psycheinaboat says:
It has been a while since I read the Tao, but I found that it seemed (to me anyway) to encourage detachment more than to promote ignorance.

Cien says:
I was reading from two translations simultaneously just to make sure I was getting the right impression, but I still percieved it as promoting ignorance in some areas... such as one area that describes a town full of people who go back to counting with knots as being better off than the next town over. I realize this is symbolic, but it still bothers me...

psycheinaboat says:
A friend of mine read the Tao the same time I did and we had a discussion something like this. She felt that parts of the teaching promoted laziness, both mental and physical. I do understand what you mean.

I'll reread parts of my copy this weekend and come back for more discussion.

Cien says:
Awesome. I'd really like to discuss it further and figure out what I think of it.

psycheinaboat says:
After rereading portions of the Tao-Te-Ching I feel that overall there is a promotion of detachment and simplicity. You used an example from The Pearl, so I will go with that.

In The Pearl, in my opinion, Steinbeck was pointing out the problems that come with progress, namely that material gain brings greed and corruption. In the Tao, I feel that Lao-Tzu is in many ways offering guidance to avoid such problems. The teachings support cutting the tethers that tie us to this world, to not even dwell too much on the material world in our contemplation, to be as flexible and calm as the Taoist vinegar taster who smiles at whatever flavor life brings to his mouth.

psycheinaboat says:
As I skim the Tao, I realize that many of the ideas expressed have stayed with me even as I have forgotten about reading them. However, in my very Western life, I have no idea how I would incorporate most of these concepts or if I would even want to. I think Taoism may be a lot like Communism in that it looks good on paper, but is hard to bring rightly to human society.

I would also imagine that the life of a staunch Taoist has its own complications and problems. Just as poverty has a different set of problems than wealth, there are still problems that come with any human lifestyle.

Cien says:
I've been looking through it again, and I think you're quite right. It doesn't really sit well with me as far as practical application, but I think you're right about what its intentions are.

amatbrewer says:
I see two things here one is a failure in translation. This was written in a very different time, a very different language, and a very different society. Much is bound to be lost and/or misinterpreted. I can see knowledge for its own sake as possibly a bad thing in the time this was written. What use is it to know of (and presumably desire) what you can not possibly posses.
The second thing is that while there is much of value in the Tao Te Ching, one should not assume it is final and complete. This was written by a person and people are not perfect (well except maybe for me  ).
I have read this and a few other translations a number of times. And take from it what has value to me and set aside what does not apply or does not make sense to me.

ladyryder38 says:
If one should desire a greater understanding of the Tao Te Ching, I recommend reading Dr. Wayne Dyer’s book, Change Your Thoughts, Change Your Life.