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Full Idea
Men of the highest calibre avoid political life completely.
Gist of Idea
Men of the highest calibre avoid political life completely
Source
Kongzi (Confucius) (The Analects (Lunyu) [c.511 BCE], XIV.37)
Book Ref
Confucius: 'The Sayings of Confucius', ed/tr. Ware,James R. [Mentor 1955], p.95
A Reaction
Plato notes that such people tend to avoid political life (and a left sheltering, as if from a wild storm!), but he thinks they should be dragged into the political arena for the common good. Confucius seems to approve of the avoidance. Plato is right.
23393 | Confucianism assumes that all good developments have happened, and there is only one Way [Norden on Kongzi (Confucius)] |
7358 | All men prefer outward appearance to true excellence [Kongzi (Confucius)] |
7357 | People who control others with fluent language often end up being hated [Kongzi (Confucius)] |
7359 | Excess and deficiency are equally at fault [Kongzi (Confucius)] |
7360 | Do not do to others what you would not desire yourself [Kongzi (Confucius)] |
7361 | Men of the highest calibre avoid political life completely [Kongzi (Confucius)] |
7362 | Humans are similar, but social conventions drive us apart (sages and idiots being the exceptions) [Kongzi (Confucius)] |
7363 | The virtues of the best people are humility, maganimity, sincerity, diligence, and graciousness [Kongzi (Confucius)] |