We started our reading of Confucius' Analects today, my first time teaching this hoary text. I asked the students to identify passages that struck them as representative or curious and, as expected, these took us quickly to the heart of the matter. XI.6 (middle way, and disciples' personalities), IV.15 (the one thread, empathy and dutifulness), XIII.13 (rectification of names). I directed attention to V.12 (golden rule, beyond many), III.20 (importance of the Odes - I had us read the first, cited here) and XI.12 (Confucius' supposed agnosticism). More next week, including filial piety, etc. And the one below, VIII.13, a passage which has been stuck in my craw these last days and weeks. Among the most disheartening developments in our failing democracy is the number of people willing to work with and for a lawless fraud. Gorsuch?
