A friend of mine works in sales, and after only a short time on the job, he developed a noticeable beer belly. He said drinking was a work requirement; many projects might have dragged on for a long time without progress, but once he got a good drink, the deal was done. Another friend is very good at winning over his girlfriend. When asked about his secret, he replied simply: whenever his girlfriend is angry, doubtful, or unhappy, he doesn't need to waste words; just hug and kiss her. It always works, without fail.
Problems that negotiation can't solve, drinking can. Problems that argument can't solve, hugging can.
Extending this further, problems that reason can't solve, emotion can. Problems that logic can't solve, intuition can. Problems that science can't solve, religion can. Problems that Confucius couldn't solve, Zhuangzi can.
In this sense, emotional people are actually the most rational, and rational people are often very emotional. If someone tries to solve all problems with reason, they will often fail miserably, suffering heavy losses without even understanding why. Because rational thinking often doesn't work in life. Human society possesses a perpetually feminine quality—preferring to be moved rather than persuaded; relying on feelings rather than reason.
If you want to convince a client to buy insurance, funds, clothing, or jewelry, you don't need to explain the product's merits in detail. The harder you try, the more likely they are to think you're trying to deceive them. Instead, you only need to gain their emotional trust, and the deal will be done.
Therefore, one should never be arrogant about their strong logic or depth of thought. Even if you believe your logic is absolutely correct, flawless, and perfect, so what? No amount of eloquent reasoning can compare to the simplicity, beauty, and benefit of a sincere embrace.
A truly rational person understands how to use emotional means to resolve problems. Note, not solve, but mitigate. Because they clearly understand that rational thinking has many limitations, and humans are sentient beings who need to be moved.
Conversely, clinging excessively to one's own reason, believing that reason can solve all problems, is precisely irrational. Such a person doesn't consider others' feelings at all, acting purely on their own, taking their own right as right and others' wrong as wrong. Beneath the surface of rationality lies the essence of emotion.
Everyone's intelligence has its limitations. Everyone's rationality also has its boundaries. A fundamental assumption of classical economic theory is the "rational man." If humans were truly that rational, economics would have long since become a side branch of physics. Modern economics has developed the concept of "bounded rationality," acknowledging that human behavior is not always so rational.
No one can solve all the world's problems simply through thought. Newton and Einstein couldn't, let alone you and me. Therefore, don't try to understand everything; that will only trap you in the quagmire of dreadful rational thinking. What should you do when you encounter a problem you can't understand? Don't think about it; feel it, and it will become clear. The Book of Changes (I Ching), Hexagram 53 (Xian), says: "Feeling leads to understanding."
None of the most beautiful poets and writers of ancient times were secluded scholars, spending their lives buried in books. They either found solace in nature or roamed the world freely. Books are lifeless, but life is vibrant. They must personally experience all things in the world, witnessing the changing seasons, the melting ice, and the returning geese, to truly appreciate the beauty of humanity. They cannot simply sit in quiet contemplation, lost in abstract theories.
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