Join Forces to Do Good
by Master Lee Feng San Shifu
Translated by Sophia Lui
Edited by Ric Meyers
Some people complain that there are lots of wicked people in this world and that good people are few and far between. Therefore they see “quantity” as an analogy for bad people and “quality” an analogy for the good ones. If we think about it, however, are there really more bad guys than good ones in this world? I would say there are actually more good guys than bad ones. It is just that the bad ones attract more attention. Therefore, I would switch around the analogies so that the good guys represent “quantity” and bad ones, “quality.”
If you have noticed that too, then you are wise and have not yet turned neurotic. Sometimes I would joke with my students and say: “What does it mean to be a neurotic person?” It means that one has a mental disorder, but it is not severe enough to commit him to a psychiatric hospital. Such people are all around, and they are more of a threat to society than those who are actually locked away in psychiatric wards.
Many people complain: “In today’s world, evil people are aplenty!” They have this impression only because the bad guys easily catch their attention. Why? This is because they band together to perform bad deeds. For example, some people use all kinds of tricks to lure the masses for purposes of profits and gains. In this way, they make themselves more noticeable. However, there are also lots of good people in this society. But why do they not stand out? That is because good people tend to mind their own business and do their own thing. For this reason, it is not easy to feel their positive influence.
Hence, if we believe ourselves to be one of the good guys, we should unite for the sake of “justice and righteousness,” and not for the sake of “interests or gains.” In this way, the influence of the good will be more easily felt, and the power of the bad will be put in check or even diminished. If the good guys can gather forces and use whatever means they can to do good, then society will prosper in a balanced, stable, and peaceful manner.
“Unite for the sake of righteousness and not for gain; gather forces to do good and society will be strong.” — Lee Feng San Shifu