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墨書 Inktalez
The reality is that those who are qualified do not necessarily criticize harshly; they are like generous elders who understand tolerance and compassion. In contrast, those who are unqualified often make a lot of noise, looking down from a moral high ground, pointing fingers and making judgments.
They elevate themselves through morality, as if standing on stilts to appear superior; they also use morality to cover their flaws, like draping a beautiful garment over their ugliness.
The problem is that once morality is hijacked, it often becomes very immoral. It is like a sword originally meant to protect justice being seized by evildoers, turning into a weapon that harms the good.
Sages may have already seen this asymmetry.
Thus, they advise that one should hold oneself accountable with the same heart used to judge others and forgive others with the same heart used to forgive oneself. The meaning of Sages is that a person must bravely return to themselves and engage in self-reflection.
When a bucket of dirty water is thrown at others, one should first check if they themselves are dirty. This is akin to looking in the mirror to see if one’s own face is covered in grime before accusing others of having dust on theirs.
Only by reflecting on oneself can one develop feelings of moral shame and guilt, leading to becoming more restrained and rational. A flower that has weathered storms retracts its flamboyant petals, becoming subtle and profound.
Any possession is driven by desire. No matter how grand the reasons stated may be, greed-driven colonizers, under the guise of spreading civilization, are actually there to plunder land and resources.
True affection does not necessarily require possession.
True love feels pain for the affection that is possessed.
Some forms of possession are neither affection nor love; they represent a preemptive grasping and conquering of beauty. This is like a greedy collector who sees a beautiful artwork not for appreciation but to claim it for themselves, satisfying their own selfish desires.
It seems more like seeking the thrill of domination. A child snatches away another child's beloved toy just to see them sad and derive a twisted satisfaction from it.
A kind of beauty only holds aesthetic value for those who truly like or love it. For the possessor, the aesthetic gradually fades away, leaving only a function for boasting.
When the sense of strangeness and distance disappears, something that may be rare in the world becomes worthless to the possessor.
It is like a brilliant star shimmering in the night sky filled with mystery and charm; once plucked and held in one's palm, it loses its enchanting allure. This is the tragedy of beauty as well as the tragedy of the possessor.
To simply possess without forcibly claiming is perhaps the best form of possession. Possession shows an exclusivity of belonging, while not forcibly claiming restores the public nature of beauty.
A kind of beauty that belongs to you yet allows beauty to freely present itself to other admirers and sway gracefully represents the greatest liberation of beauty. It is like a beautiful garden where the owner can enjoy its splendor while also allowing passersby to admire its blooming flowers.
All beauties that fade too soon in this world do not lose their charm early on; rather, their spirit has died, becoming too lazy or forgetting how to appreciate beauty. It is like a once-vibrant flower that gradually withers away due to losing its thirst for sunlight and rain.
Being close to someone feels like being tightly bound by an invisible rope, which is that special bond.
This bond may seem beautiful, but it can easily lead to a form of abduction. The so-called abduction means that you lose your principles in the presence of the other person. It's like a ship that originally has its own course suddenly being caught in a powerful undercurrent, drifting off direction uncontrollably.
All the things that should be said, like arrows that should be shot, the truths that should be confronted, akin to positions that must be held on a battlefield, will stop at a murmured thought: our relationship is so good, maybe it's better to let it go.
Thus, reason succumbs to embarrassment.
For example, in a collaborative project, even when you see obvious flaws in your friend's part, because of your good relationship, the reminder you want to give gets swallowed before it reaches your lips, ultimately leading to project failure. Rules will be broken out of embarrassment; just like in a game where a friend violates the rules and should be punished, but due to your close relationship, you choose to turn a blind eye, rendering the rules meaningless.
Justice collapses under embarrassment; for instance, when selecting outstanding employees, a friend may not actually qualify, but because of your relationship, you violate fairness and vote for them, causing truly deserving individuals to be overlooked.
Embarrassment is a huge pit; once you fall into it, it's like sinking into a swamp, getting deeper and deeper. Because for two people to maintain their closeness, they must continue to feel this embarrassment all the way through, like two people pulling each other in the dark who know they are going the wrong way but can only continue down the wrong path due to their connection.
In this world, how much goodness eventually becomes each other's burden. Like two hedgehogs cuddling too closely together; their quills end up hurting one another.
How many people end up wishing they could say: if only we had never been so close! That feeling is like a bird that once flew freely now trapped in a cage; although there is companionship, freedom is lost.
There’s no need to maintain a bond at such an expense. Since you are best friends, present what needs to be said and done openly.
Simply accommodating each other is like building a castle out of sand; it may look beautiful but cannot withstand even the slightest wind or rain and cannot hold anyone's attention. Constantly worrying about feelings will only lead to more pain for yourself, like wearing ill-fitting shoes where every step feels like walking on blades.
If someone isn't on your path, it's best to part ways quickly and let them go. Only those who ultimately stay with you truly understand you; like gold left after the waves have washed away the sand.
Do not walk down one road until it turns dark. Some dark nights may not lead to dawn after all; just like wandering endlessly in a maze without an exit might only mean you're going around in circles forever.
Those who love to criticize others may not be perfect themselves but enjoy nitpicking at others' imperfections.
Such people are like woodpeckers; instead of pecking at pests, they pick at healthy trees. They spend all day denouncing injustice yet may not practice fairness themselves while incessantly commenting on others' character flaws.
The logic of these two types of people is: I may not care about your feelings, but you must comply with my wishes. They act like high-handed dictators who demand others submit to their will.
Of course, criticism is everyone's right.
However, this does not mean you have the qualification to criticize. Ultimately, qualification is about acknowledging one's own character. Just as someone without a driver's license has no right to drive on the road.
When one is proud, it is rare to be arrogant, and that is goodness. Just like those who maintain a humble attitude despite achieving great success, their kindness is like sunlight—warm but not blinding. When wealthy, refraining from speaking ill is compassion. Just like those who are rich yet remain amiable and never speak harshly to others, their compassion flows like a gentle stream, nourishing the hearts of people.
It can be assured that kind eyes and gentle expressions are not innate but cultivated from a benevolent heart.
A person's physique is what they are born with, while their temperament is what they cultivate. Just as a rough stone must be carefully carved to become a beautiful jade, a person also needs inner refinement to possess an elegant demeanor.
A low-key person fears being different from others. They are like a drop of water merging into the ocean—low-profile and humble, always holding a sense of reverence, thus willing to blend in among people. In contrast, the loud ones do not wish to be too similar to others; they always try to stand out, like a peacock that constantly spreads its feathers in display, harboring vanity and preferring to be above others.
Vain people find it hard to live simply; their lives are like a tangled mess, ensnared by various vain pursuits, making it difficult to break free.
Low-key individuals can live peacefully; their hearts are like calm lake waters, undisturbed by waves. The subtraction of life is not something everyone can achieve; otherwise, how simple this world would be.
If everyone could easily solve a complex puzzle, then the puzzle would lose its meaning.
Generally speaking, as one reaches a certain age, they naturally come to live simply and quietly.
However, there are those whom time cannot save and desires that age cannot defeat.
Those who grow greedier with age—when one reaches old age and still harbors great desires—old age becomes almost a dead end.
They are like travelers lost in the dark, becoming increasingly confused as they walk further until they ultimately fall into despair.
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