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On first reading Thoughts from the Tao-te Ching was extremely confusing. How can one do nothing and yet leave nothing undone? What exactly does that mean? So I read it for a second time and this time I focused on the real world meaning of what this man was trying to say and I came to some conclusions. The Tao-te Ching was not only written for government officials, but for all people for a better life. In his writing, time after time, Lao-Tzu encourages the master to be democratic, letting the people govern themselves, peaceful toward enemies, and as a master, to be content with yourself and not try to change others. Democracy is something that we as Americans experience as a reality. But in the days of Lao-Tzu, the word democracy was non-existent. In his text Lao-Tzu brought up this idea of a happier society where the people govern themselves. “If you want to be a great leader, you must learn to follow the Tao. Stop trying to control. Let go of fixed plans and concepts, and the world will govern itself.” It has to be admitted that Lao-Tzu lived in a much simpler time than we do today. It was a time when the Greeks worshiped Gods such as Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, and Athena. As simple as it might have been, the words that this ancient philosopher spoke still stand true today. Paragraph 17 verse 4, Lao-tzu speaks of being a good master. “When the Master governs, the people are hardly aware that he exists.
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