If a philosopher tells me that he knows the key to happiness, my first reaction is to examine his life. Has he achieved a solid financial situation or is he impoverished? Does he have worthy friends or does he associate with people of questionable ethics?
I regard the art of living as a simplified, hands-on summary of deeper philosophical knowledge. It is a shortcut for making beneficial decisions when we lack visibility of all the elements involved, or when we are subjected to pressures that require us to make a move with delay.
Lao-Tzu displayed extraordinary wisdom in his own life. If we trust the biographical details supplied by tradition, he quit a good-paying job to devote his life to philosophical reflection. I admire his courageous decision and the insights he gained and compiled into the Tao Te Ching.
Can we learn Lao-Tzu’s art of living by reading the Tao Te Ching? Certainly, but we need to interpret the text carefully. It is important to keep in mind that Lao-Tzu lived in China in the 6th century BC. He experienced a social and economic context very different from ours.
The prerequisite of wisdom
Chapter 33 of the Tao Te Ching enunciates the prerequisite of all Taoist wisdom, namely, the willingness to quit people or projects that prove detrimental to us. The principle also entails the willingness to abandon ambitions, desires or assets that are preventing us from improving our life.
We can only start living a fulfilled life, says Lao-Tzu, once we acknowledge that we have enough. Some translators prefer the words “rich life” or “wealthy life” to “fulfilled life,” but in any case, the message is that we need to learn when enough is enough.
I need to underline that Lao-Tzu is not preaching poverty or the renunciation of all ambitions and desires. He is not calling for giving our possessions away and living in destitution. His philosophy does not look down on the desire to improve one’s life and build a better future.
What does Chapter 33 of the Tao Te Ching mean exactly? If we are supposed to acknowledge that we have enough, does it not mean that we should relinquish the desire to ameliorate our house, garden, car, clothes, holidays, smart phone and so forth?
No, the Taoist concepts of self-sufficiency and self-reliance simply call for learning to make do with what we have, while striving to improve our situation. Most importantly, they imply that we should not sacrifice our independence for the sake of a short-term reward that will undermine our future.
The Taoist art of living starts with saying no to questionable offers. It reaffirms our self-determination and self-worth, even if that entails some short-term sacrifices. We should be willing to accept those sacrifices because, if we look at the big picture, a temporary renunciation will enable us to earn larger rewards down the road.
When Lao-Tzu quit his well-paid employment at the Zhou royal court, he was practising what he preached. He opted for forgoing a solid, stable income because it had too many strings attached. Lao-Tzu had looked at the whole picture and realized that he would be better off if he gave up his well-paying job.
The long-term view
The Taoist art of living revolves around the willingness to think long term and weigh off the consequences of our choices. Does it make sense to pursue wealth and prestige on the terms that are offered to us right now, or should we look for different opportunities?
Chapter 44 of the Tao Te Ching presents alternatives that we need to evaluate. Before pursuing questionable short-term gains, we should consider the long-term consequences. What is the real price that we will pay? Is there not a better way to get what we want?
Lao-Tzu is simply exhorting us to look before we jump. We should make important decisions only after looking at the next decades. Nowadays, many people live longer than ninety years and we should normally assume that we can do the same. As a result, it makes sense to consider the long-term effects of what we do today.
Chapter 80 of the Tao Te Ching describes the lifestyle of a happy person from the Taoist perspective. It sums up the art of living from Lao-Tzu’s perspective. Since this chapter is the one before the last, I can only assume that Lao-Tzu wrote it at the end of his life with the purpose of conveying his best insights.
What is the perfect lifestyle according to the Tao Te Ching? It requires living in a country that is governed wisely. We can discuss long about what wise government means, but I view it as more productive to discard those that are obviously unwise.
Lao-Tzu was recommending people to relocate if they aren’t happy with their environment. I am afraid that too few people are willing to put this recommendation into practice. They tell themselves that things are going to improve on their own, but the truth is that those improvements rarely happen.
In order to justify their immobility, people tell themselves that, if they stay put and wait, the problems will go away. They expect improvements without a clear path to achieve them.
I am sad to see how the opportunity to relocate is discarded quickly and without understanding the true cost of immobility. History has taught me to be profoundly sceptical of hopes that are disconnected from facts. Personally, I have rarely seen vast problems to solve themselves.
The Taoist art of living
Lao-Tzu was correct in regarding a favourable environment as a precondition for happiness. The Taoist art of living cannot work its magic in overly hostile circumstances. We could cope with those for a little while, but only if we aim at relocating to a better place.
Chapter 80 of the Tao Te Ching also mentions an enjoyable occupation, a lively home, the company of family and friends, a garden, and good food as elements of the Taoist art of living.
When we look at Tao Te Ching as a whole, we see that there is an equal valuation of those elements. They are all important, but not equally essential. For instance, we should not take the requirement of a garden literally because big cities possess vast parks and recreation areas that can fulfil the same function.
Yang-Tzu and Chuang-Tzu regarded the company of family and friends as important, but gave more emphasis to individual self-fulfilment; they categorized human relationships as highly desirable, but only with people that display ethical behaviour.
Even the requirements of a lovely home and good food need to be questioned when the context is unfavourable. If we have a lovely home and good food, but the context is hostile, should we not rather give priority to relocation?
Lao-Tzu’s quotes and insights on the art of living are only mildly prescriptive. They leave us a lot of freedom in the ways to implement them. If we take the Tao Te Ching literally, we’ll miss its most important message, namely, self-reliance.
I regard the Tao Te Ching as a source of intellectual, ethical, and lifestyle inspiration, but we should keep in mind that many centuries have passed since Lao-Tzu formulated his insights. I can only emphasise the need for careful interpretation in order to adapt its message to our personal context.
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