I honestly wouldn't quote Edison or rolemodel him in any way, especially in a taoist context. He was a trader and entrepreneur, profiting mostly from hard labour of others, not unlike Steve Jobs or Elon Musk. Would you find quoting Elon here appropriate, dear Author? :)
quote:
>Edison was legally credited with most of the inventions produced there, though many employees carried out research and development under his direction. His staff was generally told to carry out his directions in conducting research, and he drove them hard to produce results.
Thank you Vaxquis for your thoughtful response, you are absolutely right.
In quoting Edison, I didn’t mean to present him as a role model, especially not within a Taoist framework. Rather, I intended to use his example to highlight patience as a dynamic quality, as a kind of tension between individual vision and collective effort, which itself is worth examining through a Taoist lens.
Taoism often draws on metaphors from nature. For instance, water is considered powerful precisely because it is patient, flexible, and persistent, flowing around obstacles rather than confronting them directly. This reflects key Taoist values such as non-resistance, acceptance, balance, and natural flow, all of which involve and cultivate patience.
As the Tao Te Ching says:
“Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear?”
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 15 (Stephen Mitchell translation)
So yes, patience is essential to living in tune with the Tao. But you are right, the same idea could apply to figures like Jobs or Musk, whose visionary images often eclipse the collective efforts that made their innovations possible. It is worth reflecting on whom we choose to quote and why, especially in philosophical contexts like this.
I appreciate your insights, and I am here to learn from visionary thinkers like you and Patrick. Thank you again for engaging so deeply!
I honestly wouldn't quote Edison or rolemodel him in any way, especially in a taoist context. He was a trader and entrepreneur, profiting mostly from hard labour of others, not unlike Steve Jobs or Elon Musk. Would you find quoting Elon here appropriate, dear Author? :)
quote:
>Edison was legally credited with most of the inventions produced there, though many employees carried out research and development under his direction. His staff was generally told to carry out his directions in conducting research, and he drove them hard to produce results.
Good catch!
Thank you Vaxquis for your thoughtful response, you are absolutely right.
In quoting Edison, I didn’t mean to present him as a role model, especially not within a Taoist framework. Rather, I intended to use his example to highlight patience as a dynamic quality, as a kind of tension between individual vision and collective effort, which itself is worth examining through a Taoist lens.
Taoism often draws on metaphors from nature. For instance, water is considered powerful precisely because it is patient, flexible, and persistent, flowing around obstacles rather than confronting them directly. This reflects key Taoist values such as non-resistance, acceptance, balance, and natural flow, all of which involve and cultivate patience.
As the Tao Te Ching says:
“Do you have the patience to wait till your mud settles and the water is clear?”
— Tao Te Ching, Chapter 15 (Stephen Mitchell translation)
So yes, patience is essential to living in tune with the Tao. But you are right, the same idea could apply to figures like Jobs or Musk, whose visionary images often eclipse the collective efforts that made their innovations possible. It is worth reflecting on whom we choose to quote and why, especially in philosophical contexts like this.
I appreciate your insights, and I am here to learn from visionary thinkers like you and Patrick. Thank you again for engaging so deeply!