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Confucianism: Confucius’ Answer

Reference: Confucianism
Reference: The World’s Religions by Huston Smith

[NOTE: In color are Vinaire’s comments.]

Tradition appeared to Confucius to be the device for appropriating from this glorious past prescriptions that could serve his own troubled times. 

Neither of these rival answers to the problem of social cohesion impressed Confucius. He rejected the Realists’ answer of force because it was clumsy and external. Force regulated by law can set limits to peoples’ dealings, but it is too crude to inspire their day-today, face-to-face exchanges. With regard to the family, for example, it can stipulate conditions of marriage and divorce, but it cannot generate love and companionship. This holds generally. Governments need what they cannot themselves provide: meaning and motivation. 

Confucius rejected the Realists’ answer of force because it was clumsy and external. 

As for the Mohists’ reliance on love, Confucius agreed with the Realists in dismissing it as utopian. A. C. Graham testifies to the decisiveness of Confucius’ victory on this point when he observes that in retrospect “Mohism has the appearance of being foreign, not merely to Confucian thinking, but to the whole of Chinese civilization. No one else finds it tolerable to insist that you should be as concerned for the other man’s family as for your own.” That love has an important place in life, we shall be hearing Confucius insist; but it must be supported by social structures and a collective ethos. To harp exclusively on love is to preach ends without means. Putting it this way helps us to appreciate Confucius’ conviction that the Realists and Mohists were equally mistaken, but in opposite ways. The Realists thought that governments could establish peace and harmony through the laws and force that are their domain. Mohists went to the opposite extreme; they assumed that personal commitment could do the job. This overlooks the fact that different circumstances and relationships prompt different sentiments and legitimize different responses. When asked, “Should one love one’s enemy, those who do us harm?” Confucius replied, “By no means. Answer hatred with justice, and love with benevolence. Otherwise you would waste your benevolence.” Confucius’ foremost disciple, Mencius, used this same logic to reject Mo Tzu’s call “to love all equally.” In ignoring the special affection members of one’s own family inspire, Mo Tzu showed himself to be unrealistic. 

Confucius rejected Mohists’ reliance on love because it was simply utopian. His answer was, “By no means. Answer hatred with justice, and love with benevolence. Otherwise you would waste your benevolence.”  

The West’s current approach to the social problem—through the cultivation of reason—probably did not occur to Confucius. If it had he would have dismissed it as not thought through. Those who hold an evolutionary view of intelligence, seeing it as increasing over the centuries, may argue that this was because he was dealing with society in its immaturity—when, like an adolescent, it was too old to spank but too young to reason with. It is more probable that insofar as this issue entered his consciousness at all, Confucius assumed that the mind operates in a context of attitudes and emotions that are conditioned by the individual’s group relationships. Unless experiences in this latter area dispose one to cooperate, upgraded reason is likely to do nothing but aid self-interest. Confucius was no child of the Enlightenment. He was closer to philosophers and psychologists who recognize that altruism is not much engendered by exhortation. 

The American society is like an adolescent, it is too old to spank but too young to reason with. It lacks the experience of a tradition that is inclusive of all people—like that of India.

Taking this for granted, Confucius was all but obsessed with tradition, for he saw it as the chief shaper of inclinations and attitudes. He loved tradition because he saw it as a potential conduit—one that could funnel into the present behavior patterns that had been perfected during a golden age in China’s past, the Age of the Grand Harmony. Because mores were then compelling, people conformed to them; because they were finely wrought, the conformation brought peace and happiness. Confucius may have idealized, even romanticized, this period when China was passing from the second millennium into the first and the Chou Dynasty was at its zenith. Unquestionably, he envied it and wished to replicate it as faithfully as he could. Tradition appeared to him to be the device for appropriating from this glorious past prescriptions that could serve his own troubled times. 

Tradition appeared to Confucius to be the device for appropriating from this glorious past prescriptions that could serve his own troubled times. 

Current social theorists would commend his line of thought. Socialization, they tell us,

has to be transmitted from the old to the young, and the habits and the ideas must be maintained as a seamless web of memory among the bearers of the tradition, generation after generation…. When the continuity of the traditions of civility is ruptured, the community is threatened. Unless the rupture is repaired, the community will break down into factional…wars. For when the continuity is interrupted, the cultural heritage is not being transmitted. The new generation is faced with the task of rediscovering and reinventing and relearning by trial and error most of what [it] needs to know…. No one generation can do this. 

Confucius spoke a different language, but he was working on this exact theme. 

Today, in America, the needed traditional values seems to have been encapsulated  in this little booklet: The Way to Happiness.

His regard, even reverence, for the past did not make him an antiquarian. He knew that changes had occurred that precluded the possibility of returning literally to the past. The year 500 B.C. was separated from the year 1000 (to use round numbers) by the Chinese having become individuals. They were now self-conscious and reflective. This being the case, spontaneous tradition—tradition that had emerged without conscious intent and had ruled villages without dissent—could no longer be counted on. Its alternative was deliberate tradition. When tradition is no longer spontaneous and unquestioned, it must be shored up and reinforced through conscious attention. 

When tradition is no longer spontaneous and unquestioned, it must be shored up and reinforced through conscious attention. 

The solution, simple to the ear but in substance profound, embodied the appositeness of social genius. In times of transition an effective proposal must meet two conditions. It must be continuous with the past, for only by tying in with what people have known and are accustomed to can it be generally accepted—“think not that I came to destroy; I came not to destroy but to fulfill” (Matthew 5:17). At the same time the answer must take clear-eyed account of developments that render the old answer unworkable. Confucius’ proposal met both requirements brilliantly. Continuity was preserved by keeping tradition stage center. Don’t rush, he seemed to be saying; let’s see how it was done in the past—we have heard his claim to being “simply a lover of the ancients.” With the perspicacity of a politician taking his stand on the Constitution, he appealed to the Classics as establishing the guidelines for his platform. Yet all the while he was interpreting, modifying, reformulating. Unknown to his people, we can feel confident, he was effecting a momentous reorientation by shifting tradition from an unconscious to a conscious foundation. 

Unknown to his people, Confucius was effecting a momentous reorientation by shifting tradition from an unconscious to a conscious foundation. 

Unknown to his people, and for the most part unknown to himself, we should add, for it would be a mistake to suppose that Confucius was fully aware of what he was doing. But genius does not depend upon full, self-conscious understanding of its creations. A poet may have less than a critic’s knowledge of why certain words were chosen; the lack in no way precludes the words from being right. Probably all exceptional creativity proceeds more by intuitive feel than by explicit discernment. Clearly, this was so with Confucius. He would not, he could not, have justified or even described his answer in the terms we have used. He merely conceived the answer in the first place, leaving to posterity the secondary task of trying to understand what he had done and why it proved to be effective. 

Confucius merely conceived the answer. He could not have justified or even described his answer in the terms we have used. 

The shift from spontaneous to deliberate tradition requires that the powers of critical intelligence be turned both to keeping the force of tradition intact, and to determining which ends tradition shall henceforth serve. A people must first decide what values are important to their collective well-being; this is why “among the Confucians the study of the correct attitudes was a matter of prime importance.” Then every device of education—formal and informal, womb to tomb—should be turned to seeing that these values are universally internalized. As one Chinese has described the process: “Moral ideas were driven into the people by every possible means—temples, theaters, homes, toys, proverbs, schools, history, and stories—until they became habits in daily life…. Even festivals and parades were [in this sense] religious in character.” By such means even a society constituted of individuals can (if it puts itself to the task) spin an enveloping tradition, a power of suggestion, that can prompt its members to behave socially even when the law is not looking. 

The traditional moral ideas should be driven into the people by every possible means—temples, festivals, theaters, parades, homes, toys, proverbs, schools, history, and stories—until they became habits in daily life.

The technique pivots around what sociologists call “patterns of prestige.” Every group has such patterns. In teenage gangs they may include toughness and outrageous floutings of convention; in monasteries, holiness and humility are valued. Whatever its content a pattern-of-prestige embodies the values the leaders of the group admire. Followers, taking their cues from leaders whom they admire, come to respect their values and are disposed to enact them—partly because they, too, have come to admire them, and partly to win peer approval.

The technique pivots around what sociologists call “patterns of prestige.” In teenage gangs they may include toughness and outrageous floutings of convention.

It is a powerful routine, perhaps the only one by which distinctively human values ever permeate large groups. For nearly two thousand years the first sentence a Chinese child, living in the direct light of Confucius, was taught to read was not, “Look, look; look and see,” but rather “Human beings are by nature good.” We may smile at the undisguised moralizing, but every nation needs it. The United States has its story of George Washington and the cherry tree and the moralisms of the McGuffey Reader. The Romans’ renown for discipline and obedience fed on their legend of the father who condemned his son to death for winning a victory against orders. Did Nelson actually say, “England expects every man to do his duty”? Did Francis I really exclaim, “All is lost save honor”? It doesn’t much matter. The stories express national ideals, and shape peoples to their image. Similarly, the interminable anecdotes and maxims of Confucius’ Analects were designed to create the prototype of what the Chinese hoped the Chinese character would become.

The interminable anecdotes and maxims of Confucius’ Analects were designed to create the prototype of what the Chinese hoped the Chinese character would become.

The Master said: “The true gentleman is friendly but not familiar; the inferior man is familiar but not friendly.” 

Tsu King asked: “What would you say of the person who is liked by all his fellow townsmen?” “That is not sufficient,” was the reply. “What is better is that the good among his fellow townsmen like him, and the bad hate him.” 

The Master said: “The well-bred are dignified but not pompous. The ill-bred are pompous, but not dignified.” 

Once when Fan Ch’ih was rambling along with the Master under the trees at the Rain Altars, he remarked: “May I venture to ask how one may improve one’s character, correct one’s personal faults, and discriminate in what is irrational?” 

“An excellent question,” rejoined the Master. “If one puts duty first and success after, will not that improve one’s character? If one attacks one’s own failings instead of those of others, will that not remedy personal faults? For a morning’s anger to forget one’s own safety and that of one’s relatives, is not this irrational?”

Confucius was creating for his countrymen their second nature which, to complete the statement of the social analyst that was begun several paragraphs back, is what people receive when they become civilized.

This second nature is made in the image of what [people are] living for and should become…. Full allegiance to the community can be given only by a man’s second nature, ruling over his first and primitive nature, and treating it as not finally himself. Then the disciplines and the necessities and the constraints of a civilized life have ceased to be alien to him, and imposed from without. They have become his own inner imperatives.

Confucius was creating for his countrymen their second nature which is what people receive when they become civilized.

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Happiness: Precept 12-3

Reference: The Happiness Rundown

12-3. Help take care of the planet

The idea that one has a share in the planet and that one can and should help care for it may seem very large and to some, quite beyond reality. But today what happens on the other side of the world, even so far away, can effect what happens in your own home. 

Recent discoveries by space probes to Venus have shown that our own world could be deteriorated to a point where it would no longer support life. And it possibly could happen in one’s own lifetime. 

Cut down too many forests, foul too many rivers and seas, mess up the atmosphere and we have had it. The surface temperature can go roasting hot, the rain can turn to sulphuric acid. All living things could die. 

One can ask, “Even if that were true, what could I do about it?” Well, even if one were simply to frown when people do things to mess up the planet, one would be doing something about it. Even if one only had the opinion that it was just not a good thing to wreck the planet and mentioned that opinion, one would be doing something. 

Care of the planet begins in one’s own front yard. It extends through the area one travels to get to school or work. It covers such places as where one picnics or goes on vacation. The litter which messes up the terrain and water supply, the dead brush which invites fire, these are things one need not contribute to and which, in otherwise idle moments, one can do something about. Planting a tree may seem little enough but it is something. 

In some countries, old people, the unemployed, do not just sit around and go to pieces: they are used to care for the gardens and parks and forests, to pick up the litter and add some beauty to the world. There is no lack of resources to take care of the planet. They are mainly ignored. One notes that the Civilian Conservation Corps in the U.S., organized in the 1930s to absorb the energies of unemployed officers and youth, was one of the few, if not the only project of that depressed era that created far more wealth for the state than was expended. It reforested large areas and did other valuable things that cared for the U.S. part of the planet. One notes that the C.C.C. no longer exists. One can do as little as add one’s opinion that such projects are worthwhile and support opinion leaders and organizations that carry on environmental work. 

There is no lack of technology. But technology and its application cost money. Money is available when sensible economic policies, policies which do not penalize everyone, are followed. Such policies exist. 

There are many things people can do to help take care of the planet. They begin with the idea that one should. They progress by suggesting to others that they should. 

Man has reached the potential capacity to destroy the planet. He must be pushed on up to the capability and actions of saving it. It is, after all, what we’re standing on.

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Exercise

0. Make sure you have completed the exercise section at Happiness: Precept 12-2. Study the precept above.

1. Check the responses to the following questions for false data (see false data steps at Happiness: Prologue).

(a) “Have you been told or taught not to take care of the planet?”
(b) “Do you have any rules or ideas contrary to taking care of the planet?”
(c) “Have you been led to believe that you shouldn’t help take care of the planet?”
(d) “Do you know of anything that conflicts with helping take care of the planet?”
(e) “Do you have any false data about helping to take care of the planet?”

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2. Go over each of the following questions repetitively, until there are no more answers: 

(a) “How have others transgressed against the precept: ‘Help take care of the planet’?”
(b) “How have you transgressed against the precept: ‘Help take care of the planet’?”

Do a quick review to see if you did not miss any answers on this step. You should be feeling good about this step.

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3. See if the following question definitely brings up some name you know of:

“Is there any specific person in your past who really transgressed against the precept: ‘Help take care of the planet’?”

If no name comes up then go to step 4. if a name has come up, then continue with step 3 as follows:

“Can you recall an exact moment when you observed ___(name)___ transgressing this precept?”

If there is a realization, go to step 4. Otherwise, continue contemplating as follows, until there is some realization.

“Is there any time when you wanted to be like ___(name)___ ?” 
“Is there any time when you decided that not helping take care of the planet was a good thing?”
“Did you ever do anything bad to ___(name)___ ? 
(Get all possible answers)
“Are there any differences between ___(name)___ and yourself?”
“Are there any similarities between ___(name)___  and yourself?”

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4. Handle any anomalies that come up on the following question by looking at the anomaly more closely. 

”Do you have any reservations about helping take care of the planet?”

If the anomaly does not resolve then review the precept as well as all the exercise steps above to see if anything was missed. Then do step 4 again. When there is no anomaly go to step 5.

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5. Contemplate on the following question.

“Do you have any reservations about getting someone else to help take care of the planet?” 

If any reservation comes up, then consider the following: 

“How would that be a problem?” 

Get answers to this question until there are no reservations.

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Wrap up Precept 12

0. Review Precept 12.

1. Contemplate over the following question.

“Is there any conflict between safeguarding and improving your environment and any other ideas you have encountered?”

Handle any conflict with false data steps.

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2. Go over each of the following questions repetitively, until there are no more answers: 

“Have you thought of any other transgressions of others against the precept: ‘Safeguard and improve your environment?”
“Have you thought of any other transgressions of your own against the precept: ‘Safeguard and improve your environment?”
“During these sessions have you thought of any withhold?”

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3. Consider this question:

“Do you have any feeling that you wouldn’t be yourself if you followed the precept: ‘Safeguard and improve your environment’?”

If this is not the case, go to the Step 4. Otherwise, ask yourself,

“Can you recall any person who felt the way you do about the precept: ‘Safeguard and improve your environment?”

If no name comes up then go to step 4. if a name has come up, then continue with step 3 as follows:

“Can you recall an exact moment when you observed ___(name)___ transgressing this precept?”

If there is a realization, go to step 4. Otherwise, continue contemplating as follows, until there is some realization.

“Is there any time when you wanted to be like ___(name)___ ?” 
“Is there any time when you decided that not safeguarding and improving your environment was a good thing?”
“Did you ever do anything bad to ___(name)___ ? 
(Get all possible answers)
“Are there any differences between ___(name)___ and yourself?”
“Are there any similarities between ___(name)___  and yourself?”

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4. Check over the following questions. and handle any anomalies that come up.

“Do you have any other considerations about safeguarding and improving your environment ?”
“Do you have any other considerations about other’s safeguarding and improving the environment ?”

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Happiness: Precept 12-2

Reference: The Happiness Rundown

12-2. Take care of your own area

When people mess up their own possessions and area, it can slop over into your own. 

When people seem to be incapable of caring for their own things and places, it is a symptom of their feeling that they don’t really belong there and don’t really own their own things. When young, the things they were “given” had too many cautions and strings attached or were taken away from them by brothers, sisters or parents. And they possibly did not feel welcome. 

The possessions, the rooms and work spaces, the vehicles of such people advertise that they are not really the property of anyone. Worse, a sort of rage against possessions can sometimes be seen. Vandalismis a manifestation of it: the house or car “nobody owns” is soon ruined. 

Those who build and try to maintain low-income housing are often dismayed by the rapidity with which ruin can set in. The poor, by definition, own little or nothing. Harassed in various ways, they also come to feel they do not belong. 

But whether rich or poor, and for whatever reason, people who do not take care of their possessions and places can cause disorder to those about them. I am sure you can think of such instances. 

Ask such people what they really do own in life and if they really belong where they are and you will receive some surprising answers. And help them a great deal too. 

The skill of organizing possessions and places can be taught. It can come as a new idea to someone that an item, when picked up and used, should be put back in the same place so it can be found again: some spend half their time just looking for things. A little time spent getting organized can pay off in speeded work: it is not the waste of time some believe. 

To protect your own possessions and places, get others to take care of theirs. 

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Exercise

0. Make sure you have completed the exercise section at Happiness: Precept 12-1. Study the precept above.

1. Check the responses to the following questions for false data (see false data steps at Happiness: Prologue).

(a) “Have you been told or taught not to take care of your own area?”
(b) “Do you have any rules or ideas contrary to taking care of your own area?”
(c) “Have you been led to believe that you shouldn’t take care of your own area?”
(d) “Do you know of anything that conflicts with taking care of your own area?”
(e) “Do you have any false data about taking care of your own area?”

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2. Go over each of the following questions repetitively, until there are no more answers: 

(a) “How have others transgressed against the precept: ‘Take care of your own area’?”
(b) “How have you transgressed against the precept: ‘Take care of your own area’?”

Do a quick review to see if you did not miss any answers on this step. You should be feeling good about this step.

.

3. See if the following question definitely brings up some name you know of:

“Is there any specific person in your past who really transgressed against the precept: ‘Take care of your own area’?”

If no name comes up then go to step 4. if a name has come up, then continue with step 3 as follows:

“Can you recall an exact moment when you observed ___(name)___ transgressing this precept?”

If there is a realization, go to step 4. Otherwise, continue contemplating as follows, until there is some realization.

“Is there any time when you wanted to be like ___(name)___ ?” 
“Is there any time when you decided that not taking care of your own area was a good thing?”
“Did you ever do anything bad to ___(name)___ ? 
(Get all possible answers)
“Are there any differences between ___(name)___ and yourself?”
“Are there any similarities between ___(name)___  and yourself?”

.

4. Handle any anomalies that come up on the following question by looking at the anomaly more closely. 

”Do you have any reservations about taking care of your own area?”

If the anomaly does not resolve then review the precept as well as all the exercise steps above to see if anything was missed. Then do step 4 again. When there is no anomaly go to step 5.

.

5. Contemplate on the following question.

“Do you have any reservations about getting someone else to take care of their own area?” 

If any reservation comes up, then consider the following: 

“How would that be a problem?” 

Get answers to this question until there are no reservations.

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Happiness: Precept 12-1

Reference: The Happiness Rundown

12-1. Be of good appearance

It sometimes does not occur to some individuals—as they do not have to spend their days looking at themselves—that they form part of the scenery and appearance of others. And some do not realize that they are judged by others on the basis of their appearance. 

While clothes can be expensive, soap and the other tools of self-care are not that hard to obtain. The techniques are sometimes difficult to dig up but can be evolved. 

In some societies, when they are barbaric or become very degraded, it can even be the fashion to be a public eyesore. Actually it is a symptom of a lack of self-respect. 

Exercising and working, one can become very messed up. But this does not rule out getting cleaned up. And as an example, some European and English workmen manage a style of appearance even when working. Some of the better athletes, one notices, look good despite being wringing wet with sweat. 

An environment disfigured with unkempt people can have a subtle, depressing effect on one’s morale. 

Encourage people around you to look good by complimenting them when they do or even gently helping them with their problems when they don’t. It could improve their self-regard and their morale as well.

.

Exercise

0. Make sure you have completed the exercise section at Happiness: Precept 12. Study the precept above.

1. Check the responses to the following questions for false data (see false data steps at Happiness: Prologue).

(a) “Have you been told or taught not to be of good appearance?”
(b) “Do you have any rules or ideas contrary to being of good appearance?”
(c) “Have you been led to believe that you shouldn’t be of good appearance?”
(d) “Do you know of anything that conflicts with being of good appearance?”
(e) “Do you have any false data about being of good appearance?”

.

2. Go over each of the following questions repetitively, until there are no more answers: 

(a) “How have others transgressed against the precept: ‘Be of good appearance’?”
(b) “How have you transgressed against the precept: ‘Be of good appearance’?”

Do a quick review to see if you did not miss any answers on this step. You should be feeling good about this step.

.

3. See if the following question definitely brings up some name you know of:

“Is there any specific person in your past who really transgressed against the precept: ‘Be of good appearance’?”

If no name comes up then go to step 4. if a name has come up, then continue with step 3 as follows:

“Can you recall an exact moment when you observed ___(name)___ transgressing this precept?”

If there is a realization, go to step 4. Otherwise, continue contemplating as follows, until there is some realization.

“Is there any time when you wanted to be like ___(name)___ ?” 
“Is there any time when you decided that being of good appearance didn’t matter?”
“Did you ever do anything bad to ___(name)___ ? 
(Get all possible answers)
“Are there any differences between ___(name)___ and yourself?”
“Are there any similarities between ___(name)___  and yourself?”

.

4. Handle any anomalies that come up on the following question by looking at the anomaly more closely. 

”Do you have any reservations about being of good appearances?”

If the anomaly does not resolve then review the precept as well as all the exercise steps above to see if anything was missed. Then do step 4 again. When there is no anomaly go to step 5.

.

5. Contemplate on the following question.

“Do you have any reservations about getting someone else to be of good appearance?” 

If any reservation comes up, then consider the following: 

“How would that be a problem?” 

Get answers to this question until there are no reservations.

.

Happiness: Precept 12

Reference: The Happiness Rundown

12. SAFEGUARD AND IMPROVE YOUR ENVIRONMENT

12-1. Be of good appearance. It sometimes does not occur to some individuals—as they do not have to spend their days looking at themselves—that they form part of the scenery and appearance of others. And some do not realize that they are judged by others on the basis of their appearance. 

While clothes can be expensive, soap and the other tools of self-care are not that hard to obtain. The techniques are sometimes difficult to dig up but can be evolved. 

In some societies, when they are barbaric or become very degraded, it can even be the fashion to be a public eyesore. Actually it is a symptom of a lack of self-respect. 

Exercising and working, one can become very messed up. But this does not rule out getting cleaned up. And as an example, some European and English workmen manage a style of appearance even when working. Some of the better athletes, one notices, look good despite being wringing wet with sweat. 

An environment disfigured with unkempt people can have a subtle, depressing effect on one’s morale. 

Encourage people around you to look good by complimenting them when they do or even gently helping them with their problems when they don’t. It could improve their self-regard and their morale as well.

12-2. Take care of your own area. When people mess up their own possessions and area, it can slop over into your own. 

When people seem to be incapable of caring for their own things and places, it is a symptom of their feeling that they don’t really belong there and don’t really own their own things. When young, the things they were “given” had too many cautions and strings attached or were taken away from them by brothers, sisters or parents. And they possibly did not feel welcome. 

The possessions, the rooms and work spaces, the vehicles of such people advertise that they are not really the property of anyone. Worse, a sort of rage against possessions can sometimes be seen. Vandalismis a manifestation of it: the house or car “nobody owns” is soon ruined. 

Those who build and try to maintain low-income housing are often dismayed by the rapidity with which ruin can set in. The poor, by definition, own little or nothing. Harassed in various ways, they also come to feel they do not belong. 

But whether rich or poor, and for whatever reason, people who do not take care of their possessions and places can cause disorder to those about them. I am sure you can think of such instances. 

Ask such people what they really do own in life and if they really belong where they are and you will receive some surprising answers. And help them a great deal too. 

The skill of organizing possessions and places can be taught. It can come as a new idea to someone that an item, when picked up and used, should be put back in the same place so it can be found again: some spend half their time just looking for things. A little time spent getting organized can pay off in speeded work: it is not the waste of time some believe. 

To protect your own possessions and places, get others to take care of theirs. 

12-3. Help take care of the planet. The idea that one has a share in the planet and that one can and should help care for it may seem very large and to some, quite beyond reality. But today what happens on the other side of the world, even so far away, can effect what happens in your own home. 

Recent discoveries by space probes to Venus have shown that our own world could be deteriorated to a point where it would no longer support life. And it possibly could happen in one’s own lifetime. 

Cut down too many forests, foul too many rivers and seas, mess up the atmosphere and we have had it. The surface temperature can go roasting hot, the rain can turn to sulphuric acid. All living things could die. 

One can ask, “Even if that were true, what could I do about it?” Well, even if one were simply to frown when people do things to mess up the planet, one would be doing something about it. Even if one only had the opinion that it was just not a good thing to wreck the planet and mentioned that opinion, one would be doing something. 

Care of the planet begins in one’s own front yard. It extends through the area one travels to get to school or work. It covers such places as where one picnics or goes on vacation. The litter which messes up the terrain and water supply, the dead brush which invites fire, these are things one need not contribute to and which, in otherwise idle moments, one can do something about. Planting a tree may seem little enough but it is something. 

In some countries, old people, the unemployed, do not just sit around and go to pieces: they are used to care for the gardens and parks and forests, to pick up the litter and add some beauty to the world. There is no lack of resources to take care of the planet. They are mainly ignored. One notes that the Civilian Conservation Corps in the U.S., organized in the 1930s to absorb the energies of unemployed officers and youth, was one of the few, if not the only project of that depressed era that created far more wealth for the state than was expended. It reforested large areas and did other valuable things that cared for the U.S. part of the planet. One notes that the C.C.C. no longer exists. One can do as little as add one’s opinion that such projects are worthwhile and support opinion leaders and organizations that carry on environmental work. 

There is no lack of technology. But technology and its application cost money. Money is available when sensible economic policies, policies which do not penalize everyone, are followed. Such policies exist. 

There are many things people can do to help take care of the planet. They begin with the idea that one should. They progress by suggesting to others that they should. 

Man has reached the potential capacity to destroy the planet. He must be pushed on up to the capability and actions of saving it. It is, after all, what we’re standing on.

If others do not help safeguard and improve the environment, the way to happiness could have no roadbed to travel on at all.

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Exercise

0. Make sure you have completed the exercise section at Happiness: Precept 11. Study the precept above.

1. Check the responses to the following questions for false data (see false data steps at Happiness: Prologue).

(a) “Have you been told or taught not to safeguard and improve your environment?”
(b) “Do you have any rules or ideas contrary to safeguarding and improving your environment?”
(c) “Have you been led to believe that you shouldn’t safeguard and improve your environment?”
(d) “Do you know of anything that conflicts with safeguarding and improving your environment?”
(e) “Do you have any false data about safeguarding and improving your environment?”

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2. Go over each of the following questions repetitively, until there are no more answers: 

(a) “How have others transgressed against the precept: ‘Safeguard and improve your environment’?”
(b) “How have you transgressed against the precept: ‘Safeguard and improve your environment’?”

Do a quick review to see if you did not miss any answers on this step. You should be feeling good about this step.

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3. See if the following question definitely brings up some name you know of:

“Is there any specific person in your past who really transgressed against the precept: ‘Safeguard and improve your environment’?”

If no name comes up then go to step 4. if a name has come up, then continue with step 3 as follows:

“Can you recall an exact moment when you observed ___(name)___ transgressing this precept?”

If there is a realization, go to step 4. Otherwise, continue contemplating as follows, until there is some realization.

“Is there any time when you wanted to be like ___(name)___ ?” 
“Is there any time when you decided that not safeguarding and improving your environment was a good thing?”
“Did you ever do anything bad to ___(name)___ ? 
(Get all possible answers)
“Are there any differences between ___(name)___ and yourself?”
“Are there any similarities between ___(name)___  and yourself?”

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4. Handle any anomalies that come up on the following question by looking at the anomaly more closely. 

”Do you have any reservations about safeguarding and improving your environment?”

If the anomaly does not resolve then review the precept as well as all the exercise steps above to see if anything was missed. Then do step 4 again. When there is no anomaly go to step 5.

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5. Contemplate on the following question.

“Do you have any reservations about getting someone else to safeguard and improve the environment?” 

If any reservation comes up, then consider the following: 

“How would that be a problem?” 

Get answers to this question until there are no reservations.

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