“Everyone knows the usefulness of the useful, but no one knows the use of the useless.”
— ZhuangziZhuangzi, Chapter 4 ("In the World of Men"; translation varies)
Commentary
Zhuangzi's useless trees survive because they cannot be made into lumber. The passage challenges utilitarian measures of worth and suggests that freedom often lies in what escapes instrumental use.
Commentary
Zhuangzi's useless trees survive because they cannot be made into lumber. The passage challenges utilitarian measures of worth and suggests that freedom often lies in what escapes instrumental use.