[Tao] Life without Desire

“Let the people have no cunning and no greed

So those who scheme will not dare to meddle.”

— Tao te Ching, Chapter 3

Today’s chapter in the Tao would not make Don Draper happy.

It suggests:

– treasuring rare goods makes people into thieves.

– stirring desire through advertising confuses people’s hearts.

– stabilizing society by filling bellies, dampening desire, and weakening ambition.

In other words: rulers should tend to basic needs, insulate people from desire, and discourage ambition. The result? “Those who scheme will not dare to meddle.”

This ancient advice flies in the face of everything in American society.

– Politicians gut programs designed to meet people’s basic needs.

– Ministers preach gospels of prosperity, positioning wealth as proof of God’s approval.

– Advertising saturates our culture, urging us to buy things we don’t need.

The Tao te Ching suggests an alternative. First, make sure people are fed, clothed, and sheltered. Second, limit desire by refusing to celebrate people, products, or ideas that cater to greed. Then, when ambitious people advance their own agendas by fanning the flames of discontent, their efforts will fail.

This vision conflicts with everything I know about human nature. I don’t know anyone immune to the seductions of desire. I don’t know any rulers wise enough to be trusted with this degree of control.

But — imagine a world where:

– politicians who pander to greed

– ministers who play on fears

– employers who forge “golden handcuffs”

– advertisers who provoke desire

are powerless, because everyone ignores them.

What might the citizens of such a world achieve?