The Use of the Useless

answered by Zhuangzi, In the World of Men

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🎬 TODAY'S FILM — IT ASKS THIS

Brassed Off (1996)

dir. Mark Herman · UK

People pushed off the world's standard of success, their livelihoods shaken, still tune their sound together. Does a life that did not win end in failure, or does there remain a place that revives one another regardless of winning?

THE QUESTION THE FILM ASKS

Having failed to win and fallen short of the world's measure, can we still laugh and play on together?

THE CLASSIC'S ANSWER · ORIGINAL

人皆知有用之用而莫知無用之用也

📜 THE CLASSIC'S ANSWER

Everyone knows the use of the useful, but no one knows the use of the useless.

💡 TL;DR

Zhuangzi said a world chasing only usefulness misses the use of the useless.

📝The Classic Answers

Zhuangzi said a world chasing only usefulness misses the use of the useless. By the measure that lines people up as winners and losers, most of us fall short — but beyond that measure lies a life whose meaning does not depend on winning. Even a ridiculous failure, when shared, becomes a warmth that revives one another. Before I measure myself and those beside me by the world's ruler of 'use,' I choose to keep first that place where no measuring is needed.

— ONGO · Curator

🌱Apply It Today

When the pressure that 'only winning counts' rises today, share one win-optional moment with someone beside you.

📖 Classic Source: Zhuangzi, In the World of Men. Ancient text in the public domain; rendered and interpreted independently by ONGO.
The film is honored as an equal questioner; its plot is rendered only as a universal dilemma. The classic source is an ancient text (Public Domain), and the reflection is 100% original ONGO content.