Worldly Wisdom: Economics and Economic Life

Author: Chen Caihong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: "Observing the World in Whispers," drawing from individual reflections on specific issues within the vast ocean of human thought, where the insights are so subtle that they verge on being "trivial." If they are trivial, why speak of them? This is because the ocean of thought is ultimately composed of countless whispers, and the refinement of human reason also requires such a collection to be honed. The value of "whispers" lies in providing unique personal insights, conclusions, or solutions to specific problems, offering society alternative perspectives or possibilities, which benefits the shaping of rationality for both individuals and society as a whole. If others have also offered similar conclusions or solutions, then the convergence of these thoughts will strengthen the power of rational choice in society.
[Preface]
In the area of the Mazu Temple on Meizhou Island in Putian City, Fujian Province, there is an inconspicuous Buddhist temple. The couplet on its gate is deeply thought-provoking:
"Observing Emptiness, Yet Seeing Color—West River Moon; Listening to the World, Yet Hearing No Sound—South Sea Tide."
On the head of Orange Isle in the Xiang River of Changsha City, Hunan Province, there is a unique and enduring pavilion called the Riverside Pavilion. The couplets on its pillars are equally exquisite:
"Passing by the River, Beyond Heaven and Earth; Through Time, Judging Right and Wrong."
One belongs to the Buddhist realm, the other to the mortal world; one represents a spiritual state, the other the tangible human world. One approaches the world from the perspective of Buddhist concepts to "observe emptiness" and "listen to the world," while the other enters the subject from a human angle to "narrate" and "evaluate history." One connects the "sacred world" and the "mortal world" through the concepts of "being" and "non-being," while the other encompasses and interprets nature and society with "beyond heaven and earth" and "within right and wrong."
These two sets of couplets have clear boundaries of "dichotomy," and I have memorized and reflected on them from time to time, finding myself wandering between the sacred and the mortal, heaven and earth, and past and present. In fact, the subtle beauty of their blurred boundaries and merged commonalities is even more worth exploring.
"Emptiness" and "world" are fundamental concepts in Buddhism for viewing the world. Typically, "emptiness" is paired with "non-being" to signify that nothing has a fixed position, termed "all things are empty." Meanwhile, "world" and "being" go hand in hand, where desires run rampant, and conflicts and troubles abound—this is precisely the starting point and reason for "monks" to leave the secular world, practice, attain enlightenment, and become Buddhas. Unexpectedly, the couplet from Meizhou Island, "Observing Emptiness, Yet Seeing Color," is paired with "Listening to the World, Yet Hearing No Sound." Is this a Buddhist perspective or a human one? After all, the "West River Moon" carries a hint of "sacred world" meditation, while the "South Sea Tide" is a tangible manifestation of the "mortal world."
In reality, the human world is also full of、.
Comparing these couplets to real life, reciting the "West River Moon" to see the tangible, and facing the "South Sea Tide" to hear no sound—what a rich of nature, human society, and human life!
Looking at the couplets from the Riverside Pavilion, just a few words, yet they encompass observing things, dealing with matters, and reflecting on people. How much contemplation, awakening, and enlightenment they inspire! The vast and small of the real world, coming and going, fall into deep Zen meditation. It is difficult to say whether this is an ordinary experience of the "mortal world" or the profound wisdom of the "sacred world."
What I value most is the shared insight into the real world in both sets of couplets: there is no absolute existence—"Observing Emptiness" meets "color," and "Listening to the World" may or may not "hear sound." The river flows "between heaven and earth," and people move "through right and wrong."
It seems that the Buddhist realm is just a corner of the human world, and the human world is not lacking in Zen wisdom. Both the Buddhist and the mortal are in the "three realms" (Buddhism believes the world is composed of the "desire realm, form realm, and formless realm"), and naturally, their reflections will converge at some point.
To experience the positive through the negative, seek the wise in the midst of right and wrong, and use such a perspective or way of thinking to appreciate even the most colorful worldly affairs will always bring clarity. How wonderful is that!
As an economist, my views on the world are shaped by the "" theories already present in my mind, as well as by the corrections and supplements I have gained through reading widely outside of economics. Of course, I also resist and replace some strongly "" economic concepts, and I draw many profound insights from the direct experiences of the vast world in my daily life—whether these insights come from ordinary people, monks, or sages.
A collection of essays observing worldly affairs, especially economic life, and interpreting economics itself as a theory centered on these affairs, begins with these two excellent couplets as its preface. This indicates that my reflections are not confined to the existing theoretical framework and methods of economics; I enjoy wandering between economic thought and the ideas of other disciplines. It also shows my rejection of the conscious or unconscious tendency to absolutize the way we view the world. I am more inclined to understand worldly affairs, including economic theories, from a rich, diverse, complementary, and harmonious perspective.
I do not believe that this short of observations on the world holds significant academic value in economics, but I must say that I am consciously making an effort in the method of "observing the world." From these essays of varying lengths and contents, which are nearly unordered, if the reader can see this effort, I will consider this a great success.
Undoubtedly, every essay in this is aimed at specific matters or problems. I am aware that a deliberate pursuit of method in thinking does not guarantee the best understanding or solutions in the face of specific issues or problems. Human reason is gradually nurtured and shaped in social life; it has inherent flaws and requires a process of reshaping. I am no exception.
Given this, the understanding or solutions derived from each essay are merely incomplete works born of flawed reason. They can only add a unique perspective or intellectual intersection to the countless works of others who have reflected on similar matters or problems.
Although I offer these understandings or solutions with the intention of comprehending or resolving problems, I cannot be certain whether they truly benefit the understanding or resolution of specific issues in real life. Alternatively, the significance of thinking aimed at solving specific problems may not lie in its direct effects but in the thinking itself, in its role in shaping my personal reason, and in its role in shaping the rationality of society as a whole.
I named this "Observing the World in Whispers" because I wanted to capture the essence of individual reflections on specific problems within the vast ocean of human thought, which are so subtle that they verge on being "trivial." If they are trivial, why speak of them? This is because the ocean of thought in the vast world is ultimately composed of countless whispers, and the perfection of human reason also requires such a collection to be honed.
From this perspective, the true value of "whispers" lies in providing unique personal insights, conclusions, or solutions to specific problems, offering society alternative perspectives or possibilities, which benefits the shaping of rationality for both individuals and society as a whole. If many of the specific conclusions or solutions presented here have also been offered by others, then such intellectual convergence will strengthen the power of society's rational direction in choosing.
In today's world, many insightful thinkers announce, with a sense of panic, that humanity has lost its direction of existence, leaving them bewildered about "Where is humanity heading?" The cry of "God is dead" is actually a lament for the death of various human faiths, while the judgment that "humans will also die" argues that in the absence of faith, the "evil" in human nature will lead to the destruction of nature, including humanity itself, and the vast majority of people are completely unaware of this.
As an economist, I cannot judge such "great right and wrong," but I believe that in the survival of humans in nature or in social life, understanding the real phenomena and solving specific problems is discovering human purpose and finding meaning in human existence. Economics is precisely such a theory of phenomena and problems, and from this perspective, it is also a theory about human purpose and meaning in life.
To face real social and economic life with such a theory and to add a touch of "whispers" to it, I believe, is to find the purpose and meaning of the economist's life.
One point needs clarification: many of the essays in this were published in newspapers and magazines in recent years, some of which have been reprinted many times. I sincerely thank the editors who enthusiastically invited me to write and carefully edited my articles. Their diligent editing has made many of the essays outstanding, and many of them have become good friends. However, some newspapers and magazines may have made certain special considerations, leading to some titles being edited in unexpected ways, some articles being edited to the point of losing coherence, and a few articles being published nearly a year after their final completion.
When collecting and organizing these articles, I mostly restored the original titles and lengths, and only noted the writing or revision completion dates at the end of each article, without indicating the names of the newspapers or magazines or the publication dates, to avoid overly complicated explanations.
Clearly, my deep gratitude for the newspapers and magazines that published my articles has not diminished in the slightest.