Brothers and Sisters, hear me now. I used to be a Legalist because I believed that people were too dumb to know what’s best for them. Rewards and punishments are such a convenient way of keeping the rabble in check. A little benevolent despotism can assure that everyone is protected and taken care of. But brothers and sisters, do I really want to treat the people as children. I think we can do better. Together we can create a society where everyone is respected and everyone feels included. Put aside your bias towards family and ancient rituals and tradition. This leads always to corruption and self-preservation at the expense of the common wealth. Together we can accomplish more. By treating everyone with respect and good teaching practices we can create a vibrant and conscientious community. We can take care of our vulnerable people and protect them from the incursions of hostile outsiders. And sisters, break away from the Confucians; you feature in only one of the five relationships (husband and wife) coming in at second place. For equal rights you have better chances with the Mohists. Forget the Daoists too; they are like the squirrels that don’t store nuts for the winter. To build a better society, a compassionate, nurturing and self-empowering society, join the Mohists.
This message endorsed by populist adherents of the French Revolution, Bolsheviks, the Black Panther Party and the ghost of Bob Marley.
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