On Great Learning- Distance from the People

The Confucian way seems to teach a sort of distance that the leader is supposed to maintain from his inferiors, whether this be a father from his sons, or a duke from his subjects. However, in the "Great Learning," Confucius says, "to love what the people hate and to hate what the people love- that is to act contrary to human nature, and disaster will come to such a person." This statement seems to pose a contradiction, or at the very least a complication. How is one supposed to retain an emotional or sentimental fidelity to the people, while also remaining distant from them? Part of becoming a junzi involves the cultivation of ren, or humanness, which can be assumed to put one more in touch with the people's interests. However, does this mean that cultivating ren also facilitates the development of the strength of character needed to maintain a distance as well? Wouldn't it be easier for the junzi to partake in a set of "enlightened" interests that distinguish him from the "vulgar" interests of the common people, i.e. in the fashion of a philosopher-king or the Greek καλὸς κἀγαθός? 

Comments

  1. Krishnan VenkateshMarch 29, 2022 at 10:22 AM

    Good question. It's like the advice that some people give to parents nowadays: You're not supposed to be the child's "friend." That is, it doesn't serve the child well to be an equal buddy, because that brings in all the issues of friendly equality, such as competitiveness. "Distance" seems to mean retaining a distinction in roles, not losing commonality of loves or interests -- a bit like a sports coach's relation to the players, in which all share love of the game and desire to win, but one person has to be respected and heeded.

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