Chen Tianwen was momentarily stunned, a contemplative expression crossing his face.
Xiao Jie, however, became increasingly confident as he spoke.
"You’re right about one thing, so-called religion is fundamentally just a PUA for fools, just like the stories parents fabricate for their children: ’Hurry up and sleep, or the Big Monkey will come to get you.’
Be a good child, and Santa Claus will give you a gift."
All the Heavens and Hells, all the darkness and light, all gods, are essentially a combination of Big Monkey and Santa Claus.
As children grow up and their cognition improves, the Big Monkey and Santa Claus can no longer fool them.
At that time, something more plausible is needed. Heaven and Hell are just Big Monkey and Santa Claus repackaged more beautifully, with more detailed settings.
But essentially, nothing has changed, it’s still storytelling, and as long as it’s a made-up story, there will be loopholes. Those whose thoughts are sufficiently firm and whose logic is clear enough will see through it.
Only the traditional thought of China—filial piety—is about reasoning. This is the most fundamental difference, because Huaxia Civilization is more mature and rational; hence, storytelling works in other civilizations, but it simply doesn’t fly in Huaxia, at least not with the majority of people.
Only in recent times did those other civilizations begin to learn to reason, which is to say capitalism, liberal democracy, things like LGBT.
Even some backward civilizations have not learned to reason to this day and are still using stories to fool the common folk.
This is the biggest difference between my Huaxia Civilization and others."
Chen Tianwen was taken aback for a moment by the argument, then suddenly burst out laughing.
"What an apt distinction between storytelling and reasoning, you’re right, this is the underlying logic of human civilization, this is the Way. So, it seems you have attained enlightenment."
Xiao Jie also burst into laughter, feeling truly enlightened at this moment.
"Indeed, I’ve attained enlightenment! The so-called underlying logic, the path of humanity—it is so! It is so!" Xiao Jie said excitedly, his mind teeming with thoughts. Countless mysteries from human history became crystal clear in an instant, as if patterns in the palm of his hand.
Everything in human society, whether it’s doing business, navigating bureaucracy, teaching, or storytelling, mastering this Way naturally leads to success in every endeavor.
Story or rationale, both are just tools, to be used as needed. If you really believe in them, you fall into a trap and bind yourself.
Kongzi didn’t create Confucianism because he really believed in it, but rather because he calculated that it would eventually become the supreme school of thought, the dominant ideology. Even if he didn’t create it, someone else would, so he might as well establish the doctrine himself—it was just a tool after all.
Jesus was well aware there was no God, and it was precisely because of this clarity that he could confidently proclaim himself the Savior and act in the name of God. What he was actually doing was the same as Kongzi, except Kongzi reasoned, he told stories.
And in a sense, he truly was the Jews’ savior. If the Jews had believed in his role as the Savior, followed him, and helped spread the reformed faith to Europe, they would have become controllers of the Church Court, akin to Brahmins in Europe, establishing Jesus’ foundational power base.
Unfortunately, those Priests were opportunists, clearly aware that there was no God; naturally, they wouldn’t believe in Jesus’s identity as the Savior. And since Jesus threatened their interests, they inevitably had to eliminate him.
There have been countless such individuals throughout human history; on the surface, they seem to do different things, but in reality, they are all doing the same thing.
They are all telling stories and reasoning.
The so-called human Way is about how to use it to drive others, to make them serve oneself.
People may seem alike, yet they are entirely different.
For the fools, there’s no need to reason with them, because their cognition is too low for reasoning to be clear; it’s easier to tell them stories. As long as the stories are well-crafted, fools will unquestioningly do as you wish.
For intellectuals, reasoning is required, telling them what is right and wrong. Distinguishing right from wrong helps drive their actions. But fundamentally, reasoning is just a tool, and in the end, it’s like every man’s reason and every woman’s reason—it depends on the perspective you interpret from, so best to use it and not get lost in it.
For opportunists, neither stories nor reasoning work; only tangible benefits can persuade them.
And the Great Wisdom are the chess players.
Stories, rationale, and interests are merely tools.
Fools, intellectuals, and opportunists—as long as you master the method, you can manipulate and use them, become a Great Wisdom, and employ these people to act on your behalf to fulfill your grand plans. This is the Great Way of humanity.