Sunday, April 17, 2011

Tao of Pooh


            I LOVE THIS BOOK. I read this book in one day because I couldn’t put it down. I loved how it was such a simply and easy read that related to my childhood favorite show. Winnie the Pooh was my hero growing up so this book really put him in perspective for me. I love how Pooh is described in the book with little brains but he is the only one that is happy and successful. What I mean by this is that he doesn’t have time to think because he just does with intuition and it always works for him. He gets everything done and has no stress or worries in his life. The whole book was entertaining and enjoyable
            I think the metaphor for America as a culture is right on. The busy Backsons really is how most people live their lives. I loved the line on page 94 saying, “all work and no play makes Backson a dull boy”. Besides the fact that it reminds me of the Shinning it’s a great way to put describe the lifestyle. Its so true how people think they have to always be doing something and always getting something done to be special or to be noticed or to matter. I also agree with the fact that if people do this to themselves and live this type of lifestyle and end up failing at it that they will be, as Benjamin Hoff says, “cursing the world, which is not to blame but which is there to help show the way”(99). And what Pooh had to respond to that was so adorable; he said those people end up burning their toast a lot.  People make life too hard when they can be happy and fulfilled just by being. (Circumstances don’t matter only a state of being)
            Taoism is how I live my life. Although just recently have I made that change and I have just now realized that it’s called Taoism. It’s the simplest secret to living your life and being happy.  You can make situations turn positive and you can be happy every morning you wake up. I think it’s the BEST solution to the MANY problems American culture has. Just as the example in the book about the stonecutter that was dissatisfied with his life. He worked his way up to something and every time something better came along he wanted it. Nothing was good enough until he was a stone building that seemed to be the most powerful thing until he looked down and saw that a stonecutter was chiseling him as he felt himself changing. It’s an ironic story that can be applied to many Americans. This book was great and Taoism is my favorite religion I have learned so far in my life. It just seems to work. 

3 comments:

  1. I liked your review and agree with you about how Taoism seems just to work and make sense. I've been trying to read positive reviews of the book because I didn't like it so much, and while I agree that it made the concepts easy to understand, I think I need a little more education on the subject, because the book seemed to "click" for you better than it did for me.

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  2. I also finished the book in a day and enjoyed it too. Probably not as much as you did but I still thought it was good. Placing Taoism in Pooh's perspective allows readers to relate with real-life examples, or examples that they would understand if they used to watch Winne-the-Pooh. I wish I was able to live a more Taoist life like you, but with being so acclimated to American society makes it difficult.

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  3. As you mentioned, it's really interesting that though Pooh is described as having little brain, he seems to be the one who's happiest with his life. I think that because Pooh doesn't take anything seriously, he doesn't really get disappointed. However, I think that the way Pooh lives his life is a bit optimistic compared to our world. Pooh doesn't have to deal with the stresses of our daily lives: he doesn't have to study for hours for exams, or wake up early every morning for work to earn money and pay bills, or resolve conflicts with friends or partners. Pooh lives in a different world than us. However, I do think that though we can't completely live like Pooh, we should incorporate his principles into our daily living so we aren't as serious as we are or get as stressed as we do. I especially like when you said that people make life too hard. Even if we don't get the A we've been studying nights for, or if we don't graduate on time, or if your relationship falls apart, it will be okay. Life will still go on. Of course we should aim to fulfill all of these things and continue being motivated and not give up, but if for some reason things just don't seem to work, it's not the end of the world. Maybe that's just the way it's suppose to happen (the natural, Pooh way), and we may end up appreciating the fact that things turned out the way they did at a later point in life.

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