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Adaptation to the Temporary Demands
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The story goes that a family had a talented educated son who presented himself to the emperor's court to ask for a job. The sovereign told to himself: "These are peaceful times and this young man's skill could be valuable to me, so I'll hire him." Surely, such a privilege of belonging to the sovereign's suite brought about many benefits, both financial and social. Another young man
from another family, who was as gifted as the former one, found it proper to do the same thing. Only that the situation had changed. This time the sovereign told to himself: "We're living in hard times, the war is imminent; this aspirant's skill would do me nothing but trouble, therefore let them behead him!" The moral of this happening is concentrated in just a few words: in this world there is no principle of action valid under any circumstance. Human
action should take into account the "gamble" of circumstances. That is why one should better cultivate flair rather than undertake some rigorous intellectual activity with a definite aim.(1) The point of view rendered here refers us to one of the central Taoist concepts mentioned above: the adaptation to temporary conditions. Undoubtedly, our natural inclination to dress according to the external weather conditions is the most eloquent example of how
this principle is put into practice in our daily lives. It's obvious that adaptation to circumstances excludes pre-established rules of conduct that should be valid under any circumstance. Indeed
Amoral Position of Taoism On the ethical level, both adaptation to
circumstances and the flexibility in conduct suggest the Taoist's amoral position. Hence the feeling of neutrality, reserve, and caution - sometimes excessive - that results from the Taoist tales with anonymous characters or even masters. However, the Taoist's "absence" doesn't reflect an emotional void or the deliberate cultivation of detachment and indifference - as some people influenced by the Christian monastic ideology might think. Instead, it is
related to his tendency of forming a panoramic, unprejudiced view on the situation at hand, and it's also a logical consequence of his right dealing with a specific life situation that doesn't require his implicit intervention. Notes: ^
1. Lieh-tzu: The Classic of Perfect Emptiness, from Discourse on Conventions and Destiny, Chap. VII : The Gamble of Circumstances. The French version by Benedykt Grynpas,
Gallimard, 1961.
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