The Daodejing

Let me start by warning you that t everything I am about to tell you is impossible to achieve. This idea was not created to be unattainable, but once it may or may not have been achieved, it no longer applies. The idea I am talking about is the Dao. This idea is presented in The Daodejing of Laozi, which may or may not be written by Laozi, who may or may not be one man. The title can literally be broken down to outline the contents of the novel. Dao means way, de means virtue, and jing means classic. This entire book is a contradiction. It tells you to follow this perfectly simplified way of life, which would be the dao. But once you have realized you have embodied the dao, it is lost. Living a life as close to the dao as possible, without losing it, is based around not placing any importance on materials items or an excessive lifestyle.

I can see why people get very frustrated while reading this book, because it makes no sense. I personally, enjoyed the novel because I have learned to accept things that are always going to be controversial. Other people, however, believe that there is one right answer. These people are the ones leading debates in class over some of the most controversial issues. Life is much easier when you accept that there is not always going to be a set answer, or a better choice. This is true with the dao – you don’t have to understand, in fact you wont understand, but you do have to accept it.