The Way of Monkey Book

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Way of Monkey Book

By: T.F. Monkey

Art: Lisa Win

Preface: Why Daoism? This book started as a book about politics which was supposed to have only a small section in it about philosophy and the values which create optimal political arrangements within society, but as that section took on a life of its own, I decided that it would be better to write a separate book focused on the subject of philosophy, politics, religion, and wisdom. At the same time as this, I was deeply immersed in the study of Daoism. Before Daoism, I had been trying to discover which religion is most compatible with a society based on freedom and the rights of the individual, which led me to many dead ends. Transcendentalism was too idealistic and steeped in Christianity and its herd morality. Spinoza’s metaphysics was fundamentally correct but failed to draw any significant following or make any lasting impact. The reasons for Spinoza’s failure has been identified by The School of Life thusly: “If we’re ever to replace traditional beliefs, we must remember just how much religion is helped along by ritual, tradition, art and a desire to belong: all things that Spinoza, despite his great wisdom, ignored at his peril in his bold attempt to replace the Bible.” (The School of Life)

To succeed where Spinoza failed, a religion would have to offer the same sense of identity and tradition like Christianity, while promoting more desirable values for modern society. This is what led me to Daoism, which has a more philosophical foundation similar to Spinoza’s metaphysics, but (more importantly) also has a robust tradition-filled religion built around it, which has grown organically around the culture of China for thousands of years. It was with Daoism that I found the best solution to the problem I was struggling with, and for that reason, I chose to write this book in the same style as a classical Daoist sacred text.

What is Daoism? Daoism (also spelled Taoism but pronounced with a D sound in either case) is an ancient Chinese philosophy and religion that began between the 4th and 6th centuries BCE. Daoism has been influenced by both Buddhism from India, native Chinese folk religion, and brutal persecution by the Chinese Communist Party, into what it is today. Daoism has spread to the west, but as it has, many of the elements that have made it part of Chinese culture and identity have been removed, in favor of western philosophies and new age spiritualism. In Daoism, there is simply “Dao” meaning “the way” as in the way of nature or the way things are. However, by referring to the way of nature or reality as “Dao” (especially with an upper-case D) it can be personified as some kind of sentient force, divine being, or god.

However, Lao Tzu declares at the beginning of Tao Te Ching (the foundational text of Taoism): “The truth which can be taught is not always true. The favorable name is not always the true name. That which has no name, such as the sky or the earth, is the beginning. Naming gives birth to infinite particular concepts.” Later on, in the 32nd section, Lao Tzu writes: “In the beginning, we created names and labels. Then we named and divided things that once went together.

Men need to learn when to stop. To know when to stop will allow you to avoid grave danger.” We see that the Dao itself is a label. Daoism is an institution. At this point, we must heed Lao Tzu’s wisdom and know when it is time to stop. Thus rather than “Dao”, I will simply refer to the natural process, the way things are, reality, or most often and simply, nature. I do not believe there is a need to personify concepts such as nature and reality, worship them, and build a religion around them any more than there is for science. However, a religion that is built around such concepts may be ultimately useful and beneficial for society. It depends on the values it espouses. My goal with this book is to convince you to live in harmony with the natural processes of life and nature, and not to convert you to Daoism. However, I have found that Daoism has enriched my philosophy and I will be drawing from its wisdom in the work you are currently holding in your hands and reading.

My Philosophy The diagram on the previous page is a visual breakdown of the philosophical schools that I have drawn from to form my philosophy, which will form the basis for the entirety of this book. Science lies at the center of the diagram because all beliefs and philosophies are only as beneficial as they are practical in the real

world, and not hypothetically beneficial in the afterlife or some process of reincarnation or ascension. Science is the best word I can think of to describe the process of understanding the real world and through that knowledge, make decisions that will result in happiness and good. Platonism informs our ideals. Existentialism informs our values. Stoicism gives us courage. Daoism gives us serenity.

The diagram on the previous page is a visual breakdown of what I call the Political Trichotomy. You may be familiar with the Left versus Right dichotomy, but while the nature of politics necessarily creates factions and sides, the use of understanding the Political Trichotomy

is to appreciate the values that color these different worldviews and to see how mutually exclusive they truly are. In an Absolutist society, where stability and tradition are the highest values, people are neither free nor equal but held to strict hierarchies within which they are trapped. In a Communist society, where equality is the highest value, people are not free, nor are stabilizing traditions and institutions respected, and in fact, may even be actively abolished. In an Individualist society, where freedom is the highest value, people are not equal, nor are traditions and the stability of the community valued or respected by the individual. No model is a complete and perfect representation of something as complex and nuanced as the political and social system of a country with hundreds of millions of people, but the model is more accurate than most. Trying to fit the Trichotomy into a Left versus Right Dichotomy, results in different definitions based on different political perspectives. From traditional European standards, Individualism is a Leftist phenomenon, and the Absolutists are the only true Right. From a traditional American standpoint, Absolutists represent authoritarian government and socialism, and are thus Leftist, making Individualism the only true Right. From the Communist perspective, Capitalism and Fascism are the same because they are both equally unequal, and so they are identical.

1 Freedom is the way of nature. All life is born free and knows nothing of laws, government, religion, or any unnatural constraints. Freedom is the way of nature, but it is not the freedom to do anything we may imagine, for we are all constrained by nature. Freedom is

rather the freedom to act within and according to nature without any unnatural constraints. All life is born free. All animals live free except those subjugated by men, including themselves. Men take away the freedom of animals to control them. Men take away the freedom of one another to control them as well. Nature cannot be controlled, only understood. Understanding leads to harmony. Control leads to disharmony, and eventually a loss of control.

2 If a man neglects the grass, it will grow and thrive tall and wild on its own without him. If a man desires conformity and equality for the grass, he must cut the grass low to make it so. He harms the grass but pleases his own vision. If a man neglects his grass, the birds and insects will nourish it all on their own without him. If a man desires conformity and equality for the grass, he kills the insects and pulls up the plants that attract the birds, calling them weeds. The man must then feed and water the grass or it will die as It can no longer care for itself. The man spends his weekends cutting the grass and spends his money on food and insecticides for the grass. Both would have been better off if he had chosen to do nothing in the first place, and simply left the grass alone to thrive of itself.

3 As a forest grows, the trees grow higher and higher to catch the light of the sun. Competing with one another, all the trees grow together. Within the forest, the distance between the tall trees and the mossy floor becomes wider and wider. This is the natural inequality of reality. If a man cuts down the trees to make them equal to the moss, the trees will die, the light and heat from the sun will kill the moss as well, and the entire forest will become barren. The moss needs the tall trees, for they are nourished by their shade and protected from the heat and the light of the sun by them. The tall trees need the moss, for after the rain it is the moss that absorbs and releases the water while preserving the nutrients in the soil. So it is with free men. Unequal, but benefitting one another and living in mutual harmony.

4 In nature, all lifeforms seek their own interests and well-being. All except man care nothing for well-intentioned ideals or utopian visions. Only men seek after such phantoms and illusions. While all lifeforms seek their own interests and compete with one another for survival and propagation, a harmonious eco-system is born. The plants, seeking only to survive and reproduce, grow into good food for the animals, and convert carbon dioxide into breathable oxygen that the animals require to live.

The animals, seeking only to survive and reproduce, spread and nourish the seeds of the plants with their dung, and convert oxygen into carbon dioxide that the plants require to live. This harmonious eco-system arises completely spontaneously and naturally through self-interest which unconsciously benefits everyone.

5 After a kill, the predator eats to their fill before leaving only little more than bones and carrion behind for the vultures to pick clean for food. The vultures do not complain to the predator that they took too much meat for themselves. Without the predator, there would be no food for the vultures to eat at all, and so they hold their peace and appreciate what they have.

6 A parasite needs the host to survive, while the host wishes to be rid of the parasite due to the harm it is causing. If the parasite provided a benefit to the host, then it becomes symbiotic, and the host would cheerfully provide for it.

Men invented antibiotics to kill harmful bacteria and invented yogurt full of helpful bacteria that aid themselves with healthier digestion. The difference between the two is not their nature, as both are bacteria, but their effects on men. Where there is a mutual benefit there is harmony and cooperation. Where there is harm and parasitism there is strife and death. By seeking to better themselves, men learn they must work within the eco-system of mankind and nature, providing for the needs of others so that they may have their own needs met too.

7 If the host dies then the parasite will also die. But, If the host lives, the parasite may live too. Thus the life of the host is always to be preferred over that of the parasite. Wise men rid the host of the parasite. Foolish men consider the life of the host to be no more significant than the parasite and may accuse the host of selfishness for desiring his own health over that of the parasite. If the path of men to be parasites is easier than the path of men to act symbiotically, then men will choose to become parasites themselves. A wise man makes the path of men to be symbiotic easy, and the path of men to be parasitic hard, and thus he enjoys peace, and the people enjoy prosperity and abundance.

8

Freedom is tied inexorably to responsibility. If someone is not responsible for themselves, they are inevitably under the authority of whomsoever is responsible for them. The feral cat is free and goes wheresoever it wishes, but nobody feeds it, and it must take care of and bear responsibility for itself. The house cat is well-fed, and taken care of, but it cannot go wheresoever it wishes. The cat’s owner has both the responsibility and authority over the house cat and prevents it from leaving. There is no freedom without responsibility. Nor is there authority without responsibility. This is the way of nature.

9 The pet submits to its owner for food and shelter, and to be loved and taken care of. The child submits to their parents for food and shelter, and to be loved and taken care of. The woman submits to the man for food and shelter, and to be loved and taken care of. The loving owner takes care of the pet but disciplines the animal when it does not conform its behavior to the will of the owner. The loving parent takes care of their children but disciplines them when they do not conform their behavior to the will of the parent. The loving man takes care of his wife but disciplines her when she does not conform her behavior to the will of the man.

This is the just and balanced way of nature.

10 The shepherd cares for his sheep, and will die defending them, but only because the shepherd has authority over the flock of sheep and because they belong to the shepherd. Nobody cares for that which does not belong to them, and over which they have no authority. If the sheep are freed from the shepherd's authority, he will no longer take care of the sheep, nor protect them, nor feed them. If the sheep wish to live free and desire authority over themselves, they must assume responsibility for their own well-being. If the sheep are released and cannot provide for themselves, nor protect themselves from predators, then the sheep will wander and die. How then can the sheep be free and avoid dying in the wilderness or being eaten by predators? Only by enslaving the shepherd to themselves.

11 In nature, shepherds and sheep have a mutually beneficial relationship. The shepherd provides the sheep with protection and provision, and the sheep provide the shepherd with wool. The wise man accepts that this relationship is balanced, and is in harmony with nature. There once was a foolish man who declared that sheep were equal to shepherds, and called the natural and balanced dynamic between sheep and shepherds injustice. He told the shepherd that he was exploiting the sheep, and must no longer take the wool for himself.

The sheep were freed, but many were killed by predators, their wool also grew thick and hot, and they learned that they could not feed themselves and went hungry. They returned to the shepherd to be taken care of and protected as they were before their freedom was granted to them and submitted to him as before. The foolish man returned and realizing that the sheep could not survive without the protection and provision of the shepherd, rather than admit his mistake, enslaved the shepherd and forced him to protect the sheep, feed them once more, but declared that because the sheep were equal to the shepherd, he was forbidden from harvesting the sheep’s wool. The shepherd obeyed the foolish man out of fear for a time, but without the wool from the sheep to sell in the market, ran out of food for both the sheep and himself and both starved. The shepherd, fearing the punishment of the foolish man for not feeding the sheep with food he did not have, abandoned the sheep and fled from the foolish man, leaving everything behind, including the flock he once tenderly loved and fed in days past before equality. The foolish man returned to find the flock dead and blamed the shepherd for hating the sheep.

12 Men can make that which they create fair. Men create referees in sports because men created sports and the rules that govern them. Men create judges and courts of law because men created the law that governs themselves.

Men did not create nature, nor the laws which govern nature and can never make nature fair. When men wished to fly like the birds, they were subject to the constraints of nature, and so they built machines that allowed them to fly. Had men rather created laws and governments to make gravity illegal or clip the wings of the birds to make them equal to men, it would have accomplished nothing but harm and sorrow. Those who call for fairness and equality by force do nothing but harm. They do not even help those who they profess to benefit but harm all.

13 The bird flies through the sky, the fish swims through the ocean, while man claims dominion over the land throughout the whole Earth. Should a man pluck a fish from the ocean, or snatch a bird from the sky, and force them to live as humans do, the bird or fish would die. Just as a fish cannot live on the land, nor a man live in the ocean, but both claim dominion over their domain, so it is with the values of men. One man believes that all men must live according to his values, and forces them onto other men, just as the man plucks the fish from the sea to live according to the ways of man. Both cause the suffering and death of those they wished to help and earn their hatred. Leave the fish to the sea. Leave men who do not share your values to live unmolested alongside you, and there shall be peace between you.

14 There was a farmer who hired a laborer to work for him, and the laborer was paid an agreed-upon wage, while the farmer kept the remainder of the farm's profits for himself. The laborer convinced the government to give him equal control over the farm because it was argued that a laborer is just as important as a farmer, so the farm itself should be jointly and equally owned by both farmers and laborers. The farmer felt this was unfair, and replaced the laborer with a machine that performed the same tasks as the laborer and did not complain. The laborer was unemployed and miserable, so he gathered his friends to shame the farmer for hating workers, for being selfish, for being a lonely bitter man who would rather have the company of machines to people, and even threatened the farmer with violent retaliation, claiming he had stolen his farm from them. The farmer ignored them and went back to work, but the laborer was not happy due to the circumstances of his replacement by machines. The laborer once again went to the government and convinced them to ban the sale and possession of the machines, saying that such machines harmed society and that they caused farmers to think it was okay to enslave people since the machines did not require payment. The government banned the sale and possession of the machines to appease the laborer and his friends, and the laborer returned to the farmer to gleefully seize his property and force him to do their bidding. However, once the laborer and his friends had arrived at the farm, they found it empty. The farmer had left his farm and moved far away to a faraway land where he could farm in peace.

The laborer tried to run the farm himself but didn’t know how, and he and his friends died.

15 The most important thing you possess is your life and your freedom, but it is your freedom that gives your life meaning, for, without it, you are merely an object to be used by others. The second most important thing you possess is your physical health, for without physical health you will not be able to act upon your freedom and give meaning and purpose to your life. The third most important thing you possess is your relationships with those whom you love. There is nothing else that even matters at all. However, do not throw your physical health away, even for those you love. Without your health, you cannot help anyone else anyway. Finally, never throw your freedom away for anything. Your freedom is the only thing worth dying for because without freedom life has no meaning, no purpose, only mechanical process.

16 All people have endless wants and desires. Men understand that they must manifest their wants and desires themselves by spending their time and labor to acquire them, and they thus balance and prioritize their wants and desires. Women and children do not manifest their wants and desires themselves but rely on others to take care of them. There is no sense of price or scale because nagging or throwing tantrums is the only labor they are expending regardless of the price or scale of the desire.

It falls to the man to establish the price by determining consequences for nagging and tantrum-throwing women and children so that they must balance and prioritize their wants and desires just as he must with his labor. Women and children submit to men, and men submit to the laws of nature and economics.

17 If you believe in freedom, reject all equality. Do not support so-called “equality of opportunity”, for it is not equality at all. When you say “equality of opportunity” do you not mean freedom from artificial constraints? That a person may not be constrained by others and merely be allowed to compete fairly? If you can describe equality of opportunity using the word freedom, then it is not equality at all. Can you describe “equality of outcome” using the word freedom? You cannot for it is equality. If you can describe a concept falsely called equality using freedom and without equality then it is not equality at all, but freedom. Equality is the opposite of freedom. One cannot advance except at the expense of the other. Those who claim to provide both are fools.

18 The bees of the field build hives and produce honey. They do this for their own survival and well-being, not for the well-being of men. If a man harvests too much honey from the bees, there will be nothing for the bees to eat when the flowers are not in bloom. The hive will die, and who then will produce any honey?

A wise man cares for the bees he takes from. He builds a place for the bees to construct their hive with his own hands, protects them from predators, and feeds them when the flowers have lost their bloom in exchange for the honey he harvests from them and takes care that he does not take too much honey from the bees. A foolish man smashes the hive, taking all the honey for himself. The man returns later for more honey only to find that the bees are gone, and there is no more honey for him to eat.

19 What is a nation, but a large group of people with a common culture that unites them? What is a culture, but a large group of people with common values that unite them? If one wishes to unite themselves to a nation or a culture, they must adopt their values in turn. A nation without common values is doomed to fracture into pieces or go to war with itself. Successful assimilation occurs when cultures share values, even if they appear different. With common values, there is peace. With diverse values, there is violence and chaos. A nation where men share goals, values, and work together will be as stable as the rocks. A nation where men advance goals and values at the expense of one another will be like sand.

20 What is good for you may be considered bad or evil to another that has opposite values. All political and economic systems are built on the values underlying the culture and nation. Freedom and equality are opposites. The more equal people are, the less they are free. The more free people are, the less they are equal. If you hold equality as your highest value, freedom represents the cruelty of indifference to the poor and the exploitation of the weak.

If you hold freedom as your highest value, equality represents your very enslavement. Both those who hold equality, or hold freedom as their highest values see their opponents as a force of evil that must be utterly defeated. Both go to war against the other believing they fight for the common good of all mankind.

21

Values cannot be argued. Men do not change their values through debate or argument. Values come from what men believe is in their self-interest, and their immediate well being. Freedom is the value of great and noblemen. Tradition and stability are the values of once-powerful men, but who have grown diminished. Equality is the value of foolish men, who are neither great men nor powerful men. The value of freedom is held by those who are successful and wish to rule over themselves. The values of tradition and stability are held by the unsuccessful who wish to rule over men. The value of equality is held by those who are unsuccessful, and by those who are ruled over by the will of other men and grow resentful.

22 Morality is an expression of the values of men. When a man tells you what he considers to be good and evil, he is telling you his values. The man who values freedom will declare liberty and wishes to leave people alone to do as they see fit, and then goes his own way. The man who values tradition and stability will condemn all other traditions except his own as evil and wishes to drive out all other beliefs and control the lives and behavior of other people. The man who values equality will condemn those above himself as evil and wishes to steal the power and wealth of the people for

himself. Equality leads to inequality. Stability leads to instability. Freedom leads back to itself, for it is the way of nature, and nature exists for itself.

23 If you truly wish to help people, give them the tools to help themselves, and then step back. When the poor are given work, they learn that to have their needs met, they must meet the needs of others. This dynamic sows harmony. When the poor are given money, they learn that to have their needs met, they must take from others by force. This will sow chaos. When the poor are given work, they must obtain their money voluntarily and must think about how to benefit others to earn more. When the poor are given money, they think only of themselves. They hide their income by turning to crime so that they may appear poorer to obtain more money from charity. When you give the poor money to feed their children, they have more children but the children will continue to go hungry.

24 It is good to have principles and moral standards based on one’s values, but when faced with a problem, one must first commit to solving the problem and use one’s principles and moral standards to select the least detestable solution out of the alternatives. A foolish man first applies his principles, removing all options which offend his sensibilities and is left with no solutions at all.

A wise man considers the options which solve the problem at hand and uses his principles to select the option that violates his moral principles the least because he knows that to do otherwise would not solve anything at all. If a man removes all options which solve the problem, and is left only with options that will accomplish nothing even should his plans succeed, then it would be better for him to do nothing than waste his time and energy.

25 As moral values are merely an extension of one’s personal values, does this mean that all things are good and that nothing can be evil? All values are good to the person who holds them, and to the extent that he lives according to his values among those who are likeminded to himself, it is well and good for them as well. He who values freedom should not presume that all humanity would be better off free. He who values tradition and stability should not presume that all humanity would be better off joined in similar customs as he would enjoy. He who values equality should not presume that all of humanity wishes to be equal. Let all men live according to their values among like-minded people, and do not presume that your values are superior, nor use force to enshrine your values above those of others.

26 What should you do if you see your country change around you and betray your values?

Values are unchangeable and definitional. Languages can be learned, customs can be adopted, but values define a culture. If your country abandons its values for new values, the best course is to awaken a love of the original values in your countrymen. Failing in that, the next best course is to find a new country which shares the values your country once held, and leave to live there. Failing in that, the next best course is to find like-minded men within your country and build a small community to keep your values alive. Failing in that, the last option is to simply let go of your values and pretend to embrace the new culture and values to preserve your life.

27 When the nation betrays its values, it promotes patriotism and nationalism to sustain itself. When a culture betrays its values, it promotes identity politics, racism, and bigotry to survive. When a family betrays its values, it promotes familial loyalty and tribalism to ensure loyalty. Where a family is true to its values, there is no need to use force, and there is love and unity. Where culture is true to its values, there is no need to use force, and there is brotherhood. Where a nation is true to its values, there is no need to use force, and there is unity and peace. Common values unite the minds of men. Without values, there is nothing to unite men but force and fear, and these will fail in time.

28 It is said that one who believes in freedom must defend the freedom of speech of those who hate freedom and wish to overthrow it. This is madness. If one who loves life and wishes to not harm gets sick with a deadly disease, he must overcome and kill the disease, or else he will die, and the disease will spread and kill others. The only way to serve the cause of life, let alone preserve his own, is to deny the disease its life, or else far more death will surely follow after. If one who loves freedom and wishes all men to be free finds people within his culture and city attacking and undermining freedom itself, he must overcome and remove them, or else he will lose his freedom, along with many others. To cause of freedom is not served by enabling those who wish to destroy freedom itself.

29 A monarch, emperor, or dictator is one man forcing his will upon all the rest of the people. A democracy is 51% of the people forcing their will upon the other 49% of the people. What difference does it make to the 49% that they live in a democracy and not a dictatorship? What moral authority does democracy have to impose its will that a dictator does not have?

What moral obligation do people have to obey a corrupt majority that would not also compel them to dutifully obey a corrupt dictator too? A man living under a dictatorship may be able to hide from the eyes of one man easily, but how can he hide from half of his countrymen? A monarch, emperor, or dictator is the tyranny of the one against the many, while democracy is the tyranny of the many against the one.

30 Everyone supports the kind of government that places them in the position of the ruling class. Those who support tradition and stability wish to rule as priests and kings, enforcing their traditions upon others in the name of stability for themselves and their tribe or people. Those who support equality envy those with more wealth or higher status than themselves and wish to pull them down, enslave them, or even kill them until they rule over them all. Those who support freedom are those who are content and wish only to be left alone and rule over themselves and manage their own affairs. All wish to rule and be in charge, but only he who values the freedom to rule over himself can do so without imposing his will on others.

31 When a war is necessary to defend the lives and values of your culture and society, make sure that the people understand what war is. War is not a game. It is not glamorous, nor fun.

War is sending boys barely out of Highschool to their deaths before they have even had a chance to grow and live their lives whatsoever. The only moral way to fight a war is to end the war as quickly as possible so that the brutality and suffering may be cut short and forgotten. If the people must be shielded from the realities of war and the slaughter of the enemy lest they disapprove of the brutality and suffering, then the enemy has not caused sufficient harm to them to justify declaring war on their behalf. Once a war is sufficiently provoked, then crush the enemy and make an example out of them so that others will learn to leave you in peace.

32 If the people of your country have spoken, and they demand more equality and less freedom. What right do you have to save them from their own choices and impose your values on them? If you do not share their values, then remove yourself from among them along with those who share your values and go elsewhere. Leave the people to live according to their values, and go live among those who share your values, and where you will be happy and free. If you wage war and slaughter all those who oppose your values, what are you saving? You will be left with blood-stained dirt and the corpses of your countrymen all around you. Perhaps they will learn to love freedom once more by living under tyranny. Allow them to experience the consequences of their actions.

33 When a country loses its love of freedom, it is because it has forgotten its fear of tyranny. Freedom itself is tied closely to responsibility. People do not enjoy being responsible, and if possible wish to be taken care of by others. It is the sting of slavery and the hatred of tyranny that fosters their love for freedom. A country becomes a victim of its success. The more peaceful and successful a country becomes, the more remote the memory of tyranny becomes until freedom itself is seen as merely the burden of personal responsibility. Then the country abandons freedom in favor of equality and the desire to be taken care of. Only when a tyrant arises and enslaves the people will they once again cry for freedom.

34 Do you think you can make the world a better place? For whom? For yourself, and those who share your values, and for them alone. What right do you have to impose your values upon others who do not share your values? Leave people to live according to their values. Do not presume that what you value and believe would be best is true for the world.

The world is big enough for different people with different values to live together in peace. Embrace those who agree with your values as brothers and build a community together. Respect those who do not agree with your values as neighbors, and leave them alone. Mind your own business, and do not presume to know what is better for everyone else.

35 What is the best kind of society to live in? Whichever society aligns with your values. Do you deserve the most stable society, the most equal society, or the freest society? To know where you belong, where you would be happy, and what kind of society you would want to live in, simply look into yourself. Be aware that all choices have consequences, and all values will also impose tradeoffs. A society built on freedom will have the most wealth and material prosperity, but also the most inequality, competition, and resentment. A society built on tradition and stability will have strong families and communities, but the people will be relatively poor compared to the society based on freedom and capitalism. You cannot have the good without the bad.

36 People will generally always seek out the path which offers the least resistance and effort.

Even when faced with a negative consequence, if the pain of correcting the problem is greater than the pain of the problem, they will refuse to solve the problem, but only complain about it. A fat person will complain about the physical pain and humiliation of being fat, but will not change their lifestyle because the path of least resistance is one of continued indulgence. If a fat person should begin to change their life, once they’ve lost enough weight to make the pain and humiliation more tolerable, they will abandon their new lifestyle because the now lessened pain is immediately easier than the pain of life-long continuous diet and exercise. It is a constant cycle of re-evaluating the immediate path of least resistance and pain.

37 Once you understand that people are generally going to always choose the path of least resistance and pain, it becomes clear why people cannot and will not solve problems for themselves, but merely complain, and demand that someone else solve them on their behalf. Freedom cannot survive long when left up to the whims of the people, for they desire to be free of responsibility and will empower some ruler or government to take care of them. Complaining and voting away their freedom is easier than taking responsibility for themselves. They will complain about how oppressed they are, but will not do anything for themselves. Even if you freed them, they would simply empower a new ruler or government instead.

They want a benevolent master, not freedom.

38 It is good to have ideals and principles and a vision of what a better world might look like. However, pay close attention to whether the consequences of moving towards your ideals are moving the world away from them instead. The pursuit of ideals may often cause the exact opposite of the intended ideals themselves. We do not live in an ideal world, and while ideals are a fine thing, they must be made compatible with natural consequences. Strive for the most viable expression of your ideal values, but always be careful and know when it is time to stop before going too far. You may judge yourself by your intentions and believe you did the right thing, but others will judge you by what you achieve, so judge your ideals by their consequences in reality.

39 Many who claim to love the poor merely hate the rich and wish to use the government to enrich themselves with money and favor upon themselves out of little more than envy. Many who claim to love the environment merely hate capitalism and wish to use the government to enrich themselves with money and favor for their companies and industries. Many who claim to love the worker or middle class merely hate competition and wish to use the government to enrich themselves with money and to protect their outmoded jobs.

Those who truly care can be easily identified because they serve those they love themselves. They do not whine to the government to be given money stolen from others, because they are helping someone other than themselves.

40 A government based on freedom would be as small as possible, but to think that no government is possible would be a mistake. Without any government, you will be prey to any bandit or warlord too strong for you to defend yourself against, and they will take everything and anything they wish from you. A tolerable government is one that protects its people from bandits and warlords for as little in payment in taxes as possible to fulfill its role. How is this government? To form this military body, people will form contracts with one another, thus creating the common law. Any group responsible for fulfilling the function of the military, writing the law, judging the law, or enforcing the law will be the government and will be paid via some method whether it is called taxes or military insurance premiums.

41 Men created the gods and religion to give themselves the illusion of control over nature. Men did not understand the nature of the weather or how to navigate the storms and thus created gods of the sea to be appeased. Men did not understand the nature of death and disease and thus created vengeful gods to bring plagues should they not be

appeased. Men pray and sacrifice, and if their prayers are answered then the gods have blessed them. Men pray and sacrifice, and if their prayers go unanswered, it is a test of their faith, or perhaps the gods work in mysterious ways that men cannot hope to begin to understand their ways. The gods are self-imposed illusions of control. A wise man that gives up on the false need to control nature does not need the false gods.

42 Even though the gods are false, that does not mean that religion itself is altogether unuseful. Religion can be useful in that it allows a nation to codify its values as sacred traditions that are above the general will of the people to change. Religion is only useful insofar as it promotes the same values as those of the culture and nation. Religions that promote oppositional and mutually exclusive values within another culture and nation will always work to undermine that culture and nation. A wise man will not permit the spread of a religion that promotes the opposite of the values of his society and culture. Otherwise, strife and violence will become inevitable. If religion has already taken root, then subvert it into your desired values, or it shall impose its values upon your culture and subvert yours.

43

The mysteries of nature are simple. Men make them more complicated than they need to be because they wish not to understand them. What is the meaning of life? It is the meaning you give it yourself, just as the meaning of a piece of art is imprinted by the artist himself. It is not meaning you are searching for, it is significance. If you seek a life of significance, why do you look for it outside of yourself? Nobody else can make your life significant. You must take responsibility and work towards your own life’s significance, whatever that is. If another does the work to make your life significant, then it is their life, and not yours, that will be made significant by their efforts. To ask another to grant you the meaning, purpose, or significance of your life is nonsense.

44 What happens to men after they are dead? What happens to the cells of your skin when they die and silently slough off and float away? You do not weep for the cells of your body which are constantly dying and being renewed. You do not weep for the microbes in your gut which aren’t even human but are very much a part of you, and the eco-system of your body. Your body is a complex system of trillions of living cells, and yet you see only the united whole that is the human being known as You.

The cells within your body have no ego. They have no individual identity. Yet they are not merely a part of you, but they are in fact, You. Man is not an individual, but an eco-system of trillions of lives. If you understand this, you understand the great secret of life and death.

45 Within man lies a complex eco-system where cells and microbes pursue their own separate interests and by a combination of processes, the body thrives and the man is made alive. Outside the body of man, he exists within a society, a culture, and an economy. Men pursue their separate interests and by a combination of processes, society gives life to industry and commerce. The society is made as if alive. Sandwiching these two layers lie the complex system of planets, stars, and cosmic phenomena above, as well as the cellular and quantum particle system of photons, electrons, and atoms below, much of which we cannot fully measure and only faintly understand. Large beyond comprehension while simultaneously small beyond measuring. Man can see the whole by looking into himself.

46 You are the eco-system of living cells within your body. You are not one, but many. However, the many who have no ego and no desire for themselves become the One. The essence of all of nature runs through each layer of existence, connecting all things through the patterns and sublimation of the one into the many, and the many into the One.

Just as the egoless and desireless undifferentiated living cells of your body are one with You, and you with them, so too is this the case with all things both higher and lower. He who lives without ego and desire becomes one with the natural process of the universe just as the cell becomes one with the man. He who sees that all things are connected and gives up ego and desire will not fear death.

47 Many religions have concepts of an afterlife, either with eternal life in heaven or a cycle of reincarnation where life begins again and again. In heaven, those who are worthy are given eternal life and become one with God. Those who give up ego and desire become One with the natural process and understand that death is an illusion because the self is an illusion. What we call death is merely change. Just as your cells are constantly being replaced and renewed, and yet you remain, so it is with all things. All things die. All things are made anew, and all things remain together as One. Heaven is a place of peace. A place where men can experience the presence of God forever. Give up ego and desire, and be at peace. Give up ego and desire, and be completely present.

48 In reincarnation, such as is found in eastern religions, those who die are born again until they ascend to become one with all things.

Those who give up ego and desire are already one with all things, and the material of their bodies may indeed be reformed into many different forms as life recycles their materials. The flesh of man dies and becomes the nourishment for the insects, worms, and dirt for the plants and trees. These lifeforms then become the nourishment of other animals, and eventually may even become men once more. All things are connected. Life and death fuel the same process of change within all of nature. A wise man is flexible and works with the beliefs and traditions that the people are used to, that he may guide them along on the correct path.

49 Am I saying then that man is himself a god? If I were to point to your head and ask you “what is this?”, would you not say that I was pointing to you and not merely your head? However, if I were to pluck a hair from your head and hold it out before you, and once again ask you “what is this?”, would you not acknowledge that what I hold is merely a hair? I do not say that man is himself a god, but that man is connected to all things, and insofar as he abides in that connectedness and gives up his ego and desires, he becomes one with it. The parts of a man are the man himself, but only when they are connected to him. If a hair is separated from the man, it is merely a hair. A man may become one with nature, but only when he is connected to it without ego or desire. Otherwise, he is merely a man.

50 The people try to control the chaos of nature and mystify simple but uncomfortable truths by believing in religious fables and nonsense. Those who cannot accept the inevitability of death, the innate purposeless of existence, and the randomness and chaos of nature will create religion and superstitions to cope with them. As long as their religions and superstitions do not violate the values of your culture and society, allow the people to practice them. The people need their rituals and traditions. People need painful truths to be mystified. Those who care about the truth will seek the truth, accept the truth, and conform to it. Those who care about their feelings need something that makes them feel good. Give them something that promotes your values.

51 The fear of death is born from insignificance. We more or less accept that we will die someday, but we want to know that our life meant something and that it had a purpose. Religion can assure us of life after death, but in return, we must sacrifice all of our individual goals and desires to the religion and its God. Family can assure us that we will be loved and remembered after death, but in return, we must sacrifice our individual goals and desires to the needs of the family, especially children. We trade our freedom, our purpose, and our very life for illusions. We trade the real for the unreal. The substantial for the insubstantial.

Whatever we trade the time we have we have in this life for must be worth the exchange. Make sure what you trade it for is real.

52 Someday, no matter what you do, you will die. Your family will mourn you, then continue to live their own lives well enough without you. All the groups and organizations you belonged to will remember you but otherwise continue. For all your sacrifices, the world will be fine without you after you are dead and forgotten. The only person who completely needs you, and for whom you are indispensable, is you. Family can be important, as well as whatever groups with which you wish to associate, but never forget that these other people will be fine without you and that you are all you truly have. All relationships should be mutually beneficial, and never a sacrifice of yourself for others. No one can care more about you than yourself.

53 A foolish man is haunted by regrets from his past and laments that he cannot go back in time and correct the mistakes he has made but takes no action in the present to better himself. A wise man considers his past mistakes, admits them, corrects them if possible, or at least learns the lesson from them if they cannot be

corrected so that they are not repeated, and then he lets go of the past and moves on. A foolish man worries about the future of things that he has no control over and cannot affect. A wise man knows that he controls only himself. He prepares for tribulation, but he knows that he is not in control of the world, and remains flexible and ready to adapt to any situation. Once the wise man has made reasonable preparations for the future, he ceases to worry. He has already done all that he can do.

54 If a foolish man will not listen to wise counsel, there are only two options which one may use: The first is to force the foolish man to do the right thing, and thus rob him of his freedom. The second is to wait until the natural outcome of his foolish choices has caught up with him. The former man may obey you but will resist you, despise you, and when he is free he will go back to his foolish ways having learned nothing. The latter man will be ready to learn because of the pain he has caused himself. He is ready to change because he had the freedom to fail. A wise man finds a way. Thus no goal is impossible for him to accomplish. A foolish man finds an excuse. He does nothing.

55 There are only ever two ways to solve the problem of people who make bad decisions. You can force them to make better decisions using violence and limiting their freedom. Or, you can simply allow them to suffer the natural consequences of their bad decisions, refuse to help them, and allow people to selfregulate so that they may avoid a similar fate. The key is that one must allow those who make the bad decisions to suffer the consequences and take no pity on them, otherwise, there is nothing to deter people from making similar decisions as well, and you will once again be left with your only choice being to use force. Doing nothing is the best choice. Even enslaving the poor would be better than compassion, because enslaving the poor would at least disincentivize others from emulating them.

56 When a man argues and has the facts on his side, he will argue using only the facts. When he does not have the facts on his side, he will use emotions and employ clever rhetoric. When he does not have emotions on his side, he will use threat, intimidation, and leverage.

When he does not have threats on his side, he will use shame and honor to win the argument. When he does not have shame and honor on his side, he will use pity and compassion to win. When he does not have pity or compassion on his side, he will try to find a way to withdraw from the argument without conceding defeat.

57 How can you let go of the ego? Abase yourself. Do not seek praise, validation, or compliments. Treat scorn and insults as you would praise and compliments so that both may wash over you. Avoid being emotionally manipulated by validation, but keep your good judgment. Judge yourself as you would a trusted friend and be completely honest with yourself. Do not spare yourself criticism, but seek after it so that you might improve your deficiencies. Fools pretend they are wise that they may be seen as wise by the world, and that they may not be discovered to be merely fools. The Wise pretend they are fools that the praise of the world passes over them and that they may not be discovered to be truly wise.

58 How do you let go of desire? Give up.

Do your duty, but let go of the outcome. Let go of what is outside of your control. Focus only on what you can affect. Know your limits and when it is time to stop. Accept the outcome no matter what it is. Take credit for only the things you had control over that led to success, not success itself. Accept blame for only the things you had control over that led to failure, not failure itself. If you attempt to control the world, you will only end up hating the world and yourself. If you let go of trying to control the world, you will love the world, and you can love yourself.

59 Love yourself. The love of others is always conditional. If you wish to be well-liked and respected then bring value to the lives of your fellow man. Men love those who benefit themselves and hate those who cause them harm or pain. Do you see the oneness in nature, and how all things both good and evil spring from the same source and require one another to exist? Light creates darkness, and the brighter the light, the longer the shadow stretches until the light fades and the shadow dims into nothing.

Put aside petty and self-interested concepts of conditional love, and see the world as yourself. See the world as yourself, and love the world.

60 Be humble and compassionate. A great man is not great alone, but his greatness is the product of innumerable factors that are completely outside of his control. A man is not responsible for his genetics, whether he is born, short, frail, or ugly. A man is not responsible for the social or economic position he was born into, whether he is a prince or a slave, whether his family is rich or poor, or the nature of his government. Be humble and compassionate toward the less fortunate if you find that you are fortunate. Be grateful if you are less fortunate for there are those who are less fortunate than you still. Do not look down on others with contempt. Do not look up upon others with envy.

61 When a man has a goal but lacks the knowledge to accomplish it, he will seek out the source of the missing knowledge and will learn eagerly. When a man does not see how such knowledge is useful, he will grow bored and think about other things as his mind closes to

knowledge. When a man is being taught that which offends him, he will reject even what his own eyes see. Teach a man how to learn rather than what to think, and let him go his own way and discover what he needs to learn through experience. If he is ready to learn, he will learn. If he is not ready to learn, he will not learn what you teach. A foolish man will make the same mistakes over and over and refuse to learn from them. A wise man learns from his mistakes, and a man wiser still will learn from the mistakes of others.

62 Let go of the illusion of control. Appreciate what you have now and be present. If you lose it, be happy that you had it at all. A foolish man achieves the desire of his heart but all he gains is the constant fear of losing it.

A wise man achieves the desire of his heart and is content. He lets go of trying to control things. There is a time for happiness, just as there is time for the sun to shine and for the Spring. There is a time for sadness, just as there is a time for the sun to set and for the Winter. A man cannot keep the sun hung in the sky, nor can he prevent the changing of the seasons. Let go of control, accept all things in their course, and let your heart be at peace.

63 Let go of the fear of your inevitable death. Your body will wither and pass away no matter what you do to be healthy and live a long life. Live in the present, do what you enjoy, fulfill your meaning and purpose, and do not let the fear of the future rob you of your joy now. A life well-lived is like a game. It is played for its own sake, and the thrill of it erases any anxiety that the game will one day come to an end. If you live your life well, when death comes, you will be prepared for it as a man is prepared for rest after a long journey or a hard day’s work. Rather than fear death, think about what you hope to do with your life that you fear death will take away from you, and go do it now. Embracing death allows you to embrace life.

64

There comes a point where the student has nothing further to learn from the master. This does not mean that the master is not wise, but that as the student goes farther along on his journey, many of the answers will be personal only to himself and cannot be given by others. The master cannot tell him the meaning of his life, just as the artist cannot be told what will inspire him to create his future masterpiece. Just as the artist must search for inspiration on his own, and will know it when he finds it, so must the student find his own life’s meaning, and he will also know it when he finds it. The student must depart from the master to begin his journey, but this is not a mournful departure but is a quiet celebration. The master loses a student but gains a brother.

65 Searching for the meaning and purpose of your life is like the courtship between a man and a woman, and the search for a suitable spouse. A man does not marry the first woman that makes him smile, and nor should a man believe that which he may enjoy now is his purpose. A man may enjoy many relationships but may grow tired of one, leave, and begin another. A man may find joy in one pursuit, grow bored or find it unfulfilling after a time, and wish to pursue something new and challenging. If a man grows and changes year after year, and the things that he enjoys change year after year, why would a man only have one purpose?

A man who holds to one purpose after it’s season is like a man married to a woman after neither one loves the other. Both end in tears.

66 Accept that life will be happy and miserable at times, and such is the natural way of things. If you want your muscles to grow and to become strong, you must feel pain in exercise. If you want to enjoy the fruit, you must labor to plant the seeds, cultivate the plants, and harvest the fruits in their respective seasons However, do not take joy in the suffering itself. The suffering is the cost, but not the reward. A foolish man seeks after pain and suffering and thinks it will make him stronger, but the pain must have a purpose, the suffering a goal. A wise man sees and chooses the most direct and viable path, accepting the cost of pain and suffering to walk it, but does not give himself to unnecessary pain and suffering without cause.

67 A foolish man lives by his principles, accomplishes nothing, costs the lives of many people, and laments that nature is at fault for not conforming to his moral principles. A wise man understands that if his beliefs do not conform to reality, the issue is not that reality is wrong, but that his beliefs are wrong. Theories and beliefs have no value if they are disproven when tested. A wise man conforms to the truth, rather than truth conform to him.

A foolish man denies truth and reality because his ego and identity are tied too closely to the false belief or principle. He thinks that his beliefs make him superior to other men, and will not admit when they are proven wrong. He will be humbled by nature until he gives up on his false beliefs or until they doom him.

68 The function of language is to communicate ideas effectively and efficiently. When one resorts to using words in a way that causes confusion and ineffective communication, it is because they are trying to manipulate you with subtle word games known as sophistry. Words can have multiple definitions based on multiple contexts. When someone insists on using a definition based on the wrong context they are employing sophistry and word games. When someone makes up a new definition to an existing word it is because they want to use a word that everyone understands to mean one thing and to make it mean one thing and yet another, interchangeably, so that they can lie and employ sophistry and word games. Those who play word games and sophistry know they do not have the truth on their side, or else they would not need to lie to convince.

69 The inferior man is jealous and envious. The superior man is vain and proud. These both come from the same source. That source is called external validation. The superior man defines his worth by the amount of validation that he receives. The inferior man defines his worth by the amount of validation that he does not receive. The inferior call themselves genuine and humble in the face of the superior man.

They call the superior man evil and selfish. Both imagine that they are better than the other, but both are equally enslaved to the need for the external validation of others. They are two sides of the same mirror.

70 A man who was very intelligent and wise but valued the validation of others saw another man who was dim-witted and uneducated and he thought himself the superior of the two. A comely man who came from a wealthy family but who valued the validation of others saw the same man that the first man had seen, and who he noted was also ugly and poor, and the rich and comely man thought himself the superior. A man who was religious but who nevertheless valued the validation of others saw again the same man, and he noted that he was also immodest, and so he thought himself superior. The dim-witted, uneducated, ugly, poor, and immodest man smiled at them all. He graciously departed and lived in perfect contentment, free of the need for validation from anyone but the standards and goals which he set for himself. He lived simply, loved his life, and he was happy.

71 Is freedom more precious than life? To live only to exist another day, to consume another meal, breathe another breath, to sleep and arise one more time, is no life at all. Life is meant to be lived for a purpose. If that purpose is stolen, and cannot be recovered, then there is only mere mechanical existence.

If there is hope for freedom then it is good to fight for that freedom, even at the risk of death. If there is no hope, that does not mean that one should simply throw their life away needlessly. Live to fulfill your life’s purpose, fight to be able to fulfill that purpose, but if one cannot win, do not throw your life away simply to die free. Another opportunity may present itself at a future time, but you cannot seize that opportunity if you throw your life away now.

72 A man loved a certain kind of food above all. He searched and found a chef which specialized in the food which he loved, and he made the chef an offer to come and work for him. The chef agreed and was given his kitchen, stocked with everything he needed, as well as payment to act as the man’s private chef. The man was happy having his chef cook his favorite food for him and the chef was well compensated and taken care of by the man. One day the chef decided he did not want to cook for the man anymore, and he wished to open up his own restaurant to serve his food. The man released the chef from his contract and the two remained friends afterward, the man stopping by the chef’s restaurant to eat and enjoy the food he so loved from the chef.

73 A widower with many children needed help taking care of them, as he was too busy working to be the parent he knew that they needed.

He searched and found a woman who would work as his nanny and tutor for his children, and he made the women an offer to come and work for him and his children in their home. The woman agreed and was given everything she needed, as well as payment to act as the children’s nanny and private tutor by the man. After many years, the children were grown and no longer needed a nanny or tutor, and the man released the woman from his employment. The woman thanked the man for his years of employment. Then she said goodbye to the children she had watched grow up from children into young adults, and then she left to find new opportunities with another family.

74 A man hired a prostitute to sexually gratify him every day and agreed to pay her as much as she needed to live with him and service his needs and be available for him at any time. The woman agreed and was given everything she needed, as well as payment to act as the man’s exclusive and personal prostitute. After many years, the prostitute had grown old and unattractive, and the man wished to terminate his contract with her and hire the services of a younger prostitute for himself. The woman was disappointed, but not entirely surprised, and she thanked the man for his years of employment. Then she collected her things, and she left to find new employment.

75 A man married a woman, and she moved into his house. She was given everything she needed to live comfortably, and more to spare. The man and his wife had a few children. The wife did not cook. The wife did not raise nor tutor their children. The wife did not satisfy the man’s sexual needs. The man grew angry with his wife who did nothing but spend his money, and he desired for her to leave his household and his children. The wife did not leave but instead used the government to take the man’s house, their children, and most of the man’s money. Thus the one who deserved the least received the most, and that which was freely given became the most costly. Thus is marriage.

76 Anxiety and fear of the future are an illusion. Feelings without action are meaningless, and they also rob you of happiness in the present. A wise man considers future risks, implements reasonable actions to offset that risk, and then lets go of control of the future, and lives his life. A foolish man worries day and night about things that he cannot hope to ever control and loses sleep robbing himself of his happiness.

Do what you can to prepare for the future, but accept that the future is not in your hands. Once you have made reasonable precautions and accommodations to address any risks, there is no point worrying about the future or being anxious about it going forward unless you learn new information or the circumstances change. Plan for the future, but live in the present.

77 Why is it said that he who holds onto life will lose it, but he who gives up his life will gain it? Consider your breath at this moment. You breathe without thinking and have been since the minute you were born into the world. Now imagine you became afraid that you were going to lose your breath and never be able to breathe again, and so you held your breath. By holding your breath, you stop breathing. If you do this for too long, you will die from it. Then, fearing death, you let go of your breath, and as the air leaves your lungs, you inhale and new air refreshes you and renews your life. Thus he who holds onto his breath will lose it, while he who lets go of his breath, lets go of control, lets go of life itself, he will find fresh breath and preserves his life by letting it go.

78 Always have a plan. Having hope is not a plan.

Always prepare for the worst, and should you be wrong you will be pleasantly surprised. If you are right, you will have mentally prepared to confront the issue without any emotion. Never make important decisions while you are under the stress of any extreme emotions. Weigh the benefits and liabilities without emotion, and take time to come down from any emotions before making important decisions. Far too many bad decisions have been made in a moment of anger or the throes of passion. Have the foresight to consider likely decisions that may come up and know what you will do, so that you can act at the moment with resolve.

79 To find what makes your life meaningful and gives it purpose, begin with what makes you happy, but do not focus on the emotion itself. If you focus on happiness itself, you will chase the emotion of happiness, which will lead to hedonism and living only for empty pleasure.

Instead, ask yourself what is it about this or that which makes you happy. Dig deep to find why. Emotions do not arise out of themselves but are a response to something which precedes them. If something makes you happy, find out what it is about it that makes you feel happy rather than focusing on attaining the emotion directly. Once you have a few examples of things that make you happy, and what is it about those things that cause you to feel happiness, you will have an excellent starting point to find what will give your life individual meaning and purpose.

80 It is important to maintain a peaceful and pleasant place so you won’t be distracted by negative sensory experiences and disturbances. Listen to pleasant music, and block out as much loud noise as possible to please your hearing. Hang up pleasant art, or enjoy views of nature as much as possible to bring pleasure to seeing. Burn incense, light scented candles, or melt scented wax of whatever scents you enjoy to bring calming pleasure to your sense of smell. Acquire a comfortable chair, especially if your profession involves a lot of sitting, and be comfortable so that you will be free of pain and bring pleasure to your sense of physical touch. Lastly, keep water or a light beverage nearby to cleanse your pallet and keep your mouth clean of lingering tastes or distracting dryness to satisfy and bring pleasure to the sense of taste.

81 Never give in to despair and demoralization when things go bad that you could not control. Focus only on what you can affect in the situation at hand, and stay informed as the situation changes so that you can be flexible. Your despair will not make your situation better, but will instead waste your emotional energy, resources, and precious limited time. Simply stay on top of information as it develops and be flexible, adjusting your plans and redirecting your resources as appears wise. Be calm, and do not blame yourself or despair. The reed which bends with the wind does not break but thrives and grows high and healthy. Be flexible and bend with the wind as the storm rages, for even fierce storms eventually pass.

82 When you give up trying to control others, then you can begin to accept them for who they are. Once you accept others, you can trust them. Once you trust them, you can love them. Once you love them, you can see them as a part of yourself, and how your relationships with them are as much a part of you as your body. Once you see that you are connected to other people via your relationships, you can see how you are also connected to the world without and within yourself by similar relationships.

Once you see that there is no distinction between self and others, you can give up trying to control yourself just as you have others. Once you give up controlling yourself, you begin to accept yourself, then you begin to trust yourself, and finally, you begin to love yourself.

83 Depression is an expression of sadness that cannot be relieved, often due to a lack of control over the situation causing the sadness. The situation causing the sadness is out of the control of the person, and so they turn their sadness inward, redirecting it on themselves to cope and give themselves the illusion of control over the situation they feel powerless within. Rather than address the underlying problem and lack of control causing the sadness, the goal becomes to manage the sadness and focus on the emotional byproduct and not the cause. This causes the depressed person to turn to drugs or alcohol to numb themselves to the situation rather than to determine the root cause and make changes in their lives to eliminate the depression and their suffering. The cause of suffering is the illusion of control.

84 Fear is an expression of lack of trust which is caused by our anxiety over the future and desire to have control over nature itself. Fear accomplishes absolutely nothing at all. It is fine to take reasonable precautions in your life, but at some point, you have to realize that you have done all that you can do and let go.

You have to learn to give up control over that which you cannot have control over anyway, so you are not even losing anything you ever had. Give up trying to control the future, and trust the universe, and you will live without fear. That does not mean that you live heedless of consequences and act like you are invincible. It means that you can live spontaneously, and focus on what you have control over, yourself.

85 Rest is as important as exercising your body. Too much exercise without rest will cause painful physical injuries and undo any benefits. To reap the benefits of exercise, there must be both periods of activity and periods of rest. Stillness is as important to the mind as activity. Too much thinking, analyzing, and rationalizing will cause stress, anxiety, and exhaustion. To reap the benefits of an active mind, there must be a balance of mental activity and stillness. If you force yourself to exercise to the point where you damage your muscles, you will have to take a long break to recover your strength. Likewise forcing yourself to be productive to the point where you cannot sleep will necessitate a long period of sleep and detachment from productivity to recover your mental balance.

About the Author My goal has always been to help people and solve problems. In most cases, the problems are so large that they cannot be solved by the individual, but I have strived to be the lone voice of someone

willing to call out problems and offer meaningful and practical solutions. Until the censors inevitably come for me, you can find my work in the following places: https://www.youtube.com/c/turdflingingmonkey https://dlive.tv/TFMonkey https://www.bitchute.com/channel/SdA7JwX9dfhl/ https://www.mgtow.tv/@TFMonkey

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About the Artist Lisa Win is a freelance illustrator. You can contact her at [email protected]