Well, Lao Tzu might not have said it exactly as in the translation above, but he did say that an excellent soldier is not a furious man. This could also mean that the “accomplished person is not an aggressive person”. In any event it means that one must not confuse anger and violent tendencies from
#art, A Good Soldier is Not an Angry Man…
Faith saved us from the savages that we were, losing faith makes us savages again
Soldiers are often misunderstood especially when it comes to this, thanks for this post in more ways than one.
Me gustaLe gusta a 2 personas
Thank you Sir, so very much!
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
You’re very welcome
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
A deeply thoughtful and beautifully presented interpretation of Lao Tzu’s wisdom. What I particularly appreciate is the distinction you make between strength and aggression.
Lao Tzu’s Chapter 68 is indeed much richer than the familiar quotation suggests. Different translations express it in slightly different ways—“a good fighter is not angry,” “the accomplished person is not aggressive,” and “the best conqueror does not engage the enemy”—but they all point toward the same profound idea: true strength does not need anger, intimidation or violence to prove itself.
Me gustaLe gusta a 1 persona
Yes Sir, you are so right. Thank you for that most essential clarification! It is a thought that I always hold close to my heart!
Me gustaMe gusta