He who stands on his tiptoes does not stand firm; he who stretches his legs does not walk (easily). (So), he who displays himself does not shine; he who asserts his own views is not distinguished; he who vaunts himself does not find his merit acknowledged; he who is self- conceited has no superiority allowed to him. Such conditions, viewed from the standpoint of the Dao, are like remnants of food, or a tumour on the body, which all dislike. Hence those who pursue (the course) of the Dao do not adopt and allow them.
Note
Chapter 24 of the Dao De Jing (Tao Te Ching) deconstructs human vanity through paradoxical aphorisms.
Behaviors such as self-proclamation, arrogance, self-praise, and haughtiness, violate the guiding principle of Chapter 22:
“Not displaying oneself, thus one is illuminated”;
“Not asserting oneself, thus one becomes distinguished.”
Counterproductive Effort
The more one strives to stand out, the more genuine value dissipates.
Toxic Self-Referentiality
The self-centered mind creates artificial dualities.
Contrast with the Sage’s Wu Wo (Absence of Self)
“Achieves without claiming, acts without controlling.”
Further Reading
Chapter Twenty-Four’s statement, “Those who boast accomplish nothing; those who are self-important cannot endure,” and Chapter Nine’s “To hold a vessel and fill it to overflowing is not as good as stopping in time; to hammer and sharpen a blade will not allow it to remain sharp for long,” together form a critique of self-promotion. Chapter Nine uses metaphors of “overflowing” and “sharpening” to illustrate the ruin brought about by the excessive pursuit of extremes, while Chapter Twenty-Four reveals the vanity of self-aggrandizement through “boasting” and “being self-important.” Both reflect the Daoist dialectical thinking of “what is strong ages and declines.” Chapter Nine proposes, “When the task is accomplished, withdraw – this is the way of heaven,” and Chapter Twenty-Four emphasizes humility and self-restraint with “those who follow the Dao do not dwell in such behavior.” Together, they point to the philosophy of living in accordance with the heavenly way.
Chapter Twenty-Four’s “Those who show off lack clarity; those who assert themselves are not distinguished,” and Chapter Twenty-Two’s “Because they do not show off, they are clear; because they do not assert themselves, they are distinguished,” form a contrast between positive and negative formulations.
企者不立；跨者不行；自見者不明；自是者不彰；自伐者無功；自矜者不長。其在道也，曰：餘食贅行。物或惡之，故有道者不處。
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