What follows is my analysis of the Obama Campaign filtered through the lens of my understanding of Taoism, specifically as it relates to passages in the Tao Te Ching ("Book of the Way and Its Power"). This essay will not be exhaustive, but I hope it serves as an informative piece, especially for those of us interested in strategy and novel thought. Novel thought for many in the West, anyway.
While Senator Obama is neither a sage nor even a Taoist, his campaign reminds me of many of the themes and principles of my own martial path, a martial path steeped in Taoist thinking. To put it simply, his opponents have been like mountains, and he has been like water. Between the two, I'd choose water any day. An understanding of Taoism helps to illustrate the reasons for that choice and its impact on the campaign trail.
For those who need a refresher, a short introduction into the nature of Taoism may be in order. For that, it would better to go here.
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