Episode 25 of "This Is the Way": Daoist Utopia

"In this episode, we dive into Chapter 80 of the Daodejing, one of the most vivid portraits of Daoist social ideals. We unpack its vision of a "simple agrarian utopia," where people live in small communities, ignore labor-saving tools, and resist the endless chase for more. Along the way, we discuss political minimalism, technological restraint, contentment in daily life, and radical localism, asking what it would mean to be satisfied even while knowing other or "better" possibilities exist. We reflect on our own consumerist culture, and probe whether Daoist utopia is naive, radical, or unexpectedly wise for our time."

"Make sure that even though there are labor-saving tools, they are never used. Make sure that the people look upon death as a weighty matter and never move to distant places. Even though they have ships and carts, they will have no use for them. Even though they have armor and weapons, they will have no reason to deploy them. Make sure that the people return to the use of the knotted cord. Make their food savory, Their clothes fine, Their houses comfortable, Their lives happy."

A simple agrarian utopia imagines tiny, low-population polities where political structures shrink and people live locally. Labor-saving implements and mobility are intentionally unused, death is treated gravely, and martial technologies lie idle while knot-based practices persist. Daily life centers on wholesome food, fine clothing, comfortable homes, and joyful customs. Neighboring communities exist in sight and sound but remain socially isolated, with inhabitants aging and dying without traveling between them. The vision raises questions about resisting consumerist expansion, calibrating technological adoption, prioritizing contentment over growth, and whether deliberate minimalism is naive, radical, or timely.

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