Thoreau | GameDev.net

Mithrandir · 2002-01-16T14:16:12+00:00

''If a man constantly aspires, is he not elevated?'' -Henry David Thoreau I dunno about you, but I only aspire when it''s hot out.

"... but do not expect to be making enough to buy expensive italian sports cars ... I wanna ride the pope mobile" --- Hikeeba (I''m paraphrase a little)

"\"Apparent Confusion is a product of good order; apparent cowardice of courage; apparent weakness, of strength\" --- Sun Tzu, The Art of War, Chapter V (Force & Influence & Authority & Energy & Potencial & Situation), Verse 18. Which is my proof that these forums are a good thing." --- myself, in the *cough* other forum.

------------------------------
Wizards rule number one: People will believe something that they really want to be true.
Wizard Rule number two: Passion overrules truth.
IGNORANCE RULES ALL!
Brotherhood of Landfish Return }>BLR<{

Confucius, The Analects and the Doctrine of the Mean
The Superior Man: (paraphrased and heavily rearranged)

The character of the Superior Man is being taught as a tangible model for all in the here and now.

The Superior Man has nothing to compete for. The Superior Man is broad-minded. The Superior Man endures equally well privation and surfeit. The Superior Man judges others. When the Superior Man deals with the world he is not prejudiced for or against anything. He does what is Right, not what is advantageous. The Superior Man does not promote a man because of his words, and does not disregard the words because of the man. The Superior Man is disciplined within himself.

The Superior Man is humble in his speech but superb in his actions. The Superior Man is always at ease with himself, never anxious. The Superior Man is in harmony but does not follow the crowd. The Superior Man is self-confident without being arrogant. With firmness, strength, simplicity and caution in speaking, kindness, and decisiveness you will be close to virtue. You cultivate yourself by comforting others. What you don''t like done to yourself, don''t do to others. The Superior Man has three appearances. From afar, he appears majestic; close up, he seems warm; listening to his speech, he seems polished. If the Superior Man is reverent without lapse, and courteous to everyone within the frame of propriety, everything within the four seas will be his brother.

The Superior Man hates those who advertise the faults of others. He hates those who abide in lowliness and slander the great. He hates those who are bold without propriety. He hates those who are convinced of their own perfection, and closed off to anything else. The Superior Man develops people''s good points, not their bad points. The Superior Man is a rennisance man who trains himself to do all tasks, then delegates some to those who are apt at them. Therefore the Superior Man treats people as human beings, and once they have corrected themselves, he lets them be. Being sincere and fair to all, though this is different from the Tao, it are not far from it. This means "not doing to others what you don''t want done to yourself." There are four general ways that this can be characterized, one of which I (Confuscius) have been able to fully practice:
(1) Treating my father as I expect my son to treat me.
(2) Treating my ruler as I expect my ministers to treat me.
(3) Treating my older brothers as I expect my younger brothers to treat me.
(4) Treating my friends as I expect my friends to treat me.
In the putting into practice of virtue or the taking care of speech, if there is somewhere where I am deficient, I certainly endeavor further. If there is excess, I do not dare to merely expend it. His words reflecting his actions, his actions reflecting his words--how can this Superior Man not be sincere through and through? Think before you speak, but never be afraid to speak or do that which is right.

Study for your own improvement. The Superior Man studies culture extensively and thereby prepares himself for all situations. Study People. See a person''s means of getting things. Observe his motives. Examine that in which he rests. How can a person conceal his character? The sincerity on the inside shows on the outside. Reviewing what you have learned and learning anew, you are fit to be a teacher. Confucius said: "I was not born with wisdom. I love the ancient teachings and have worked hard to attain to their level." Get information from people by being cordial, upright, courteous, temperate, and complaisant. The Superior Man is precise, but not rigid. In the actual practice of propriety, flexibility is important. Only the most wise and the most foolish do not change. This is what the ancient kings did so well--both the greater and the lesser used flexibility. Yet you should be aware: If you understand flexibility and use it, but don''t structure yourself with propriety, things won''t go well.

Proper subjects of interest to the Superior Man: The master never discussed strange phenomena, physical exploits, disorder or ghost stories. There was a fire in the stables. When the Master returned from court, he asked: "Was anybody hurt?" He didn''t ask about the horses. Confucius said: "If everybody hates something, you''d better check into it. If everybody loves something, you''d better check into it." What is the value of a thing if it is not useful? Therefore study that which is useful.

If you govern with the power of your virtue, you will be like the North Star. It just stays in its place while all the other stars position themselves around it. Confucius said: "If you govern the people legalistically and control them by punishment, they will avoid crime, but have no personal sense of shame. If you govern them by means of virtue and control them with propriety, they will gain their own sense of shame, and thus correct themselves." When the government rewards virtue, this earns the people’s loyalty. When the government promotes the able and teaches the incompetent the people will work positively. Can you love someone without exerting yourself for them? Can you be sincere to someone without teaching them?

There are nine patterns which are awarenesses of the Superior Man. In seeing, he is aware of clarity; in listening, he is aware of sharpness; in faces, is aware of warmth; with behavior he is aware of courtesy; in speech, sincerity; in service, reverence. In doubt, he is inclined to question; when angry, he is aware of the inherent difficulties. When he sees an opportunity for gain, he thinks of what would be Righteous. There were four things the master had eliminated from himself: imposing his will, arbitrariness, stubbornness and egotism.

Recipie for virtue: Courtesy, generosity, honesty, persistence, and kindness. If you are courteous, you will not be disrespected; if you are generous, you will gain everything. If you are honest, people will rely on you. If you are persistent you will get results. If you are kind, you can employ people. To be broadminded and gentle in teaching and not rashly punish wrong-doing is the strength of the South. The Superior Man abides in this. To be able to make a bed of weapons and armor and die without grief--this is the strength of the North. The forceful are at home in this. Therefore the Superior Man is harmonious without getting sloppy. How correct his strength is! He stands in the center without leaning to either side. How correct his strength is! When the Tao is manifest in the land, he is changeless in his support of it. How correct his strength is! When the Tao is not manifest in the land, he will not sell himself out, even until death. How correct his strength is!

The Superior Man accepts his own situation. He does not hope to be somewhere else. When he is in a position of fame and fortune, he acts within fame and fortune. When in a position of poverty and low status, he acts within poverty and low status. When in a high position, he does not step on those below him. When in a low position, he does not drag down those above him. When dwelling with uncultured tribes, he acts as if he is with uncultured tribes. When he is in stress and difficulty, he acts from within stress and difficulty. There is no place where the Superior Man is not completely himself. The Superior Man remains stable when in dire straits. The Superior Man doesn''t worry about those things which are outside of his control. The Superior Man abides in change and awaits his destiny. The inferior man practices manipulation and prays for luck.

Confucius said: "I can live with coarse rice to eat, water for drink and my arm as a pillow and still be happy. Wealth and honors that one possesses in the midst of injustice are like floating clouds." When the Superior Man eats he does not try to stuff himself; at rest he does not seek perfect comfort; he is diligent in his work and careful in speech. He avails himself to people of the Tao and thereby corrects himself. This is the kind of person of whom you can say, ''he loves learning.'' Knowing it is not as good as loving it; loving it is not as good as delighting in it.

Practicing archery is like practicing to be a Superior Man. When you miss the bulls-eye, you look for the error in yourself. Correcting yourself and not expecting things from others, you will not create resentments. You will not resent heaven above, nor blame men below. The faults of the Superior Man are like the eclipses of the sun and moon--everyone sees them. But when he corrects them, everyone looks up to him. When the superior man makes a mistake he does not hesitate to correct it. To make a mistake and not correct it: this is a real mistake. Each day I examine myself in three ways: in doing things for others, have I been disloyal? In my interactions with friends, have I been untrustworthy? Have not practiced what I have preached?

When you see a good person, think of becoming like her/him. When you see someone not so good, reflect on your own weak points. Whenever three men are walking together, there is one who can be my teacher. I pick out people''s good and follow it. When I see their bad points, I correct them in myself. Having ability, yet learning from the clumsy; having much knowledge, but learning from the unlearned. Possessing, yet seeming to lack, being full yet seeming empty, able to accept wrong without retaliation. These are the talents of a superior man.

Topic Locked