The Tao of Pooh

The Tao of Pooh by Hoff presented itself with an interesting duality. On one hand it was attempting to convey the complex teachings of Taoism in a very simple, easily graspable method. On the other hand it was attempting to provide an appealing and attractive method of drawing parallels within the Winnie-the-Pooh framework. As my personal opinion, I believe the narrations within the work were very strong. The complex concepts of Taoism were expressed very clearly, coherently, and easily understandable. They made complete sense and their relevance and application is easily visible. However, this visibility was not brought to light, at least in my opinion, by the dialogue portions of the work or many of the analogies, poetry excerpts, stories, etc. with a handful of exceptions. For example, Hoff makes a very clear point that individuals often “try to fit square pegs into round holes, ignoring the clear reality that Things Are As They Are” (39). However, attempting to make this link between “Cottleston, Cottleston, Cottleston Pie” (39) as a sort of symbol for ignoring the reality of things as they are appeared to me to be an illogical jump. The crux of the statement would have had the same powerful effect, if not more, if presented without the analogical reference. The most captivating portions of the work were the ones where the author took the bold directions to give the meaning and insight of powerful Taoist concepts. The lead-up to the concept through the use of poetical or anecdotal evidence appeared weak and many times detracting. As someone who never watched Winnie-the-Pooh growing up, I do not think the logical gaps would have been fulfilled by actually having watched it.

Despite this critique, the wrong impression should not be taken. The work as a whole is good. The lasting impression is well elucidating of the Taoist claims. However, I believe the connections to the Winnie-the-Pooh settings were not appealing enough. I would have rather preferred they be left out and the book as whole made more direct. However, my opinion might be amiss having not been involved in the Winnie-the-Pooh world since a child, although I do not believe my ignorance is enough claim to outweigh my overarching view.

The book’s references to the lives of Americans, however, proved to be extremely poignant, and in my mind the most relevant portions of the work collectively. Hoff makes an interesting point that Americans are typically brought up under the motif of being “desperately active” (93) and ignore the need rest and be still (93). Additionally, Hoff portrays Americans as individuals brought up in a culture that necessitates perpetual work, leading one to be “going somewhere” all the time (96). The implications are that Americans are goal-oriented and always searching for happiness by trying to actively go out and obtain it in a Puritanical mindset, rather than allowing the “inner quiet” to lead them to happiness (110). When I read this, I was reminded of a work by Erich Fromm entitled To Have or To Be, in which Fromm makes a similar claim, stating that human beings, particularly those in America, are striving for happiness by trying to ‘have’ happiness through possession, action and activity, rather than ‘being’ happy in their most profound state of stillness. Hoff ultimately makes this similar claim, stating that “A lot of people try to buy Happiness and Importance in the same sort of way. But you can be happy and important without that, you know” (133). By allowing the T’ai Hsu, the “Great Nothing” to reign over us, especially as Americans, I believe in Hoff’s views, and that of Taoism’s implications, that Americans would be happier as a whole if they chose to abide by their great stillness and do ‘nothing’ rather than filling their lives with perpetual drive resulting in emptiness and unhappiness.

In fact, the Taoist notion of attaining wisdom by “removing things every day” has strong implications to solving the problem of American unhappiness and individual unhappiness as a whole. By forgetting “my body and senses, and leav[ing] all appearance and information behind…in the middle of nothing, I join the Source of All Things” (149). By simply allowing oneself to then be one with the Tao, one cannot be in any state of misery. Without the senses, the attachments will not be there and therefore the misery will not be there, an idea that Buddhists would probably strongly agree with.  I believe this notion presented by Hoff would be a great solution to the “American” problem.

Many Taoist ideas presented in the book prove to be extremely vital in terms of their didactic nature. One in particular I hope to embody from here on out is that of Wu Wei. I believe embodying this concept will prove to lead to a much easier flow throughout the day and lead to greater happiness and smoothness without much input effort.

-Kunal Kapoor. 4/16/11