Expert: Joe McSorley - 2/27/2011

Question
How far should inaction go? Are Taoists comfortably with the possibility that without working they may end up out on the streets or entirely dependent upon the kindness of others? What are your true opinions on governance? We know that order is something that is shied away from, instead almost focusing on an anarchist like approach, but does the average Tao approve of having a government? What do Taos think of Confucians and Buddhists?

Answer
Hello Dennis,
  You did not define what you are calling inaction. Non- action/inaction or non-doing is generally a greatly misunderstood concept in Taoism.  It is not a simplistic non-action.  The original term for it is wei-wu-wei or doing without doing.  The way most people express it is in the negative as just ‘no doing’ or no voluntary action but that is misleading and wrong, so the West interprets it as you have.  It is an action beyond ego action that Taoism is talking about.  Here’s an example.  To become proficient at playing a musical instrument you need to practice.  This practice is ‘doing’.  The more you practice the more you are ‘doing’ but you hope to reach a point where your playing becomes unconscious so that you are no longer ‘doing’.  When you reach this point you are doing it without doing, no voluntary action, you are moving freely.  Now practicing the scales got you there but practicing the scales is not ‘it’.  You need to transcend the doing to get to the non-doing.  Most people mistake this non-doing as being placid and blank but it is the exact opposite, it is active and dynamic.  So through meditation or any other practice you strive to reach the point that you are no longer doing it, you are ‘it’.   From this standpoint you are not relying on the kindness of others, rather, you are deeply involved in living fully while working.  It is not a removal from society.
   Lao Tzu hoped that he would create sage kings by his teachings so that they would govern with compassion and honesty.  I think the truth of the matter is that when you are driven by your ego to be a ruler/politician then the chances of overcoming your ego are greatly diminished.  You can only govern to the limits of your own ability and must humans are preoccupied with their own myopic view of the world and thus impose that view on the masses.  Everyone thinks their individual view of ‘reality’ is the correct view and some think it should be imposed on others. This is where the concept of conversion comes in; you must believe what I believe in even if there is no substance to my belief.  Power structures, societal structures exist throughout nature whether it be a beehive, pride of lions or a troop of chimps; there is a natural place for it. In humans it is corrupted by our own self interests.
   Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism have gotten along fine side by side together in China for centuries.  Since Taoism is a practice and not a belief system it tends to try to integrate what is useful from all systems.
              I hope this helps you. Take care,
             Joe