Confucius and the (non) wisdom of George W Bush….

I’ve been reading the Sayings of Confucius. It’s always strangely satisfying and somewhat eerie to me when ancient wisdom fits into modern times. I give you:

“On matters beyond his ken a gentleman speaks with caution. If names are not right, words are misused. When words are misused, affairs go wrong. When affairs go wrong, courtesy and music droop. When courtesy and music droop, law and justice fail. And when law and justice fail them, a people can move neither hand nor foot. So a gentleman must be ready to put names into speech, to put words into deed. A gentleman is nowise careless of words.”

So here, the Master has addressed the entire line of Republican spin regarding the war in Iraq, and, I believe, thrown a barb or two at Toby Keith.

Also:

“A proverb says ‘My one joy as king is that none withstand what I say.’ Now, if none withstand him when right, will it not be well? But if none withstand him when wrong, might not this saying all but wreck a kingdom?”

So get out there and vote!