Tao Te What Now? (Chapter 29)
Put down the wrench, Todd. The universe doesn’t need your upgrades.
So you’ve decided to read the Tao Te Ching.
Either you’re seeking peace, chasing enlightenment, trying to out-vibe your therapist, or you just like obscure philosophy that makes you feel smart and dumb at the same time.
Good news: you’re in the right place.
Bad news: it won’t help you get your life together in the way you think it will.
Better news: it might show you that you never had to in the first place.
This ancient Chinese text, written by Laozi around 2,500 years ago, is basically a poetic mic drop about the nature of reality, control, ego, and why trying hard often makes things worse. It’s short, mysterious, non-linear, and aggressively subtle. You won’t get it all on the first read. That’s part of the charm. It’s also part of the test. Which you are not supposed to try to pass.
About This “Cursed” Interpretation
We’re going to go through each chapter, one by one.
Instead of solemn chanting or incense or “sitting with it in silence,”
We’re going to translate it for actual humans with internet-fried brains, executive dysfunction, and a fondness for sarcasm.
Disclaimers:
We love the Tao. We also enjoy poking fun at ourselves while getting deep. That’s the spirit this was written in.
If you're looking for academic accuracy or lineage-specific devotion… this isn’t that.
If you're spiritually curious, allergic to self-serious gurus, and suspicious of people who wear too much linen—welcome home.
Tao Te What Now? (Chapter 29)
Put down the wrench, Todd. The universe doesn’t need your upgrades.
I suppose you think you have big ideas to fix all this…your kids school, your country, the world… Good luck. Are you going to fix all of it?
There is no end to that. You are going to keep on “fixing” until you run out of time and the universe is going to erase all your changes like that perfect circle you drew on your etch-a-sketch. (Sure you did…)
The truth, is that the universe is perfect the way it is, and good thing to…
If you try to change it, it will dodge like Ali (on a cosmic scale of course)
If you try to keep it from changing, it will dissolve, or rust, or die, or fade, or melt. Entropy is cruel AF.
So ride the waves, bro.
Your wins AND losses.
Exciting AND boring times.
Times when you are full of energy, and times when you feel like sh**.
All the up, down, good, bad. Hold space for all of it.
And if you don’t like the rollercoaster vibes, you don’t keep going on the Six Flags ones like a lunatic. Maybe you stick with the small carnival ones…. or trains even.
Such is like life. If you want to avoid the cosmic whiplash that chasing good times gets you, join me on the chill kiddie coaster.