Taoism Assignment: The Tao of Pooh

Even before I started reading this book, I was intrigued by it. I figured that any book titled “The Tao of Pooh” had to be something that I would enjoy reading. I began reading without really knowing what it was about at all, and before we had begun to cover Taoism in class, so at first, it threw me off a little. But that brings me to my point about what I liked so much about the book. It takes these complex concepts and philosophies that are generally difficult for Westerners to wrap their minds around, and applies them to something just about everybody can relate to – Pooh. For example, the concept of the P’u, which, as a function of the nature of it, is difficult to explain in words, and for some might be tough to grasp, is summed up in a simple phrase: “Pooh can’t describe the Uncarved Block to us in words; he just is it. That’s the nature of the Uncarved Block.” (p. 19). I also enjoyed the humor found throughout the book in various critiques, particularly regarding the “Bisy Backsons”.

I definitely agree with this critique. Though it’s sad to say, it is a problem that is becoming more and more predominant in our world today, where everyone needs to cram more and more work into their day, and any free time is a waste of time. The reality of the situation though, is that working too hard and too much is a bigger waste of time, as can be illustrated by the rotation of the crops (p. 100-1). Personally, I connected this with the concept of the Great Nothing, and people’s fear of Emptiness because of its perceived equation to Loneliness. “Everything has to be filled in, it seems – appointment books, hillsides, vacant lots – but when all the spaces are filled, the Loneliness really begins.” (p. 147)

This is something that I have been able to see in my own life. My boyfriend left for a 15-week boot camp on January 3. My plan of action was to make myself so busy that the time would go by faster, and therefore I would not even have time to be sad (essentially trying to be a “Bisy Backson” you could say). If I wasn’t studying, going to class, or going to work, it was a waste of time. While this kind of thing does make the time go by faster, it doesn’t make you not sad, it just makes you forget about being sad, or being happy, or being anything for that matter. And then that’s just the problem (as the book points out) when we try to work so hard to get so much done, the time flies by, and we have none left at all.

Personally, I feel as though the Taoist solutions to the problem of our culture definitely have some weight to them. The only problem is, I can’t see Americans ever fully adopting them in such a way that they would be beneficial. Taoism advocates taking the most direct and simple path to reach a goal, and if we all conducted ourselves in this way, we would be freed of the stress that seems to plague our society. But, many people will never believe that working less will give you more. As professor Rasnic pointed out in class, to most, if you practiced the concept of Wu Wei, you would just appear simple-minded and crazy. People will never stop wanting to change themselves to be something they are not designed to be, in pursuit of that unattainable great reward; because in our culture, the grass is always greener on the other side.