Mencius said, “To act without understanding and do so habitually without examination, following certain courses all their lives without knowing the principles behind them—this is the way of the multitude.” [Book of Mencius 7A:5]
In the
Book of Mencius 7A:5, Mencius stated the way of the multitude. Mencius talks
about what most of the people do. The multitude, as said by Mencius, simply follows
what is practiced by many and by the people who were generations ahead of him.
The way of the multitude follows simply what they have seen and done for a long
time without trying to understand why do they do so or without knowing the
principles why it should be done this way. The multitude simply follows the
surviving tradition the men from the old have done without looking behind what
made it survive. They simply trace the footsteps of the old without asking why
did they chose to venture that way.
A better
example for this is the continuous practice of the people of putting a metal
spoon in the casserole while tenderizing meat. A person who follows the way of
the multitude simply follows this technique of cooking without knowing the
principle behind it. If that person who follows the way of the multitude is
asked why she put a metal spoon in the casserole while cooking meat, she might
just answer—“it is because it is what I saw my mother does or all those before
me do when they cook meat. It works well in tenderizing meat faster.” But if
asked, what makes it tenderize meat faster? She could not answer.
A
chun-tzu or the wise man is not like this. A wise man differs from the way of
the multitude with the main reason that he doesn’t simply follow without understanding.
A chun-tzu asks and learn the principles behind it and if the principle behind
it proves to make his work more effective and it makes him more efficient, then
he follows. A chun-tzu does not follow tradition blindly but he follows while
seeing the reason behind his actions.
A
chun-tzu would not follow just because it is what he saw. Therefore, in cooking
meat, to make tenderizing meat faster, he first will ask—‘what is it in putting
a metal spoon while cooking meat tenderizes it faster?’ A chun-tzu will look
behind its principles. Looking further into the details of his actions, he
might just discover that the metal spoon serves as a conductor of heat. And if
put into a casserole of meat that is to be cooked, it conducts heat and makes
the temperature rise and it will fasten the tenderizing of meat. This might be
the reason or principle behind it or he might discover other principles behind
it. But the main point is, the chun-tzu will discover what made it possible.
Therefore, if for example he doesn’t have a metal spoon while cooking meat, he
will not have the dilemma of finding a metal spoon. He will just find something
that is metal that could serve as a conductor of heat which is the reason that
makes the tenderizing of meat faster. Therefore, a chun-tzu who knows and
learns the principle behind every action that he makes, will never have the
problem of substituting something with another. A chun-tzu will be able to
formulate solutions to his every problem and makes his every action less prone
to errors because he doesn’t follow blindly. A chun-tzu does not make his
actions a product of habit or tradition but he makes sure that his every action
is well-thought of therefore, less chances of committing mistakes.
A
chun-tzu cultivates himself to be wise. And what makes him wise is his knowledge
and wisdom of looking behind the principles of his every action which makes him
less prone to mistakes that he would regret. A chun-tzu, because his every
actions are well-thought of have lesser regrets. Unlike the way of the
multitude who follows the dust of their forefathers without knowing their reason
of doing so have more regrets. It is simply because their every action are out
of habit and not well thought of thus, they are more prone to committing
mistakes, then they regret.
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