"...If men are not afraid to die,
it is no avail to threaten them with death.
If men live in constant fear of dying,
and if breaking the law means that a man will be killed,
who will dare to break the law?..."
(Tao Te Ching, 74)
Fear: Well, as Franklin R. said in his inauguration speech, in giving an answer to the crisis of the bankruptcy in U.S. during that time: "We have nothing to fear, but 'fear' itself". In other words, they must be afraid to be afraid; meaning: they must not be afraid anymore. They must not fear anything at all, aside from fear itself, even suffering, punishment, or death which is universally considered to be the most terrible thing that could have ever happen to one's life. Although, I would agree to the fact that I don't have any credentials to prove that death is really the most terrible thing, but I guess, I would agree with such. I mean, isn't it terrible and horrible to think about the end of your life as a human being. Your thoughts, your past, your memories, your (*insert description here) times, -everything will then be caught up by the inevitable oblivion; it will be forgotten and will be lost as if it never happened. Anyway, the point is, death is really, although not the 'most', yet still a terrible thing to happen (although still, it is of debate).
Now, given the situation suggested above by Franklin; if people will really only fear 'fear' itself, and is therefore not afraid to die, no matter what, they will still not feel threatened or endangered even if you will put a gun on their faces, -they will never, ever back down!
But it seems like, in reality, people are not not-afraid of death; they are doing anything just to get rid of the latter itself. It's like if they are to be given the chance to surely live more, they would not be hesitant to not to grab such opportunity so. And if they are to be hindered, (i.e. someone would threaten their lives), they will do anything just to evade death, even if that requires them to kill that other who obstructs them to live more. Killing the latter without even thinking that in doing so, they will just pull the thing closer, which is death, that is at the very first place, the reason why they did kill the other. Well, if only they have understand logic.
Anyway, the point here is that, in relation to the idea of "No knowledge, no desires", one must not desire anything, even if such desire is to have longer life. Like what FDR said in his statement above, the people must not be afraid of anything (in relation to his/her desire to do more in his/her life); they must be courageous enough not to be. Even if that being courageous means to die. Do not be constantly afraid, for it is only of human's; of your fellows. If they are to impose something to be done and not to be done, you must not limit yourself unto it; for that person is only a human. I mean, who is he/she to say so? And humans, are indeed not to be afraid for. Be afraid, one's it is of the Tao's.
Anyway, the point here is that, in relation to the idea of "No knowledge, no desires", one must not desire anything, even if such desire is to have longer life. Like what FDR said in his statement above, the people must not be afraid of anything (in relation to his/her desire to do more in his/her life); they must be courageous enough not to be. Even if that being courageous means to die. Do not be constantly afraid, for it is only of human's; of your fellows. If they are to impose something to be done and not to be done, you must not limit yourself unto it; for that person is only a human. I mean, who is he/she to say so? And humans, are indeed not to be afraid for. Be afraid, one's it is of the Tao's.
No comments:
Post a Comment