Analects (Confucius) - 1.13-1.16

It's occurred to me that I may have been doing this endeavor incorrectly. I often try to pick out things to argue against in the Analects, which isn't how it's meant to be treated... I'm going to try and answer the question, 'How can I apply this to my life?' for each verse from now on.

...

1.13

In this verse, Confucius asserts that 'trustworthiness,' which essentially means 'reliability' here, and 'reverence' are very important values. I agree that being reliable and trustworthy is very important to being respected and valued. I'm not quite sure what 'reverence' means here, though. Confucius says it's close to li, so perhaps it entails a respect of tradition? It is true that by acting somewhat conservatively, there is less risk of losing the respect of others. I think Confucius here might just be instructing us to be thoughtful and respectful in our actions and speech.

1.14

Rather than material wealth, Confucius emphasizes the importance of 'loving learning' and being respected. I agree that most of the time, when we remember the greats of history, we remember them not for being wealthy, but rather for their incredible feats or personalities. I personally don't lack or feel a great desire for material wealth, so this verse really speaks to me by telling me that respect is what we should seek, and that we can get it by being respectable in speech and conduct.

1.15

This verse is admittedly a bit confusing for me. It has several references to ancient Chinese poetry that I haven't really come across before, which are hard to understand out of context. However, I think that there are is a lesson here that I can use to improve my life. First, it's important not to let being poor lower your dignity. 'To be poor, but never a flatterer,' says Zigong. Also, 'To be poor, but joyful'—being poor doesn't mean that someone can't be happy. I feel like that's a lesson that a lot of the people in first world countries are grappling with right now. As someone with a disadvantaged SES, I think these are good lessons to learn.

1.16

This verse ties in quite neatly with verse 1.1. In 1.1, Confucius told us to be satisfied with doing what we love, rather than being bitter if we don't receive recognition for it. In this verse, he points out that just as often as we are not recognized, we probably also do not properly recognize the good qualities of others. This verse really speaks to me. Oftentimes, I feel like I'm too wrapped up in making sure I'm recognized, while I don't quite recognize the abilities of others. I should focus on trying to learn more about other people and make sure to complement them when they deserve it. It's certainly what I would want others to do for me.