Heightened visual perception will cause confusion. One will be overwhelmed by interesting designs and dazzled by the bright and luminous shades. The result is that someone like this destroys their inner self in a quest for novelty and ever-greater beauty.
It is the same with the quest for ever-greater fame and fortune - the pursuit of the unobtainable.
Others delight in pointless, nitpicking debate, spouting nonsense.
All of these types of people walk a complex road, with little to do with the true way of the world.
That which is united presents no problem. Thay which is divided is all right. (EU v Brexit; UK v Scotland).
What is long is not too long. That which is short is not too short.
Many ignore the inbuilt principles of existence. Everything has its innate nature.
[No free will]. Everything achieves what is intended, but does not understand why or how. This has always been so and nothing [!!] can affect it.
There is no point in holding to benevolence and righteousness [!!] like a mixture of glue and varnish, as a means of trying to journey through life - this merely confuses everything.
The mean or petty person risks their body for gain. The scholar risks his very self for reputation. All these types damage rheir innate nature.
Those who apply themselves to benevolence and righteousness I would not call wise.
The artists and devotees of art - "those who apply themselves to the five colours" - I would not call very bright.
My description of being wise is that one should be led by one's innate nature, nothing more. Listen to yourself. Look at yourself.
Those who look at others and compare themselves to others, and need other's complements, fail to find enjoyment in themselves.
I don't try to elevate myself through acts of benevolence and righteousness, nor to sink down into useless and idiotic ways.
People have an innate nature, just like horses. They weave cloth, they farm to produce food. They are all one in this, not separated, and it is from Heaven.
In the time of perfect virtue people live side by side with the birds and beasts, sharing the world in common with all life.No one knows of distinctions such as nobles and the peasantry.
Totally without desire they are known as truly simple. People who are truly simple can follow their true nature. Then the sage or philosopher comes going on about benevolence, straining for self-righteousness, and suddenly everyone begins to have doubts. They start to fuss over the music, cutting and trimming the rituals, and thus the whole world is disturbed.
If innate nature had not been abandoned how could rituals and music have been invented. If the ive colours had not been confused how could patterns and designs have occurred. The abuse of the true elements to make artefacts was the crime of the craftsman. To make benvolence and righteousness was the error of the sage. It's saying back to simplicity and nature. Can we do this and still be high-tech and advanced? That's the challenge, otherwise mental illease will rise with physical greater security and wealth.
Horses when content, entwine their necks and rub each other. When angry they turn their backs on each other and kick out. This is what horses know. But if harnessed together they arch their necks, career around and try to spit out their bit and rid themselves of the reins. Similarly people once stayed where they were, not knowing anything else; they walked but did not know where they were going; filled themselves with food and were happy slapping their bellies to show their contentment. Then cam the sage. He brought the cringing and grovelling of the rituals and music and infected all under Heaven with his offer of benevolence and righteousness, which he said would comfort the hearts of all. As a result the people desired and longer for knowledge, and warred against each other to gain the advantage. Nothing could stop them. All this was the fault of the sage.
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