Good Confucianism book (pdf) - Department of Physics

196 Issueswho are “ just ” getting an Arts degree: whatever will they do with theirlives? They will not be able to make money and so the degree is useless.Many New Confucians credit Confucianism with an important rolein the economic success of East Asian countries, as we have just seen.Confucianism is a good thing because it leads to greater wealth. This,however, runs against classical and imperial Confucian ideas about money.Confucius says, “ Eating ordinary food, drinking water, and having one ’ selbow as a pillow – there is joy in this! Wealth and high position – whengotten improperly – are no more to me than passing clouds. ” 9 In theThousand Character Classic , the first book studied by children in muchof imperial China, merchants are given last place in the social structure.Throughout the Confucian tradition, making money was seen as somewhatundignified. It certainly took second place to becoming educated.So what are we to make of this? Following Confucianism does notexclude becoming wealthy, say some. Others argue that we cannot followConfucius by buying into the values of the modern world, particularly itsobsession with money.RitualWhile we are unlikely to want to return to a world of bows, curtseys, and“ at home days, ” any more than we would want to start wearing powderedwigs, Confucian ideas of ritual may be something we would want to consider.Ritual, defined as an exchange of mutual respect, is not a bad thing.Ritual is a moral action that ensures a proper, civilized society. Ritual iscivilized behavior and it can also function as a way to restrain our selfishnessand channel our emotions. Would the practice of ritual help us curethe modern - day blight of rudeness? Would teaching rituals to children makefor a better society? Would relationships based on ritual, rather than theexchange of money, lead to a better society or a worse one?We still practice rituals like weddings and funerals. One ritual thatWestern cultures no longer have is coming - of - age rituals. Maybe we should.One of the things that coming - of - age rituals do is to define what it is to bean adult. In Western culture, we see a continual infantilization of adults,who are not expected to act like adults, and, indeed, are encouraged to bechildish. 10 Conversely, in places like Taiwan and China there is a lot of conversationabout the notion of responsibility and what it means to be an adult.Filial PietyCan filial piety work in a modern society? When I survey my students, Ifind that most of them like the idea of filial piety, but understand it more