Surrender as a non-stupid life strategy

gibbitz

It must be nice to choose this approach to life. For most people it is hoisted on them. You want to have a place to live you take a job the job doesn't pay enough, you take another. Your parents get old you take care of them. You have a child you need more money, you get another job. That job takes your time you don't know your kid. Etc.etc. Having no agency is the dream of people who waste having agency. Not surprising there's no explanation of what "achieving all my goals in my 20's" means or the lack of explaining how they got there. The author likely doesn't realize how privilege influences their worldview and I don't fault them for it, but as readers we do need to bring this awareness with us. Giving up agency is a concept that somehow has traction today in a country founded on every citizen having agency that can only work if we have a complete lack of self awareness.

valleyer

> By contrast, you can, right now, try believing that what’s happening is what’s supposed to be happening, in exactly the right order. My government is currently killing people for looking Mexican. Any advice for how I should apply this belief there?

t0mpr1c3

Dude. Here on HN the only Tao we want to hear about is Terence.

tanseydavid

I loved this piece. The value is in the abstract concepts NOT in specific cases people are posting. It is about the deliberate management over one's own internal state which is the only thing one has true control over. Resentment, especially so-called justified-resentment literally steals from other parts of my life experience that are not connected in any way to the person, place, thing or situation that I am feeling resentment towards. It is ultimately a choice but not an easy or obvious choice. Every decision I ever make no matter how trivial it seems, has an associated sacrifice connected to it. Much of the time I want to think and act as if this were not the case.

robbiejs

Thank you for writing this. It resonates with me at this moment in my life! :-)

shaggie76

This post immediately reminded me of the Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff (a charming introduction to Taoism). I think it's one of the rare books I've read more than twice and I highly recommend it.