Tao Te Ching 18 & 19 Society Without Tao vs With Tao

18 When the great Tao is forgotten, goodness and piety appear. When the body's intelligence declines, cleverness and knowledge step forth. When there is no peace in the family, filial piety begins. When the country falls into chaos, patriotism is born. 18 - AI Overview when a fundamental, natural order (the Great Tao) is lost, humanity creates artificial virtues like goodness and piety; when innate wisdom diminishes, people rely on cleverness and knowledge; and when discord arises in families and the country, concepts like filial piety and patriotism emerge as responses to a decline in natural harmony. 19 Throw away holiness and wisdom, and people will be a hundred times happier. Throw away morality and justice, and people will do the right thing. Throw away industry and profit, and there won't be any thieves. If these three aren't enough, just stay at the center of the circle and let all things take their course. 19 - AI Overview Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, which advocates for a simpler, less contrived way of living. It suggests that by removing artificial constructs like forced holiness, wisdom, morality, justice, industry, and profit, people will naturally gravitate towards happiness and more spontaneous, ethical behavior. The final line, "just stay at the center of the circle and let all things take their course," emphasizes the Taoist principle of Wu Wei (non-action or effortless action) and allowing the natural order of things to unfold without interference. - https://terebess.hu/english/tao/mitch... Suggestion: Read Tao Te Ching - one step at a time (No rush - never think I know this and that, etc. Taste like something you keep in your mouth for its message to reveal by itself, on its own) --