Taoism

Taoism: A Perspective to Transcend Cultural Indoctrination

Cultural values are so embedded in the minds of individuals that opposing viewpoints are often viewed as unworthy, absurd, or just plain wrong. This attitude, known as ethnocentrism, can be seen within cultures as well as between cultures. It is an attitude that makes one feel superior to those who are different, and it provides such obvious answers that a person does not examine his or her own thoughts and behavior critically. Ethnocentrism and cultural distance work together to create perceived dissimilarity. Dissimilarity results in conflict, and conflict results in negative stereotypes. To view everything about an individualist culture, such as Canada, as better than that of a collectivist culture, such as China, or vice versa, or to ask questions that lead to choosing between the two will only propogate the problem further. The traditional Taoist philosophy of China which places humankind in, not apart from, nature has already contributed essential elements to the personal philosophies of some Canadians who once held strict orthodox Western views of humankind as sinners and masters of all. I will attempt to show how acceptance of Taoism, through a spiri

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The belief that human life is intrinsically more valuable than other living things in nature is precisely that which creates conflict and makes suffering possible. For an analysis of the basis of historical religious myths and symbols, see Patterns in Comparative Religion, Mircea Eliade, Sheed & Ward Ltd. However, from the moment an infant begins understanding, it becomes restricted by the social conventions and cultural traditions of its parents, and thereby loses that spontaneous and natural instinctiveness. Other persons outside oneself are real. Vehicles look like ants; farm fields appear the size of postage stamps; and, if people are in this view, they aren't distinguishable at all. He explains that our ability to understand ourselves and others is conditioned by our own patterns of making sense of things and determing their value. ,427)

From a Westerner's viewpoint, this type of education is paramount to understanding differences between the world's people. The contemplative methods of a Taoist sage are aimed at transcending all attributes of every kind. Acceptance of both as real follow accepting Tao. Opposites, as pleasure and pain, desire and repulsion, the agreeable and the disagreeable, are erased from his awareness.

Eastern philosophers had very different theories than those formulated in the West. We can never know how a bird or fish perceives the world because our understanding is severely restricted by a single-sidedness.

I will conclude with a brief description of an attitude important to understanding foreign perspectives.

Approximate Word count = 3082
Approximate Pages = 12 (250 words per page double spaced)

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