The
Te of Piglet by Review
Written
on 12/21/2014
A
follow-up of The Tao of Pooh Benjamin Hoff, The Te of Piglet is meant
to explain a different side of Taoism and why its important in our
modern world.
I'll
start with saying I read the Te of Piglet in high school and rather
enjoyed it. It explained Taoism in a gentle, not in your face way. It
was a light, easy read with enjoyable, uplifting quotes.
The
Te of Piglet was quite the opposite. It seems like Hoff may have had
some opposition to his first book and set out to write a book saying
why all the people who dislike Taoism and live the "Western Way"
are crippling our society.
Not
that I disagreed with everything he was saying, the "Eeyores"
who are always negative aren't great to be around, and neither are
the too-eager "Tiggers," but they are still important parts
of society. If everyone was perfect, humble, and honest - such as in
the Utopia Hoff refers to as The Day of Piglet - life would be
boring! We need a little balance in the world. A little ying and a
little yang - to stay in the Eastern philosophy.
I
especially did not enjoy - and those who know me will very quickly no
why - his rant about "Eeyore Amazons" who "call
themselves feminists" (and if you know me you already know some
feminist smashing is about to occur) "But the word [feminist]
doesn't quite fit them, somehow. They don't like femininity. Instead
they covet masculinity. Strange. Very Strange."
VERY
STRANGE INDEED MR.HOFF. I understand where someone who has never felt the need to be a feminist might misunderstand feminism and what it is. And say
that it is bad for the world. Why someone who has never been
discriminated against because of their gender would say that feminism
makes women curse and act like pirates, which isn't exactly
"Advancing the Feminine."
I
understand where he may be coming from - there are some people who
align with feminism that are "masculine." And they may feel
they have to act "masculine" to get and hold on to jobs
because we live in a biased socieity where being "masculine"
is already coveted. And sure, to someone who hasn't had to downplay
their gender so they aren't turned into a walking stereotype, I can
understand how that may be....confusing.
I
would love to go into a work space and act stereo-typically "feminine"
and see where it got me. But, that's not who I am. I act "masculine"
by taking up space and speaking up and making my voice heard. And if
that is "acting masculine" then I suppose I am a "Eeyore
Amazon" who is trying to make the world a BETTER place by
showing that I am not restrained by the female box I have to check.
And
I would say that by speaking my mind and not being held in the
constraints of my gender by being "feminine" that I am
advancing the feminine - THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
UGH,
safe to say I read those pages fairly quickly...
Rant
being over, there were some parts of this book I did like. Little
quotes here and there that I think are great things to think about
and be inspired/calmed by..below are a few snippits.
"But that You you want to
see
Is
not you,
and will never be.
No one else will ever do
The special thing that waits
inside of you."
"What the Taoists mean by
Treat gain and loss as the same...They mean don't be Intimidated.
Don't make a Big Deal of anything - just accept things as they come
to you. The Universe knows what it's doing."
"Reality is what ones makes
it. And the more negative reality one nurtures and creates, the more
of it one has."
If
you want to be genuinely irritated by what Benjamin Hoff has to say,
in between moments of actual enlightenment, go ahead...read this
book.
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