another taoism, this time from ron hogan’s interpolation:
those who know, don’t talk.
those who talk, don’t know.
shut your mouth.
be still. relax.
let go of your worries.
stay out of the spotlight.
be at one with the world
and get right with tao.
if you get right with tao,
you won’t be worried
about praise or scorn,
about winning or losing,
about honor or disgrace.
that’s the way to be.
it’s interesting how many documents of “ancient wisdom” run completely counter to what our modern society promotes. as kreeft notes, it’s interesting that we contrast “ancient wisdom” with “modern knowledge” – as if to say that we suspect that even though we know more than the ancients, we may not be as wise.
at any rate, i think lao tzu was on to something here – to not be worried about praise or scorn, winning or losing, honor or disgrace – that is a really good way to be.