Confucius and the Programming Language of Power
Kongzi (Confucius) goes on and on about ritual. When to bow, how to sit, what kind of inner and outer coffin to use. It seems pointless.
I truly did not understand what Kongzi meant when he said “One governs a state by means of ritual” until I looked at the state I’m in. Are we so different?
What is the signing of a bill, the exchange of wedding rings, the Oscars? These are all rituals. We still use ritual to define our social order. That’s why we still have inauguration ceremonies and wear wigs in court. Our ritual only invisible to us because we’re swimming in it.
Ritual is still governs how people interact with each other and how rulers command us.
Ritual is the programming language of power, writ upon the people and the ministers of state. Hence Kongzi’s lessons still apply today. What Kongzi taught was how to learn this Matrix, how to understand it and — ultimately — how to command.
Kongzi don’t get no respect
Like any prophet in his own time, Kongzi was without honor in his own land. He was always talking about government, but never running one.
13.10 The Master said, “ ‘If someone…
