Thoughts#
If someone gives you a sum of money to do business, even if they say that profits will be shared equally and losses are theirs, and they do not participate in the management, there is a significant risk involved unless there is a high level of trust between you. If there is even a hint of doubt, the business carries considerable risk. Even if a written agreement is made in advance, the best outcome can only ensure that you do not suffer legal losses, while your relationship is likely to deteriorate. If there is no written agreement, the risk will be at its highest.
Lack of Empathy#
Some people have very poor empathy or lack rationality. They cannot understand that what they like may be detested by others; what they avoid may be sought after by others; the same temperature that feels unbearably hot to them might feel just right to someone else. They may think others have problems or are acting irrationally. If they can disregard others' feelings (which most people indeed do), they will directly impose their feelings on others, such as what food to eat, what color, style, or thickness of clothing to wear...
How to Prove Knowledge?#
How can knowledge be proven? For example, reading 100 books in a year, consistently reading for an hour every day for 300 days, and making a certain number of notes, you can see how well and neatly they take notes. These can be pretentious; when they believe that others think these represent knowledge, they may fabricate it. They may have read 100 books but remember nothing afterward; they may read for an hour every day without caring about quality and have no insights; their notes may be neat and well-organized but merely replicate others' thoughts. Knowledge cannot be measured by these; so what should it be measured by? Their works and what they say, and it should be unrelated to personal gain. But can these be plagiarized? Just like answering questions. Although they have seen these wise and novel ideas, they cannot understand or believe them; they will only trigger in specific scenarios (like interviews or boasting) and will not apply them in real life, nor can they propose new viewpoints or angles. Therefore, if they can propose new viewpoints or angles, it can prove they indeed have knowledge. But if they cannot prove it, it is merely a matter of probability; I hope everyone will carefully deduce and not jump to conclusions.
Here are my thoughts on whether various people understand, believe in, and practice a certain viewpoint.
The Choice of Truth, Goodness, and Beauty#
If I must discard one of these three, I would unhesitatingly discard goodness. If I have to discard another, I would probably hesitate, feel afraid, and go through twists and turns, but in the end, I would still choose truth. What if I discard truth as well? I might only be able to listen to "The Moon Reflected on the Second Spring" to get through the day; at that point, can I really consider myself alive? Is there a difference between this and a drunkard who drowns his sorrows in wine?
Is it okay to hit children?#
It is permissible to hit, but it should only serve as punishment for a child's wrong behavior, not as an outlet for one's own emotions, and definitely not due to differing opinions. Opinions cannot be changed through hitting; they will only be hidden, which will inevitably create a rift. When you do not understand the child, you cannot engage in spiritual communication; you can only provide behavioral care and emotional transmission, nothing more. If you cannot control your emotions, I believe both are negative effects. In that case, how can we talk about education? "A filial son emerges from under the stick," I believe this is a manifestation of one's own impotent rage, providing a rationale for one's own incompetence. Moreover, this is illogical; how can excessive abuse lead to greater filial piety? Unless the two premises I mentioned earlier are added. However, he did not mention them, and those who know this saying are also unaware of these two premises. Sadly, there are indeed many parents who believe this.
Misguidance of Confucius#
"Do not impose on others what you do not want for yourself," everyone has seen that this is not so easy to achieve. But I want to say, "What you desire for yourself should also not be imposed on others." The standard for imposing on others is never oneself but rather others; what truly matters is whether the other party wants it. Do not force upon others what they do not want; do not "bestow favors" on others based on your own feelings, and do not expect gratitude in return.
My Ramblings, Feel Free to Ignore#
I felt very sad today, both for the sorrow and regret of others being unable to see through the world; I do not understand how they can be so credulous of a single narrative; do they have no discernment at all? Even with multiple perspectives like in "Rashomon," it does not necessarily clarify the truth, let alone that even the deceased can lie. I adhere to two viewpoints: do not use vocabulary that others cannot understand to explain; only when others genuinely want to hear what you have to say can you speak; otherwise, you are simply blind. It is not that I do not speak, but they do not want to listen yet still ask what I think. I am simply not blind.
People only believe what they want to believe.
Therefore, one must be respectful and then can engage in dialogue; one must be articulate and then can discuss reasoning; one must be attuned to emotions and then can convey intentions. Thus, one cannot engage in dialogue when it is not appropriate, which is called arrogance; one can engage but chooses not to speak, which is called concealment; one cannot observe the emotional state and still engage, which is called blindness. — "Encouragement to Study" by Xunzi
Respect, articulation, and emotional attunement are merely superficial judgments of whether the other truly wants to hear you speak; if you have already determined that the other does not want to hear you (beware of misjudgment), then even if there are these signs, it is merely the other party respecting you; they still do not want to listen (in reality, very few people can achieve this).
PS: If Song Yinye sees this, I guess I will be said to be thinking divergently.