As we (almost) got round to talking about Confucius in anther thread, I thought these wise words might be worth remembering - they have a lot to do with Magic, Performers, Egos etc:
The words of Confucius (c. 551-479 BC)
Chinese philosopher who taught love and respect of one's fellows, superiority to ambition, charity, forgivness and repentance.
If you want to get somewhere, you must let yourself go.
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Fine words and an insinuating appearance are seldom associated with true virtue.
Hold faithfulness and sincerity as first principles.
Have no friends not equal to yourself.
When you have faults, do not fear to abandon them.
The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his actions.
Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous.
Things that are done, it is needless to speak about ... things that are past, it is needless to blame.
The superior man does not set his mind for anything or against anything; what is right he will follow.
When we see men of worth, we should think of equalling them; when we see men of contrary character, we should turn inwards and examine ourselves.
Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbours.
The man of virtue makes the difficulty to be overcome his first business, and success only a subsequent consideration.
Is virtue a thing remote? I wish to be virtuous, and lo! virtue is at hand.
The superior man is satisfied and composed; the mean man is always full of distress.
The people may be made to follow a path of action, but they may not be made to understand it.
To go beyond is as wrong as to fall short.
The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near virtue.
The scholar who cherishes the love of comfort is not fit to be deemed a scholar.
The superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions.
Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.
What the superior man seeks is in himself. What the mean man seeks is in others.
What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.
The superior man cannot be known in little matters, but he may be entrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be entrusted with great concerns, but he may be known in little matters.
Virtue is more to man than either water or fire. I have seen men die from treading on water and fire, but I have never seen a man die from treading the course of virtue
