A hooray from China

[Lei]

Yeah,I'm Chinese,man.I have read "Tao Te Ching" many times.There is something very abstract and kind of elusive in it,even for a Chineseman,because that's sort of part of the nature of ancient Chinese words.However,you can still grab what it means and I really dig it.Well,in case you ignore it,Taoism has never been the main stream culture in China ever,but Confucian is.And Confucian is stifling,not in the direct way but in a more sticking way(this is part of the reason why China still does not have democracy even this day).So seeing "The big Lebowski" and you guys there across the ocean is really sort of relieving.You guys are doing great job,just wanna you dudes know it.

[Rev. Ed C]

Hooray for China indeed

Yeah, we're not really fans of Confuscious around here, like you say, too stiff and stifling, the opposite of the Tao we like to flow with.

Welcome to the forums!  Glad to another person who's not from the UK, US, Canada or Italy floating about, really boosts our diversity levels

[meekon5]

...Yeah, we're not really fans of Confuscious around here, like you say, too stiff and stifling, the opposite of the Tao we like to flow with...

Speak for yourself there mate. His commentaries on the I-Ching (yijing I believe is the correct pinyin spelling) are most enlightening.

I know what you mean though his writings tend to push towards compliance rather than just going with the flow, so tend to be relied upon by who so ever is running the country because they don't tend to encourage radicalism and revolution.

But good to hear from you, and welcome.

[Rev. Ed C]

Speak for yourself there mate. His commentaries on the I-Ching (yijing I believe is the correct pinyin spelling) are most enlightening.

I thought as a chaos-worshipper you'd be against the conformity and order of confuscious... although I could be misremembering what he stands for.  This bares more research on my part!

ps, although I did use a confuscious reference in one of my articles, I now recall, for I'm feeling the pangs of hipporacy set it there

[meekon5]

...I thought as a chaos-worshipper you'd be against the conformity and order of confuscious... although I could be misremembering what he stands for.  This bares more research on my part!

Bureaucracy at it's most extreme becomes chaos (eg see The Twelve Tasks of Asterix).

"And under Eris Confusion became established, and was hence called Bureaucracy; while over Bureaucracy Eris became established, and was hence called Discordia."

That's why I like Confucius.

[forumdude]

i've been studying a bit of Confucius lately. some of his ideas are very undude. but probably the majority are actually pretty dude. i think too much attention has been paid to his rigid, ceremonial, family-values side and not enough to his humble, self-effacing, creative side. benjamin hoff really tore him a new one in "the tao of pooh" but it always (to me) smacked of a sort of antagonism rather than chuang-tzu's approach which was more to take the piss of the stuffier parts of confucianism without throwing out the baby with the bathwater.

i'd highly recommend this audio series (also orderable as a transcript from the publisher):

http://www.amazon.com/Religions-Axial-Age-Approach-Teaching/dp/159803281X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316619323&sr=8-1

the entire series is essentially proof that dudeism is at the core of (almost) all major religions.

[forumdude]

come to think of it i think i recommended that to you (ed and meekon and everyone else in attendance) already at the idler event in london. did i not?

i really want to go to memphis and hang out with the author. he strikes me as a perfect dude apologist. and a much smarter feller than myself.

[meekon5]

come to think of it i think i recommended that to you (ed and meekon and everyone else in attendance) already at the idler event in london. did i not?

Looks like we forgot to do our homework Ed.

[Rev. Gary (revgms)]

Very cool to have you here Lei, let your friends know there are compeers around the globe.

Peace Dude.

[DigitalBuddha]

the entire series is essentially proof that dudeism is at the core of (almost) all major religions.

Cool concept, forumdude; will have to re-read up on some various religions looking for the dude in each in a more focused manner. Would make a good subject of extended study.

[cckeiser]

Yeah,I'm Chinese,man.I have read "Tao Te Ching" many times.There is something very abstract and kind of elusive in it,even for a Chineseman,because that's sort of part of the nature of ancient Chinese words.However,you can still grab what it means and I really dig it.Well,in case you ignore it,Taoism has never been the main stream culture in China ever,but Confucian is.And Confucian is stifling,not in the direct way but in a more sticking way(this is part of the reason why China still does not have democracy even this day).So seeing "The big Lebowski" and you guys there across the ocean is really sort of relieving.You guys are doing great job,just wanna you dudes know it.

Welcome to our nice quiet beach community dude. Smoke em if you got em.

[Andrea Da Fino]

Welcome Lei, great to have a Chinese Dude well versed in that kind of Eastern Things, in the parlance of our times. Far out!

Good to have you in our nice beach community, have a beer and enjoy yourself. 

[Rev. Ed C]

come to think of it i think i recommended that to you (ed and meekon and everyone else in attendance) already at the idler event in london. did i not?

Looks like we forgot to do our homework Ed.

If I'd have ever done homework in my life, I think my brain might have imploded (that and my exam results might have been better).  I guess I'm just not that instituionalised

I shall indeed add that book to my to read list.  I'll get that far down the list by... damn, my PC's calender doesn't go as far as the next ice age

Bureaucracy at it's most extreme becomes chaos (eg see The Twelve Tasks of Asterix).

Ah, but of course, how could I forget my most favoured example of chaos in the office!  I grew up on this film, and still have my original VHS from the early 80s, cherished so very highly.  I'm not sure the human brain is meant to cope with such rigid conformity.  Hence the tendancy to blow gaskets on a regular basis in the office.  I find a Dilbert a day keeps the serious doom and gloom at bay

[meekon5]

...I find a Dilbert a day keeps the serious doom and gloom at bay

[Rev. Ed C]

We have a Dilbert calender.  I've been saving all the best bits of Wally this year

This is one of my faves from back in May: