To Understand the Concept of ‘Good,’ We Must Accept the Mutually Arising Polarity of ‘Bad’.

Like good and bad, to practice humility we must also experience conceit.

The Tao Te Ching is not hesitant in stating what it would term despicable behaviour in the hearts of those who cultivate “Tao.”

These individuals are called Sages or Enlightened Ones — terms you will find in the Tao Te Ching and other so-called spiritual texts. In modern terms, we might call these people human-heartedness leaders (or even gurus). To cultivate “Tao” is to practice the principles found in the Tao Te Ching by leading with integrity and conscientiousness, harmonizing with the natural order of things. 

What I believe this means is recognizing and honouring the ‘bad’ that comes with the ‘good’ because that is simply the nature of things. However, this doesn’t imply inaction. Instead, humane action is navigating the space between what is ‘good and bad’ to minimize the harm caused to others by remaining too long at unnatural extremes.

For example, we have mutually arising dualities that express our human characteristics and behaviours like humility and conceit, generosity and greed, power to/with and power over. 

Since none of these behaviours exist in any other part of the natural world, I believe it’s easy to see which side of the duality we want to cultivate and protect. Notice how the natural world self-regulates in ways that sometimes appear destructive and may negatively affect a species or habitat. This is nature’s natural cycle of birth, life, and death — and then birth again. 

Egocentricity, when taken to the extreme, has created every inequality imaginable.

This includes unsustainable capitalism, wealth disparity and poverty, prejudice, racism, religious fundamentalism, colonialism, imperialism, oligarchies, homelessness, and disregard for the health of our planet — which is impacting all life on earth.

These behaviours are far worse than nature’s natural cycle of birth, life, and death.

Nature regenerates, whereas humans deplete and destroy. 

Collectively, I believe we need to teach, encourage, and practice conscientious humility in favour of its mutually arising behaviours like egocentricity, conceit, arrogance, superiority, and so on. 

Humility will not thrive if we believe we are better than someone else, set ourselves apart from another group of people, or prioritize our desires over the health of our planet.