + 4
trust to, rely on, appoint; to bear, duty, office; allow
jiā jià
宀 40 + 7
house, home, residence; family
jià
女 38 + 10
to marry, give a daughter in marriage
jiāo xiāo
馬 187 + 12
spirited horse; haughty
人 9 + 8
arrogant, haughty, rude
ào áo
人 9 + 11
proud, haughty, overbearing
bào pù
日 72 + 11
violent, brutal, tyrannical
jiāo
亠 8 + 4
mix; intersect; exchange, communicate; deliver