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Taoism is a mindset, philosophy, and way of life that is all about flow and harmony. The quote about being like water relies on nature metaphors—something that is central to Taoism. Being like water is a powerful statement, because as soft and formless as water is, water also has the power to transform mountains over time. Brute force is often not the best way to create lasting or meaningful change. It is often better to go with the flow, being more like water than like dynamite in one’s ways and attitudes towards the world.
Of course, given Taoism’s respect for nature and what it can teach human beings, the environmental movement can draw from Taoism. Taoism teaches human beings how to live in harmony with nature, not pursing a path of unbridled economic growth but one that fulfills both the desires of human beings to live comfortably and the need for sustainable development (“What does Daoism (Taoism) teach us about ecology?” n.d.). As McCauley (2000) points out, the seemingly unscientific systems of religion or philosophy often have a stronger bearing on how the natural world actually operates. While science certainly does help to dissect, measure, and predict, it is nevertheless imperfect when addressing a complex and often chaotic world.
Unfortunately, not all religions offer as reasonable a...
When compared with the Judeo-Christian traditions, for instance, Taoism advocates harmony whereas the People of the Book tend to view human beings as the pinnacle of God’s creation and therefore superior to all non-human life forms. Such a mindset has led to the wanton destruction of nature and the rape of natural resources at any expense, justified by the principle that “man is created in God’s image.” Taoism does not promote a hierarchical version of the universe, and also does not purport to understand the exact moment of creation—something that distinguishes it from other religions too. As a result, Taoism is the most compatible philosophy for living in harmony with nature and promoting sustainable human development.
References
McCauley, R.N. (2000). The Naturalness of Religion and the Unnaturalness of Science. Explanation and Cognition (Keil, F. and Wilson, R. eds). MIT Press: Cambridge, MA.
Molloy, M. (2013). Experiencing the world's religions (6th ed.). New York City, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. Chapter 6: Daoism and Confucianism and Chapter 7: Shinto
“What does Daoism (Taoism) teach us about ecology?” (n.d.). http://environment-ecology.com/religion-and-ecology/282-what-does-daoism-teach-us-about-ecology.html
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