LAO-TZU

What is the Master's Attitude Toward ACTION?

The Master’s attitude toward action in Lao-Tzu’s writings maintain the same general guidelines throughout the passage. Lao-Tzu explains how the "Tao" way of life is easily manageable in everyday life. He highlights the aspects of the Tao that will help in teaching someone a different way of governing. He claims that it will work as long as you do not abuse it.

Lao-Tzu explains that the absence of overt action actually does more than what the action could have obtained. He explains that people tend to cooperate with you if they feel as if they are not actually being governed. The authority role tends turn people off about matters that you would like them to follow. Instead they concentrate on the fact that someone is "telling" them what to do. People tend not to like being pushed around as adults. They get enough of that as young children.

The Tao has a subtle way of governing. The ruler should be behind the scenes working his magic instead of vocally displaying what he wants his people to do. If you sit back and let people figure things out on their own they respond with a positive attitude. By standing in the shadows but working within a basic framework people do alright on their own. They will also have more respect for you, as you have not forced them into any situation but gently guided them to their destination.

Lao-Tzu says "Practice not-doing, and everything will fall into place"(Lao-Tzu 22). He explains that when you try to actively rule you end up ruining the relationship between yourself and the people you wish to govern. Everything else goes haywire.

Leading by example is another one of his guidelines. If you "practice what you preach" like the saying goes, you end up not just telling people that your way is the right way, but you show them that you are up to the challenge of change as well. Seeing is believing, and gaining trust by showing someone can be a powerful tool.

Action can work in your favor if you are not forcing people into following your way. Allowing people to figure things out on their own is still considered as you acting upon them, just not in an obnoxious way. Action does not have to conform to the cut and dry definition of actively doing something. By sitting back and letting people learn and do on their own can still be acting upon the situation. Lao-Tzu made a very well written argument on the way you can act upon a group by not actually acting upon them at all.

Lao-Tzu. "Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching." A World of Ideas: Essential Readings for College Writers. Ed. Lee A. Jacobus. Trans. Stephen Mitchell. 7th ed. New York: Bedford/St. Martins, 2006. pp22-31.