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Lao Tzu Analysis

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In life, we all live for different reasons, but not many of us will live according to wisdom. Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” In “Tao Te Ching” by Lao Tzu, Tzu teaches us to incorporate wisdom into our lives. Lao Tzu’s wisdom can help us to cope with the obstacles of today’s society.
To begin with, Lao Tau helps us see that by overcoming the urge to compare ourselves to others, we can defeat the most common issue in contemporary society: the struggle to accept ourselves. Tzu states that by not comparing we can achieve respect: “When you are content to be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete, everybody will respect you” (938). The race to compare never ends, which causes many to feel hopelessly insufficient. True, a comparison can also be a booster, making someone feel better about themselves. However, constant comparison accomplishes nothing; only by overcoming the feeling of envy can a person be able to see the world in a clearer perspective. In addition, the poem states, “Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world” (938). The ability to accept ourselves and transcend ill …show more content…

As a result, people do not choose what they want in life. But Lao Tzu advises, “In work do what you enjoy” (938). We tend to do things we have no interest in for multiple reasons. Some of us want to earn large amounts of money and we choose a job we have no passion in. This directs us to work with miserable hearts. When we enjoy something we put more effort, time, and heart to it. He also guides us, “In thinking, keep to the simple” (937). Sometimes we have a hard time deciding for ourselves because we think too much about the outcome of the choices we make. We have to trust our decisions and what leads us to happiness because that is how we live a life we are grateful

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