What does the so-called "Heaven and Earth are unkind and regard all things as stupid dogs" really mean?

The direct meaning of the sentence "Heaven and Earth are unkind and regard all things as rotten dogs" is: Heaven and earth will not favor anyone in particular, but regard all things as straw that is exposed to wind and rain and used for sacrifices. Like a dog, let the wind and rain blow.

The logic of Lao Tzu's sentence may seem strange, but it contains a philosophy that we can remember for a lifetime.

The core connotation of this sentence lies in "unkindness". The so-called "unkindness" is not what we understand as indifference or disgust in the emotional world, but an almost "universal love" based on an absolute respect for the natural characteristics of all things. That is to say, this sentence uses "heaven and earth" to emphasize the characteristic of Taoism's "inaction".

Because no one in heaven and earth loves anyone more, there is no so-called "preference". Therefore, no one is suppressed because he is not "preferred", and all things can maintain their own "characteristics", and then Thrive under the natural law of "survival of the fittest".

So what "philosophy of life" does this sentence convey that strong people should keep in mind?

If we analyze the philosophy of life of this sentence from the perspective of "being strong", this sentence is telling us: If we seek too far and too high, we will not be able to run far or jump high. Those who are down-to-earth, take one step at a time, and achieve success for others with good intentions can actually complete themselves. 1. "Heaven and earth are not benevolent, and treat all things as straw dogs" and the characteristics of "Tao"

"Heaven and earth are unkind, and treat all things as straw dogs" comes from the book "Laozi". To a certain extent, this sentence The words are conveying one of the characteristics of "Tao" in Laozi's heart, that is, "unkindness".

What is "unkind"? It can be understood as corresponding to the "benevolence" with "emotional preference" among the seven emotions and six desires in the secular world.

Taoist Lao Tzu is telling us that the reason why "Tao" is "Tao" is that it can "achieve all things" because "Tao" has no preference.

When Taoist Laozi talks about "unkindness" here, he is not calling on the world to be unkind, but rather uses the emotional tendency in "unkindness" to express the characteristic of Taoist "Tao" that has no human emotional tendency.

In other words, the "heaven and earth" that achieves all things are sometimes a form of Laozi's expression of "Tao".

Why can "Heaven and Earth" achieve all things? Because he is like "Tao", allowing all things to spontaneously develop their own "characteristics", and will not give special care due to the distinction between "benevolence and unkindness", and then let some existences reach a "dead end".

Here, Laozi inspires us with reverse logic: Tao is "unbenevolent" because of "inaction". Because of "inaction", it allows all things to spontaneously develop their own characteristics, and then achieves by doing nothing. Everything. 2. The philosophy of life in "Unkindness"

Among the classical masterpieces of hundreds of Chinese schools of thought, it would be a pity not to read "The Analects", and it would be quite a pity not to read "Laozi".

Because the perspective of looking at the world in the Taoist book "Laozi" will allow you to reconcile with yourself and the world, and gain unexpected surprises, and you can still be calm.

This is the embodiment of calmness. Why do you say that?

We know that our troubles are more about "what we want but not get" in various situations.

However, many times, "can't" is not because you "don't do enough", but because you are "too ambitious" and do "too much".

For example, after the death of Qin II, Chu and Han fought for supremacy. Xiang Yu and Liu Bang, one has a great family and is capable of literary and military skills, while the other was born as a pavilion chief in a small place, and even feels a little unprofessional.

But in the end Liu Bang defeated Xiang Yu.

The reason why Liu Bang wins over Xiang Yu is mostly due to his "high emotional intelligence" in dealing with people.

Let’s not discuss what happened after Liu Bang established the Han Dynasty. Let’s talk about Liu Bang’s “starting from scratch”.

Compared with Xiang Yu, why did Liu Bang, who was impoverished and weak in ability, completely defeat Xiang Yu? Because Liu Bang knows how to "achieve others" by pushing the boat with the tide, while Xiang Yu is a little arrogant and busy "self-prominence". Here, he failed completely in "seeking heights and seeking distance" in the name of "overlord".

Where is Liu Bang? Under his command were the wise Zhang Liang, the wise Xiao He, the brave Fan Kuai, the skilled Han Xin, and so on. It's not that Liu Bang is so powerful, but that a group of people under Liu Bang have their own strengths, and with Liu Bang's dealings and maintenance, they can use their strengths to conquer the Han Dynasty.

This is what a leader is.

Because Liu Bang provided his capable craftsmen with a "platform" for them to show their proud talents, and gave them the opportunity to show their own characteristics and expertise, and then they became successful. On the contrary, Liu Bang treated them The perfection of the world also makes oneself perfect.

A proud and arrogant person does not want others to surpass him. As long as there is a hint of it, the more proud you are, the more you may suppress others. No matter how strong such a person's personal abilities are, if he fights alone, he will either be taught how to be a good person by a really powerful person, or he will get nothing from a bamboo basket. 3. Write it at the end

It is not a bad thing to seek high and far-reaching goals, it is also the "nature" that humans are born with. However, due to lack of acquired inner qualities and other reasons, too many people have never realized or have long forgotten that the meaning of life lies not only in the satisfaction of "animal" desires, but also in the "pleasure" of the spiritual world.

At this point, the "positive" temperament turned into "strong", "selfish", and finally, "suppression". Here, people spend their energy and energy in "hurting others and harming themselves", and in the end they end up in a "desolate" land full of chicken feathers.

In other words, the "inaction" characteristic of Tao shown in "Heaven and Earth is Unkind", in terms of life philosophy, we can understand: Although seeking high and far away is not a bad thing, it is not necessarily a good thing. Sometimes, Instead of being "desire" and "pride" that can overpower others, your "humility", "steadiness" and "low-key" will make you a distant target for others. This is what strong people need to grasp to break through bottlenecks. What do you think?

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