In this blog post, we will examine the true meaning of superhumanity through the philosophy of Zhuangzi and shed light on how it differs from superheroes, who symbolize power and ability.
People sometimes dream of being superhuman. Words such as “superhuman strength” and “superhuman ability” excite people’s minds. That is why popular culture often deals with such themes. Hollywood’s Superman, Spider-Man, and Batman are typical examples. These heroes use their incredible powers to save the world, defeat evil, and give people hope. However, these superhumans are fictional characters, and in reality, we cannot possess such powers. So, what does a true superhuman that we can aspire to look like?
A superhuman is not someone who performs dazzling and extraordinary feats, but someone who can calmly overcome the hardships of life and cover hatred with love. A superhuman is someone who possesses the inner strength to transcend the difficulties and pains encountered in daily life, accept them calmly, and overcome them. Thus, the philosophy of the superhuman gives us the strength to live in this difficult world with a smile. Such qualities of the superhuman can be seen even in the small moments of everyday life. The ability to endure anger in a conflict with a friend, the strength to get back up after failure, and the heart to understand and embrace others’ mistakes are all virtues of the superhuman.
Zhuangzi shows us this philosophy of the superhuman. Zhuangzi broadens our narrow focus on immediate gains and fills our hearts with joy and courage. The superhuman Zhuangzi describes is someone who lives a life true to their inner self, unaffected by the opinions and judgments of others.
The superhuman he pursues reflects the human ideal of transcending the constraints and limitations of reality to attain true freedom and peace. However, the boldness and detachment of “Zhuangzi” are different from empty declarations or grand statements lacking deep experience. Between the lines of this book, we can feel a tragic gaze that is almost painful and a tearful gaze looking at a cruel world.
We can sense a gaze filled with suffering toward the cruel reality that cannot be changed by individual power. “Zhuangzi” is a great text because it rises above such depths and gives us detachment and hope. Zhuangzi’s thinking provides deep insight into the various problems we face in our lives. It guides us to maintain an unshakable mind even in the midst of pain, sorrow, and uncertainty.
Zhuangzi’s philosophy is thoroughly non-speculative. If we understand empiricism not as a narrow scientific methodology focused on direct perception, experimentation, or the collection of data, but as the fundamental attitude of thought, then Zhuangzi is a thorough empiricist philosopher. Here, experience refers not to external perception of reality but to the most honest gaze upon life itself. Zhuangzi confronts the essence of life, accepts it, and seeks freedom within it. His thought is not theoretical or abstract. Rather, he seeks truth within the concrete problems of life.
Zhuangzi seeks to escape the stifling reality and the world of petty people through vivid writing and striking images. Zhuangzi’s thinking is transformative. It is a way of thinking that seeks to become something else. The system of life given to oneself, the dividing lines between things, the system of symbols, the positions and statuses conferred by institutions, the values demanded by reality… There is an unbridgeable gap in perception between those who accept this framework as a given, or who know that it is not so but lack the courage to seek another way of life, and Zhuangzi. This gap is also the difference between those who are content with reality and those who pursue freedom.
Human society is composed of positions and names. The system of positions and names constitutes rank. Most people accept this system of rank and struggle to survive within it. However, Zhuangzi rejects this rank. It is a life of no rank. However, this life of no rank does not mean demonstrating outstanding abilities or achieving something dazzling and extraordinary. Rather, it is a life that seeks to be free from the conflicts, competition, jealousy, envy, exhausting gazes of others, and the fleeting joys and sorrows imposed by rank. However, such a life of freedom also brings various hardships and the exhausting gazes of others. A life of non-action is a life that endures such suffering and gazes, or rather, a life that can even cast off such endurance. The superhuman of Zhuangzi is not the superhuman imagined by a life of status, but the superhuman imagined by a life of non-action. This signifies the true freedom of those who break free from others’ expectations and social standards and walk their own path.
