3.

Idolize celebrity and success,

and men will bicker in envy.

Overvalue possessions,

and men will turn into thieves.

Flaunt what you have, and

others’ hearts will become restless.

The sage leads by helping men

let go of longing

and fulfill living needs,

let go of striving

and enjoy good health.

The sage emancipates men

from mental slavery,

and restrains the crafty

from their manipulations.

Surf the Tao

and everything

will be okay.

This chapter is all about the ways in which false goals lead to an unfortunate life. It also resembles the aspect of the Ten Commandments that is rather interesting: it is all about coveting. Many Western Jews and Christians have wondered why God even cared about coveting and also wondered what on earth coveting actually was. It isn’t about wanting something attractive, enjoyable, or satisfying. That’s just natural, it’s about the constant comparisons we make to others and the way those comparisons make us unhappy on the inside and intolerable on the outside.

Here, Lao Tzu is in keeping with the sages of the East like Siddhartha Gautama, who taught that desire led to unnecessary suffering, the Stoics, who thought that there was a deeper satisfaction than the ephemeral things we lust after, and the Apostle Paul who said that he had learned to be content in everything:

I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

(Philippians 4:11-13, NIV)

What brings this contentment? The ability to recognize the gifts of life we already have. Most of us can look around and see all that there already is to be thankful for. Now, if we can’t, or if we notice others who are unable to meet their basic needs, then there is indeed a hindrance to happiness.

As Aristotle taught, money can’t buy happiness but a lack of it can get in the way of our free pursuit of happiness. This happens when every waking hour is spent making enough money to pay rent, feed the kids, and buy medicine to live comfortably. Without the resources to pursue our true calling in life, we become unhappy. Without basic health care and nutritional needs, we can’t do philosophy or create art. What this means in practical terms is that we do well to look out for our neighbors who are being crushed by the demands of existence. What it also means is that if we do have those basic needs met, we can cease our striving and start enjoying the gifts that are laid out before us each morning.

In all this, by valuing things of value, and ignoring the false allure of celebrity, status, and wealth, the bad guys won’t be able to manipulate us. Remember, ad agencies use false desire to trick us into spending money on cheap goods. To ward off such bad magic, turn your attention on the truly priceless stuff and you’ll find that you can do a great deal with just a little. This isn’t a call to tolerate destitution and degradation, but an invitation to those with excess to let release their grip on things that will rust and decay and embrace what is superabundant.

The title of this entry is of course an allusion to this Bob Marley classic:

Emancipation from Mental Slavery: Tao Te Ching 3