Todays Daoist: An Ecological Perspective - Assignment Example

Today's Daoist: An Ecological Perspective For the purposes of this paper, the term Dao will be used interchangeably with Tao, which is a phonetic difference-although Dao and Tao mean the same thing. By most accounts, if one were to ask another person were Daoist, the times that the answer would be yes would be rare, unless you live in or around China. In fact, "[e]stimates for the number of Taoists worldwide range from over twenty to fifty million."1 Taoism has a record for being a religion that focuses on: caring about one's environment and surroundings and the theory that accompanies that idea; a communing with nature; and a respect for living things that can be practiced today. The principles of the Tao have been helpful in "environmental philosophy, [for those] who see the non-anthropocentric nature of Taoism as a guide for new ways of thinking about nature and environmental ethics."2 One book that is extremely helpful is Daoism and Ecology: Ways Within a Cosmic Landscape, edited by N.J. Girardot, James Miller, and Liu Xiaogan, which is "currently the most thorough introduction to studies done on concepts of nature and ecology within Taoism."3 Chinese philosophy is concerned primarily with the realness of existing problems and how to solve those issues in a concrete fashion. As the writer Jordan Paper says in "Chinese Religion, 'Daoism,' and Deep Ecology" in the book Deep Ecology and World Religions, "But if any aspect of Chinese tradition has had a major effect on me, it is that aspect which is the antithesis of Western intellectualizing. Chinese theorizing proceeds from real problems by developing means for resolving those specific problems. To the contrary, Western theor- izing tends to proceed from ad hoc premises to create theories only tangentially related to the problems to which they may be applied."4 In other words, real solutions for the problems of the environment are probably going to come from those who hold Taoist beliefs, or beliefs similar to Taoism/Daoism. Why is this It is probably because Taoism teaches tenets that reflect a concern for the environment. Chinese tradition does not, on the whole, intellectualize these problems like the environment. However, as one has seen as recently at the 2008 Summer Olympics in China, the Chinese have a long way to go in terms of regulating their own environment as far as pollution is concerned. "A miasma of lead, mercury, sulfur dioxide, and other elements of coal-burning and car exhaust hovers over most Chinese cities."5 Why is there not more activism and involvement regarding the environment in a country where there is such a great percentage of the population that is religiously committed to conserving its environment This remains a mystery. Perhaps it is because those Chinese who are Taoists/Daoists are not in positions of power to be able to create effective change in China with regard to the pollution. It is large corporations who are committing the crimes against the environment, which likely do not care about Taoist values, and could care less about the Chinese environment and the environment of the rest of the world, such as the U.S., which sees smog from China on its West Coast which travels across the sea. The pollution problem is an issue that should concern the Chinese, and it is possible that it does, with breathing difficulties becoming an increasing liability. However, companies' powers trump the activism of only a few individuals. Unless there is a unified, organized movement in China in order to create effective change, there will not be change in China with regards to the pollution problem. Jordan Paper, in his chapter in Deep Ecology and World Religions, further emphasizes the difference between Chinese mode of thought which centers on experience and Western tradition, which focuses on dogma: "Hence, Western intellectuals and Western-influenced Chinese intellec- tuals tend to derive theories from Chinese texts that have little if any relationship to Chinese modes of thinking. Similarly, Chinese religion, as virtually all non-Western religions, focuses on religious experience, whether it be personal ecstatic experiences, experiences from partic- ipating in rituals, or experiencing superhuman beings via possessed spirit mediums or the work of shamans. Again in contrast, Western religions tend to proceed from belief in religious principles, dogma, theological formations, etc., although there are always subgroups that focus on religious experience." 6 Thus, in Taoism, a religious experience of developing a solution-oriented approach toward the environment would probably be more important than the Western mindset of theorizing about how to take care of the environment. Whereas in Western thinking abstract ideas and theology is very important-in Chinese philosophy, it is the opposite. Actions, doing, and having participation in rituals that have meaningfulness to the community at large-ideally helpful meaningfulness, such as being a careful steward of the environment-are ways of showing dedication to the Tao, or "path." Taoists will focus on an experience with their environment and the conservation of nature. Communing with nature is an important part of Tao philosophy. "Numerous groups of Taoist scholars engaged in what they called ch'ing-t'an or 'pure conversations.' They sought an unconventional and carefree way of life, seeking freedom and self-realizationan extreme form this movement [took led to seven friends who] commun[ed] with nature, [wrote] and recit[ed] poetry, [drank] wine, [and enjoyed other activities only until such time as they had] reached a glorious indifference to the world and intimacy with Tao. Then they 'stopped talking and silently understood each other with a smile.'"7 What does this communing with nature have to do with ecology today, and what can we learn from it First of all, one of the things we can learn from Taoist philosophy is not to take life so seriously. These scholars engaged in what they called "pure conversations" to do what we would call an equivalent of having fun-but doing it in a way that was respectful of nature. They wrote and recited poetry! That is not something that would most likely not be on a top-ten priority list for Americans going on a camping trip. The Taoist philosophy is ingrained into the culture. American culture is not wired to think about the environment in a way that incorporates intellectual activities into an outing that has nothing to do with anything intellectual-such as a baseball or football game, or a camping trip. Thus, Americans are robbed of the potential to find the Tao in their everyday lives, although they may not be searching for it. Communing with nature should be on everyone's agenda. In today's fast-paced world of iPods, cell phones, text messages, pagers, e-mail, the Internet, iPhones, Google phones, PDAs, Bluetooth wireless internet computers, Blackberrys, and other such devices, the world is practically at our doorstep every time we pick up a piece of equipment we have at the ready designed to rocket our most private and public thoughts through an Internet Service Provider or cell phone tower. All of these technologies are wonderful things, and we shouldn't cease to use them. However, we should pause to see the effect that technology is having on our communing with nature. Think about it for a minute. Technology reduces our effectiveness to have personal time with our environments, which vastly goes against Taoist philosophy. It violates what seems to be "spiritual intelligence," another principle of the Tao.8 Something innately tells us that there should not be a cell phone at our fingertips 24 hours a day. Yet most of us do it. Why Is it insecurity One student told her horror story. She lost her cell phone, and the only number she knew by heart was her mother's phone number. We now know that cell phones are majorly the way people keep in touch now, and that people have many of their phone numbers stored in the phones. "A Pew Internet & American Life Project report released found that Americans for the first time picked cell phones as the technology they can least go without. In today's wireless world, living without a cell phone is like living on a desert island. And losing one is like being suddenly cast away from society. 'Without it, there's a disconnection with life,' said Marian Salzman, a cultural trendspotter and partner at Porter Novelli, a public relations powerhouse in New York."9 Respect for living things is something that can be practiced in accordance with the Tao Te Ching. The Tao Te Ching is a Chinese classic text written by Taoist sage Laozi around the 6th century B.C. which is fundamental to the Taoist school of thought.10 Some of the paraphrased themes which are in the Tao Te Ching will be discussed here and how they relate to respect for living things. For instance, "The more one acts in harmony with the universe (the Mother of the ten thousand things), the more one will achieve, with less effort."11 Being in harmony with nature requires a respect for living things, and that includes turning off the cell phone once in awhile in order to enjoy silence. Respecting one's environment, being a recycler, and being mindful of best practices with regards to the environment will, according to Tao philosophy, make your life simpler. Here is another paraphrased piece of Tao wisdom from the Tao Te Ching: "Glorification of wealth, power and beauty beget crime, envy, and shame."12 Respect for living things includes not being greedy. This prior statement says something about a person's character. If one only focuses upon wealth, power, and beauty, your life will not be respectful of life nor will it end up well. Therefore, it seems to be indicated that one should live a life within one's means, not try to jockey for positions of power but be comfortable with the station in life one is at, and try to work with the looks that the Tao has bestowed upon you-instead of trying to focus upon wealth, power and beauty, which will mistakenly lead you in the wrong direction, and diminish your respect for life. Here, we have looked at how Daoist/Taoist philosophy can have an influence on ecological thought. Its consequences for the Americans is probably small compared to the influence that it would probably have on a population that is more likely to practice Taoism, such as in mainland China and the surrounding countries. In particular, we have looked in-depth at how one, from a Taoist perspective, can: care for one's environment; commune with nature; and have a respect for living things. REFERENCES Barnhill, David Landis, et. al. Deep Ecology and World Religions. USA: State University of New York Press, 2001. Leslie, Jacques. Christian Science Monitor Online. "China's Pollution Nightmare Is Now Everyone's Pollution Nightmare." Retrieved 2 November 2008. . Persch, Jasmin Aline. MSNBC Online. "Lose Cell Phone, Get Cast Away From Society." Retrieved 2 November 2008. < http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23600001>. Smith, David Howard. The Wisdom of the Taoists. New York: New Directions Publishing Corporation, 1980. No Author Listed. Taoism for Know-It-Alls (Paperback). USA: For Know-It-Alls, 2008. Wikipedia Online Dictionary Entry. "Taoism." Retrieved 2 November 2008. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daoism>. Wikipedia Online Dictionary Entry. "Tao Te Ching." Retrieved 2 November 2008. < http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Tao_Te_Ching>. Read More