ABSTRACT
In this chapter, I shall argue that Kongzi's Way offers an interesting combination of utopian aspiration and quotidian concern and that one of its most distinctive characteristics and greatest contributions is its advocacy of the latter and its insistence that the only way we can work toward our grander social and political goals is by attending to and building out from the everyday. While these features of the Confucian tradition, historically, have resulted in some imprecision and vagueness in regard to political policies and theories, issues which I will explore in more detail below, they also bring a number of distinctive and important strengths. 1 Most importantly, Kongzi's view avoids some of the worst flaws of overly optimistic hopes for the future by focusing our attention on the need first to improve ourselves and only then to work on improving the lives of those around us, the greater society in which we live, and the world we all share. Starting with the self and extending one's concern until it touches even the most distant parts of the world keeps the Confucian pursuit of the Way focused on the importance of the everyday and serves as a brake on the excesses that normally accompany utopian projects. The social and political aspects of Kongzi's Dao are more a vision than a plan, expressing our hope for the future, inspired by the past, through our commitment to the present.
