The Tao's point of view.

“For one gains by losing
And loses by gaining.” (FORTY-TWO) I’ve noticed that the Tao Te Ching uses a lot of paradox; many of the maxims are based on that, on comparing two things that are the opposite. Antonyms are used to state a point. For example, in this maxim the antonyms losing and gaining are used to state that sometimes things are not always how they should be. It is said that when you have too much you become a hollow person, loose humbleness, and when you have nothing you are full of love and gracefulness! Which is ironic. These kinds of analysis are made throughout the whole novel, as a why of looking at life with another point of view. Because when you twist the thing you might get another perspective that will make your life easier, and you a better person. It is all about looking at the other side of the coin. Sometimes it happens to be the brightest one.

“In the persuit of learning, every day something is acquired.
In the persuit of Tao, every day something is dropped.” (FORTY-EIGHT)
The Tao is quite the opposite of the analects. Confucius teachings were all about learning and being eager to learn, the love, the passion to learn everyday. The Tao on the other hand is all about clearing the mind and looking at life at another point of view.

“They have more possessions that they can use.” (FIFTY-THREE) I read this and a bell ringed in my head. My mom constantly tells me that, “Mariana you have already so many things that you might not even remember what you have.” This, by the way is not true! But what is true is that I have many things that I don’t need, and many of my friends do as well. Incredibly we still ask for more and incredibly there are millions of kids that don’t have absolutely nothing but a piece of cloth to cover themselves, and would be eternally gratefully if one of us that “have more possessions that we can use” give some of them to them, and yet we are too selfish to give something up.