Zizhang said,
“In the past Jie and Zhou reveled in being sovereign
and possessed all the wealth in the world.
If you now say to a grasping man, ‘Your conduct
is like that of Jie and Zhou,’ he will look contrite
and will object to the charge,
for even the smallest men despise them.

Confucius and Mo Di, on the other hand,
were poor, common men.
Yet if you were to say to a chief minister,
‘your conduct is like that of Confucius of Mo Di,
‘he will be put out of countenance and remonstrate
that he is not worthy of the comparison,
for those two philosophers
are held in high esteem by all scholars.

Therefore to be a powerful sovereign
does not bring high esteem, or in being poor
and common contempt.
The difference between being thought noble or base
stems from the action being right or wrong.

                    ~*~

Man Goude said,
“Small robbers are put in prison;
great robbers become lords and rulers.
It is at the gates of lords
that benevolence and righteousness
will be found.

In the past Xiao Bai, Duke Huan of Qi,
killed his brother and made his sister-in-law
his wife, and yet Guan Zhong served as his minister.
Tian Chang killed his ruler
and occupied the state, and yet Confucius received
gifts from him. In their discourse
people denounce these men
but in their actions they submit to them.
No doubt these words and actions
must have been in conflict
within themselves.

As it is said in a book, “Who is bad? Who is good?
The successful is regarded as the head
and the unsuccessful as the tail.

Zhuangzi trans. by Hyun Höchsmann and Yang Guorong, Book 29 Robber Zhi

This dialog, or better put a duel of concepts regarding ethics, behavior in company of others, continues between Zizhang and Man Goude. Why be good? What ethical position pays? And how?

Zizhang advocates a traditional, time-honored view of proper conduct and the reputation accorded this behavior. The Confucian standard deems behavior ethical or not, on its face, having nothing to do with affluence, or with celebrity emulation (Confucius and Mo Di were celebrities). Noble deeds are within reach for everyone. Resolve to behave ethically in your social relations.

The opposing position advanced by Man Goude is one of political realism. You’ve got to be a ‘success’ says Man Goude. “Law” sanctions the small time embezzler, or the corner drug dealer. One desiring success must scale up, so that he/she insinuates his influence into the system. Then “greatness” amounts to influence, (the injustice and violent behavior is overlooked). Nothing is out-of-bounds for the successful man. Fratricide, violent overthrow of the state, are examples of political realism. Power ought to be seized in the interest of anyone strong enough to take it. 

(The irony of this argument appears when reference is made to “a book” as if the endorsement of antiquity suffices to secure the point.)

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Americans in the 21st century likely find the position of Man Goude persuasive. At present America’s Chief Executive unashamedly attempted violent insurrection, patronized human trafficking, and now today – directs mass killing and coercion of foreign peoples to distract from his former crimes. Naturally lying, dissimulation, weaponized words are a go-to tactic for securing power.

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Shall we find solace in this tune? Composed by Bruce Springsteen, Blinded by the Light has a taoist flavor of a way that defies definition. The tune was a hit for Manfred Mann’s Earth Band. This Youtube shows the song as it was performed in 1975.