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4.12 AVERAGE
4.12 AVERAGE
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
PEWDIEPIE'S BOOK REVIEW 2025: #1 - Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu
In 2025, I'm hoping to start reading more and hopefully find a new hobby in reading, as I pretty much haven't read anything outside of assigned books in school since about the 4th or 5th grade. I normally don't care for philosophy, but I decided to join in on PewDiePie's Book Review challenge for this year to give me a reason to read and see if I'm interested in philosophy. Since this was pretty much my first experience with this type of book, it felt pretty dense and hard to understand, but here's what I grasped from it: let things run their course. Lao Tzu talks of a sort of laissez-faire attitude for life. This idea of natural order is at the forefront of a lot of it. He is essentially saying "There is a natural order to the universe, so work alongside it." I think the best way this is described is on the blurb on the back of this edition. It says the following:
"If we watch carefully, we will see that work proceeds more quickly and easily if we stop 'trying,' if we stop putting in so much extra effort, if we stop looking for results. In the clarity of a still and open mind, truth will be reflected."
I still feel like I didn't grasp enough of the text, so after I finish the Book Review Challenge I wanna revisit this one (and maybe all of the books in due time) to see if I can get a better understanding of things.
In 2025, I'm hoping to start reading more and hopefully find a new hobby in reading, as I pretty much haven't read anything outside of assigned books in school since about the 4th or 5th grade. I normally don't care for philosophy, but I decided to join in on PewDiePie's Book Review challenge for this year to give me a reason to read and see if I'm interested in philosophy. Since this was pretty much my first experience with this type of book, it felt pretty dense and hard to understand, but here's what I grasped from it: let things run their course. Lao Tzu talks of a sort of laissez-faire attitude for life. This idea of natural order is at the forefront of a lot of it. He is essentially saying "There is a natural order to the universe, so work alongside it." I think the best way this is described is on the blurb on the back of this edition. It says the following:
"If we watch carefully, we will see that work proceeds more quickly and easily if we stop 'trying,' if we stop putting in so much extra effort, if we stop looking for results. In the clarity of a still and open mind, truth will be reflected."
I still feel like I didn't grasp enough of the text, so after I finish the Book Review Challenge I wanna revisit this one (and maybe all of the books in due time) to see if I can get a better understanding of things.
Only read this book because of pewdiepie’s book club.
Was a nice read but some parts do feel like they sort of repeat the same metaphors through various iteration. However the lessons to be learned are valid and would benefit anyone’s life with application
Was a nice read but some parts do feel like they sort of repeat the same metaphors through various iteration. However the lessons to be learned are valid and would benefit anyone’s life with application
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
Very much enjoyed this translation! Read in a day, which I don’t ever do
Beautiful. It's not a translation so much as a rendition, as she calls it. Would that we all spend some time in the space created by books inspired by mystery and ambiguity.
Nothing particularly earth-shattering but I do pretty much wholesale agree with most of the main points. It’s pretty wise and very amusing to think of a) the swaths of people who can take exception to pretty much every lesson b) the people who find this so tectonic and life-changing that it becomes basically the first and most enduring self-help book ever. It’s massively repetitive. Probably bc this guy doesn’t “cling to his work.” Nice job Lao Tzu.
“Those who know don’t talk. / Those who talk don’t know.”
“Ritual is the husk of true faith, / the beginning of chaos.”
“A good traveler has no fixed plans / and is not intent upon arriving.”
“He who clings to his work / will create nothing that endures.”
“When her work is done, she forgets it. / That is why it lasts forever.”
“He thinks of his enemy / as the shadow that he himself casts.”
“Just realize where you come from: / this is the essence of wisdom.”
“When the will to power is in charge, / the higher the ideals, the lower the results.”
“When they know that they don’t know, / people can find their own way.”
“Those who know don’t talk. / Those who talk don’t know.”
“Ritual is the husk of true faith, / the beginning of chaos.”
“A good traveler has no fixed plans / and is not intent upon arriving.”
“He who clings to his work / will create nothing that endures.”
“When her work is done, she forgets it. / That is why it lasts forever.”
“He thinks of his enemy / as the shadow that he himself casts.”
“Just realize where you come from: / this is the essence of wisdom.”
“When the will to power is in charge, / the higher the ideals, the lower the results.”
“When they know that they don’t know, / people can find their own way.”
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
There are some good nuggets in this book and love the fact that it is pocket sized. Perfect to keep in my purse.