LRJ #3: Journal

Sarita Beekie
Ms. Peifer
10 IB - Hour 5
15 April 2009

LRJ #3: Journal

In order to answer the question as to whether I believe that our society has similar values as a Confucian or Taoist society, I must add that it is not an easy task to even attempt to compare our fast-paced, grossly rich, consumeristic, greedy, unjust, power-hungry, narrow-minded, superficial society, to the ideal Confucian or Taoist society. For example, look at the "American Dream". However many different interpretations of this "dream" exist, the common thread in all of these interpretations deal with the (almost frightening) ease of obtaining material goods in our country, and yet we still find ourselves wanting more. Taoists condemn this behavior, as seen in the Tao-Te Ching, "To be overbearing when one has position when one has wealth and position is to bring calamity upon oneself" (it's almost as if that verse is speaking directly to us). It is also common knowledge that is not democracy, but instead, the wealthy and well-connected persons that control a large portion of this country's politics (think back a ways to the Blagojevich incident) but as the Master said so long ago, "The high office [is] filled by men of narrow views, ritual performed without reverence, [and] the forms of mourning observed without grief" (Waley 14). Our, "everything is about appearances" attitude is also frowned upon by Confucians. The Master himself said, "In old days men studied for the sake of self-improvement; nowadays men study in order to impress other people" (Waley 8). Speaking of impressing people, if I have anything profound to say in this journal entry, it is this: despite our country being plastered with pretty things, I know for one thing that any and all devout Confucians and Taoists would NOT be impressed by our society.