STAY CRAZY AND STAY FOOLISH

Table of Content: HOW TO RAISE A RESILIENT KID: I AM NOT RIGHT BUT THAT’S OK

Trying to accurately distinguish right and wrong (明辨是非), good and bad, is undesirable. Sometime, you think you know the right thing to do for the people but you may not be right; therefore, you should never feel that you must do something. It may be better that you don’t do it, or you don’t have the time or energy to do it; it may be a blessing in disguise that you finally didn’t do it. Don’t regret that you didn’t do it. Sometime, you think you have done something wrong but you may not be entirely wrong, or you may be proven right in the future. Crazy people do crazy things and bring changes. The disruptions to status quo often bring short-term discomforts but the overall results may not be so bad. Therefore, never feel guilty when something goes “wrong” if you have made the decision with pure heart and full faith. Stay crazy and stay foolish. You are a free person. You are free to do what you want to do (so long as it doesn’t infringe on someone’s rights), and you are free not to do what others expect you to do. You are really free if you allow yourself to make good decisions as well as bad ones. Don’t question who was right and who was wrong but face it with courage. After all, human distinctions between right and wrong, good or bad, are false.

“Choice” is a delusion. We often feel edgy when we are presented with choices. It is likely that a decision has been made for us in advanced by “The Matrix”. What we are doing is simply abiding with that decision and proceeds to take that choice, ignorant of the role of “The Matrix”. We then ignorantly feel proud for our right choice, or regret for our wrong choice. The truth is the course of Nature is not dictated by our choice. Things can go wrong as possibly as they can go right. – Murphy’s laws. The roles of Dao, Heaven, and Earth must not be underplayed; lest we become arrogant. The certainty of right or wrong choice is a delusion. “Choice” is the problem; don’t take it seriously. Of course, this is a crazy idea.

The greatest lie that you can tell is the lie which fools everybody including yourself. You believe your own lie as the truth. It is likely that everybody is telling lies unconsciously, unless he is awaken. Fear leads to anger. That means God has fear if It ever become angry. It will die like everything else which has emotion (天若有情天亦老). Everything that has a beginning will have an ending. Nothing is permanent.

If you know you are crazy, it means you are not really crazy. Crazy people don’t know they are crazy. If you know you are foolish, it means you are not really foolish. Foolish people don’t know they are foolish. Confucius was crazy to peddle his ideas which nobody wanted during his time. He was rejected by the kings and ministers of many states, like a homeless dog (丧家之犬). He persevered although he knew there was little or no indication of success (知其不可而为之). He said: “Sweet grass herb grows in the forest but doesn’t stop releasing fragrant smell just because there was nobody around (且芝兰生于深林，不以无人而不芳).” Be who you are and say what you feel.

When Confucius traveled to the city of Kuang, the people there mistook him as Yang Hu who was a thuggish minister. Confucius was surrounded and stranded. Confucius told his disciples: “Don’t worry. Keep listening to my lectures.” A disciple asked: “Master, why are you not afraid?” Confucius said: “Swimming in the river and not afraid of crocodile is the courage of fishermen. Walking in the jungle and not afraid of wild animals is the courage of hunters. Fighting in the battlefield and not afraid of enemy’s swords is the courage of knights. Knowing the going of life (命运) naturally has up and down; therefore, not afraid to face disastrous moments in life is the courage of the Sages.” Not long later, a leader of the rioting crowd went in and apologized to Confucius for the mistake. The riot was then disbanded. This is a story told by Zhuang Zi about a true historical event. It shows the respect of Zhuang Zi for Confucius. A great leader has no fear for his safety, because he is not afraid to die. He lives as he should, releases pleasant smell as he is, and not worry about what will happen to him tomorrow. He may be thinking every day about creating a better future for the people he loves, but he never feel worried about what will really happen. (《孟子•离娄下》: 君子有终生之忧，无一朝之患也。)

A disciple asked Lao Zi: “I don’t think Confucius can be regarded as a highly intelligent person. He has so many disciples, and he has gained so much fame. Doesn’t he know that a highly intelligent person views fame like a pair of handcuffs?” Lao Zi said: “That’s right. Why don’t you help him to remove the handcuffs?” The disciple said: “He keeps thinking about saving the world. That mentality is likely a punishment from the Mother Nature. Since the Mother Nature wants to punish him, how can I possibly help him to escape the constraint?” Zhuang Zi knew Confucius was genuinely trying to save the world and not thinking about becoming famous. However, Confucius didn’t mind the burden of fame but continued his endeavors. Unfortunately, some people look at fame as a precious thing and aim for it; therefore, they don’t mind enduring the various tortures to their mind and body simply for the sack of becoming famous. The difference between them and Confucius is the mindset. Zhuang Zi also thought of saving the world; hence, the beautiful writing of so many humorous parables and anecdotes. The masterpiece was regarded as one of the greatest literary works in all of Chinese history, and many famous writers were influenced by Zhuang Zi, in terms of his philosophical and literary skill, for more than 2000 years from the Han dynasty (206 BC–AD 220) to the present. He also had many disciples, but he didn’t go around selling his ideas to the kings and nobles. To him, doing or not doing something should be spontaneous behaviors or actions, i.e. carefree wandering (逍遥游). He was one with “the Way” and “the Way” was with him.

Yi Er Zi (意而子) asked Xu You (许由): “How is your life living in the mountain?” Xu You asked him back: “What are you doing here? Aren’t you working for Emperor Yao (尧)? After so many years, what did Emperor Yao teach you?” Yi Er Zi replied: “Emperor Yao taught me to work hard for compassion and righteousness, and accurately distinguish right and wrong.” Xu You said: “That means Emperor Yao has pierced tattoo on your face; using compassion and righteousness to harm your face, and using right and wrong to cut off your nose. Don’t you notice that? Do you think you can still come to the road of Nature and wandering in a carefree manner?” Yi Er Zi said: “Please give me guidance! Can you teach me how to wander at the edge of Dao?” Xu You said: “When your eyes are blind, how can you still see colors?” Yi Er Zi said: “After Wu Zhuang learned the Dao, she forgot she was beautiful. After Ju Liang learned the Dao, he forgot he had great strength. After Emperor Huang learned the Dao, he forgot his cleverness. These examples show that the Dao can be learnt if one practices with strong determination. Who knows it wasn’t the intention of the Mother Nature to pierce tattoo on my face in order to make me repent and rest?” Xu You said: “Oh, the great Mother Nature. You created the cold wind in the autumn and caused harm to all things on Earth, but it was not because you have maleficent intention! You created the rain in the spring and gave lives to all things on Earth, but it was not because you have benevolent intention! You carved out a myriad of shapes for all the things, but it was not because you intent to show off your skills. Yi Er Zi! If you want to wander on the Dao of the great Mother Nature, follow me this way!” Forget about what has happened in the past; the bad incident may be a good cause to make you change your way of life for a better future; otherwise, you will continue to stay in your comfort zone. Look at the silver lining; even the worst events or situations have some positive aspects. Learn from the Mother Nature; don’t be maleficent, and don’t desire to be benevolent so much so that it causes suffering to you (such as feeling fear, obligated, guilty, sad and angry). Earth provides enough to satisfy every man’s needs, but not every man’s greed. Help the people who need help, instead of those who simply want to accumulate more things because they are greedy.

Being brainwashed by Confucianism is not necessarily a bad thing; at least it is better than being brainwashed by the Dark Side. However, Confucianism teaches us to work hard for compassion and righteousness, and accurately distinguish right and wrong. The sense of responsibility impregnated in our brains cause a lot of suffering to us in terms of mind and body. We are not really born with the responsibility to help other people. We must instead help ourselves and free us from the punishment we inflict on ourselves. Lao Zi said: “The best benevolence looks like no generosity is given; The whitest cloth looks like it is contaminated; The widespread benevolence looks like not enough is done; The sturdy benevolence looks like the creator is lazy to make it perfect; Naturally existed quality looks impure or tainted; The biggest square has no corner; The biggest apparatus never will be completed; The best music does not need to be loud; The biggest appearance has no shape; Dao is so far-reaching but it is not famous or well-known; Therefore, harmonizing with Dao is the only way to have good start and ends with good outcomes.” (上德如谷 大白如辱 广德如不足 建德如偷 质真如渝 大方无隅 大器免成 大音希声 大象无形 道褒无名 夫唯道 善始且善成。) Don’t try to become a “perfect” person according to the common standards. Don’t be limited by the four corners of a square box drawn on the ground enclosing you within. Be benevolent but don’t desire to become famous and lose your freedom. Don’t become a useful apparatus to the society when you can choose to be a human. The best outcome is when your happiness is not sacrificed in the course of helping other people.