Lights, Camera, ACTION!

Tzu-kung asked about the superior man.  Confucius said, “He acts before he speaks and then speaks according to his action.”  [Analects 2:13]

Confucius said, “The superior man wants to be slow in word but diligent in action.”  [Analects 4:24]

Confucius said, “The superior man is ashamed that his words exceed his deeds.”  [Analects 14:29]

Action, in Chinese, is referred as "xing" or "hang", which is also associated to that of conduct, movement, or simply of walking. It's Chinese pictographic character (行) though illustrates a "street intersection". Now, what does it have to do with the term "action"? Why is it associated with the term "action" if it is merely a detour sign for a road crossing? Actually, as of my research, a lot says that the character has nothing to do with its meaning. And since my interpretations, even how straightforward and effective it may be, of the said character, I wish  not to address it though, for I don't consider myself to be such of an authority to do so.

Now, going back to the Analects, what the three of them is trying to say is simply one's actions is far more preferred than that of one's words; one must be able to act first, or maybe just consider acting it out first before giving off words to be noted upon. In other words, one must be attached more on his actions than to that of his/her words.

One good example would be the promises, let's say political promises. Nowadays, we have observed that a lot of our leaders do take an oath and swear things that are indeed catchy enough for one to somehow offer his/her trust. But the reality tells us that such are only words, one can never feel such development or sustenance for it is only of words. For words are only expressions, they can never feed the hungry nor shelter the homeless. Simply saying, no matter how good one's words are, as long as it is not justified through the use of actions, there will be nothing except a bunch of impassive and lifeless undertakings, or simply, words.

Same as to having a relationship under parental guidance. If you are the lover (let's say, the man), you are to expect that the parents, especially the father of the beloved, will not look at you the way you look at yourself. Even if you have such pure and clean intentions, you cannot deny the fact that the parents of your beloved will still be on doubt, maybe for they don't know you exactly at all or it's the societal reality that tells them about you by means of looking and evaluating those of your kind. Now, what you can do is not to defend through the use of words, for again, no matter how beautiful your words could be, it is still just words. But instead, you are to put the purity of your intents into actions, by means for example: you will follow their instructions, you will obey their commands and demands, etc. By that, there is no wonder you can gain an amount of their trust for they now have an idea of your untainted intentions to your beloved. Isn't that glorifying?

Thus, to act is the only way one can prove one's idea or principle that drives in him/her. Yes, it could be somehow illustrated through words; Well, it is actually even more appropriate if one is able to address such through words in order to comply a certainty. But then again, one's actions (in respond to that of his/her words) is the big deal, -the real package of such principle, for it doesn't only justify one's intuitive idea, but also it carries out a certain application of truth value to that of a certain idea.