The Way of the Pooh

Before reading this book, “The Tao of Pooh” by Benjamin Hoff, I had my apprehensions. First, I have only vague memories of Winnie the Pooh as a child and my only knowledge of Taoism is only what I have encountered in this Religion class. Well after reading the book, I can say that it was more enjoyable than I would have guessed before reading it. I enjoyed the use of Winnie the Pooh to help explain the concepts behind Taoism and more specifically the Wu Wei. It made things a lot more relatable for me. I enjoyed how he tried to explain how much easier things can be when “going with the” flow. I also enjoyed the concept of “Cottleston Pie” because I, myself, have a hard time excepting things the way they are sometimes. This leads to a lot of trouble for me sometimes because I arrogantly think I can change them. Overall, it is a good book that creatively explains Taoism.
Another big part of this book was the concept of the “Bisy Backson’s.” In the book, Benjamin Hoff tries to explain that many people are constantly busy in life searching for the “great reward” that he believes is non-existent. But, this search for this reward is what may be the motivating factor behind why these people are keeping themselves so busy. This never-ending search also makes them under value their current situation. He brings this up because this lifestyle goes completely against what Taoism teaches. This is made clear when Hoff says, ”If you want to be healthy, relaxed, and contented, just watch what a Bisy Backson does and then do the opposite (p. 95).” He brings up another great point with American culture in particular that our society emphasizes youthfulness and energy. These characteristics are not always positives according to Benjamin Hoff. He states, for instance, that in some cultures being old is held in high regard, as it is a sign of being wise.
Although I think there are many great concepts in Taoism, I cannot conclude that it solely would solve the “problem” with American culture and its individualistic ideals. We all could learn a thing or two from different cultures and religion and Taoism is just another case of this. The other main reason I think this by itself would not work is because there are so many different cultures and ethnicities in this country already. China, which is a collectivist culture, mainly consists of the Chinese (shocking I know), which I think makes it easier for them to come together and fight for the same goal. We have many different people which makes it harder to come together as one, although I think we can all agree that if we all slowed down some and began to care for one another a little more life could get easier for us all.