Interpretations of Confucianism - Essay Example

The Changing Interpretations of Confucianism It would not be a mistake to suggest that one of the peculiarities of the human civilization is the role that various spiritual as well as ethical teachings play in it. Indeed, such peculiar relationship between the abstract values and actual life is not found anywhere beyond the boundaries of the society which is formed by humans, This paper will provide a personal reflection on some of the most fundamental elements of Confucianism and broader issues that should be engaged in the discussion of it. To begin with, it may be rather surprising to learn that the value of effect that Confucianism is able to have on the world should be analyze with regard to one of the principles which are thought to be essential at the present day, namely democracy. Indeed, while the majority of the people think that the latter is the best way to organize the social environment, they can hardly explain why some countries who are the active proponents of it actually face many challenges. It is thought that the above mentioned tradition is likely to suggest that the society has not been able to organize its inner structure correctly and the lack of effectiveness of the modern democracies is the inevitable consequence of this misbalance. I agree with the idea that Confucianism might make sure that the social environment will return back to norm which was exactly what this philosopher was striving for in this contemporary society. I believe that this is a rather novel approach towards the issue of democracy which has not been taken into account by the thinkers of the West. In other words, the philosophy which originated in a different civilization is able to help in the process of implementation of the most essential value that was developed by the Western civilization. The next broad issue which was brought up in the context of discussion of Confucianism is ecological sustainability. It was rather surprising for me to learn that this aspect of the world is engaged in the consideration of abstract ethical values. However, I agree that the current state of affairs and the way the humanity treats the nature stands for lack of correct understanding of one’s role in the world. In other words, the ongoing process of climate change as well as negative effects that industrial production has on the environment shows the mankind is not able to organize its activity properly. This means that the above mentioned situations should be seen as a sign that the humanity advanced in the wrong direction .While Confucianism does not hold specific advices with regard to ecological improvement, some of its provisions may be interpreted in a way that would help to save the world. Indeed, one can hardly argue that the harmony which is brought by this teaching into the society might also be extended towards the relationship between people and nature. As a result, the global climatic problems that are currently witness might be seen as conflicts between the two parties which can be solved. Another issue that was brought up in the discussion is the economic problems that the global community is currently facing. It is quite understandable that issuing more money will not defeat global poverty. In addition to that, economic development of one part of the world will not lead to any improvements in a different one. In other words, the root of the economic problems of the modernity is global inequality which stands for the lack of balance in the world. Confucianism is surely not part of any economic theory, but it will allow people to achieve the desired level of equality that will later be translated into economic improvement through indirect means. I believe that this is the positive impact that implementation of principles of the above mentioned tradition will have on the world. As it has already been mentioned, Confucianism does not hold any specific provisions which can be implemented in the realm of Economics; however, the general principles which are promoted by it will have a positive impact on the global community in the long run. Indeed, an important part of Confucianism is dedicated to finding harmony within the social environment which is thought to be achieved through respect of diversity. It was quite insightful for me to learn that the idea of harmony that is promoted in the Eastern society is different from the one which was developed in the Western. Thus, the latter often relies on uniformity which ensures that people will feel equal through external factors, though retaining the feeling of inequality inside of them. On the other hand, the Eastern tradition as it is manifested in Confucianism will make sure that diversity of the people is respected so that they all could retain the place in the society that suits them the most, even though it may be different in some external aspects. There is no doubt that this should be considered to be one of the most essential differences between the two civilizations as it results in a completely different organization of the social environment and deals with the tension that can be observed within the society. I was glad to learn that Confucianism holds some practical advice for the people who are willing to improve their quality of living. For example, I found the discussion about three kinds of good friends extremely helpful. Indeed, every kind which was noted constitutes an important part of life of a person. That is why it will be quite beneficial for a person to find people who will be able to contribute this particular aspect into one’s life. However, I believe that it is possible to meet a person who can play two or even three roles that were identified by Confucius. So, this would be the best friend for a person. While considering the emphasis that this spiritual tradition puts on friends and other people, one might suggest that this is conditioned by the idea that our social environment mirrors our own inner world. In other words, one might understand some fundamental parts of personality of a different person by just looking at his or her friends. Keeping this in mind, I believe that there is no wonder to Confucius develop certain standard for makings friend which I find quite helpful and valuable. It is quite obvious that people might turn to Confucianism in order to find a solution to their problems that they face in their ordinary lives. So, this spiritual tradition does not only hold some abstract provisions, but also quite detailed instructions with regard to various areas of life. Another concept that I liked very much which analyzing the fundamental beliefs of Confucianism is the connection between actions and words. I do acknowledge that this is one of the major dichotomies on life of a person, but I always treated it as some kind of an example that is used in Philosophy. Contrary to that, Confucius was able to develop a comprehensible concept, according to which a highly moral person will always favor actions over words and will be highly ashamed if one talked more than did. This means that a person should make sure that one’s deeds outnumber one’s words and refrain from talking if this is not the case. However, one of the ideas which I learned why researching material concerning Confucianism has a tremendous impact on me. I find the story about three workers who were building a church quite insightful and helpful. According to it, there are three kinds of approaches towards the world: the pessimistic one which suggests that life is nothing but a hard work that must be done for some unexplained reasons; the professional one which acknowledges the actions that are carried out at the present moment are designed to achieve some kind of a goal; and the idealistic one which allows a person to focus on the ultimate goal of every activity. There is no doubt that Confucians encourages people to develop the third approach towards life and make sure that the obstacles that a person sees on a daily basis do not narrow one’s outlook down. One of the most significant ideas that I was able to develop from the above mentioned concept is that every action that is performed by me should be a step in the direction of my ultimate goal. For example, now when I am writing this paper I should not focus my mind on generating a meaningful text or doing an assignment. It would be highly advantageous for me to understand how writing this paper will help me become a better human. I believe that if I treat every action that I make as a way to achieve my desired goal, my life will be full of meaning and the routine work that I want to avoid might be regarded as a platform for continuous perfection. I think that the ultimate goal which that is worth achieving is being the superior man – the concept which is a key to the teaching of Confucius. Read More