Never Argue with People of Different Levels

If you soar with a phoenix, you'll be a noble bird; if you walk with tigers and wolves, you'll be a fierce beast!

If you are a soaring eagle, don't care about the sparrow's gaze at you; if the sparrow is a small bird, don't force it to fly with you to the sky.

How far a person can go depends on who he walks with; whether a person walks the Yellow Creek path or a solitary bridge depends on his own cultivation. This cultivation originates from the world of people, their outlook on life, and their values.

If you're not a person in the same 'world,' don't argue with them blindly. As long as you firmly believe your viewpoint is correct, you don't need to force others to recognize it.

There's a story. One day, a guest came to ask Confucius's disciple Ziyu, 'How many seasons are there in a year?' Ziyu said, 'Four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter.'

The guest shook his head and said, 'No, there are only three seasons in a year.' 'You're wrong, it's four seasons!' The two argued endlessly and decided to bet: if it's four seasons, the guest would bow three times to Ziyu; if it's three seasons, Ziyu would bow to the guest three times.

Ziyu confidently and together with the guest went to Confucius for advice. Confucius glanced at the guest and said, 'There are only three seasons in a year.' Ziyu reluctantly and obediently bowed three times to the guest.

After the guest left, Ziyu was resentful and said to his teacher, 'Teacher, there are clearly four seasons in a year, why do they say three seasons?'

Confucius said, 'This guest is wearing all green clothes; he's a cicada. Cicadas live in spring and die in autumn. He has never seen winter. You can't argue with him for three days, and it won't lead anywhere.'

When people have different worldviews, there's no need to argue with each other face to face, which will only hurt feelings and waste words. If the other person is a normal person, you should understand and respect him, not despise or be angry. If the other person is a bad person, you shouldn't argue with him or bother him, lest you waste words and be consumed by anger.

Different hobbies, different habits, different lifestyles may cause unnecessary disputes. Some people like to wear long hair, some like to wear short hair; some like to wear light-colored clothes, some like to wear bright clothes. No one has the right to criticize or point out the length or shortness.

If you like to sing, someone might say you're showing off; if you like to dance, someone might say you're not being productive; if you like to travel and photograph, someone might say you're trying to be a photographer – it's self-defeating; if you like to quietly read books at home, someone might say you're a bookworm, wanting to be a great writer...

You don't need to quarrel with them over these things, just let it go.

When you encounter people with different worldviews around you, either understand them and accept their different viewpoints, or respect them and tolerate them. Respect and tolerance demonstrate your wisdom and broad heart!

Different circles don't need to be forced to blend in. Circles determine one's life; the friends you make will determine the path you walk. Card players only urge you to play cards, wine buddies only urge you to drink, bad buddies only make you negative, good buddies make you progress.

Some things don't need to be quarreled over; time will prove everything; some people don't need to be persuaded; like attracts like. The world is for people to interpret; human affairs are for people to understand.

The most important thing in life is to fully understand yourself, know your goals, direction, and capabilities, instead of worrying about what others say about you.

Whenever you can be tolerant, be tolerant; when you cannot be reasoned with, do not reason; when you cannot be reasoned with, do not listen, do not listen to meaningless words, do not quarrel, do not be troubled.