The document discusses the flaws in modern Western civilization's foundation of individualism, competition, and self-interest. It argues that this model has created winners and losers, and fails to consider cooperation, equality, and fairness. In contrast, tango teaches that individuals are interdependent parts of a larger whole, and finds happiness through mutual submission and cooperation rather than competition. Extending tango's principles could lead to a fairer distribution of wealth and a society more focused on shared interests over only self-interest. The document calls for reexamining the meaning of freedom and individual rights in light of creating safety and happiness for all.
2. The freedom in tango is not that of the part in a lower
sense, but that of the whole in a higher sense.
In our society, many people think of freedom as such:
Every human being is an independent individual with
certain unalienable rights conferred to him/her by the
Creator, among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness.
Since happiness is the motivation of each individual
person, competing with others for self-interests is
justifiable from one’s own perspective.
3. The purpose of government is to protect such interests and
to secure everyone’s rights to pursue self-interests and to
compete with others.
Education is designed to empower individuals so that they
may succeed in the competition, concerning little about the
interests of people as a whole and the cooperation among
people.
Economics aims at stimulating growth by promoting
competition and consumption, disregarding that the
natural resources are shared by all people and need to be
exploited wisely and utilized prudently, the cooperation
among people, and the fair distribution of wealth, etc.
4. Politicians are more concerned about the special interests
that they represent than environmental protection,
ecological balance, rational use of resources, fair
distribution of wealth, social harmony, public good, and
other things relating to the common interests of all people.
This civilization, based on self-interests, competition,
predatory development and irrational consumption, is
facing grave crisis.
On the one hand is the unchecked greed, on the other is
the depleting natural resources.
5. On the one hand is the extravagant lifestyle and tremendous
waste, on the other is the deteriorating environment.
On the one hand is the surge in GDP, on the other is the
increasing inequality.
On the one hand is the exorbitant wealth of a few, on the
other is the struggle of many, etc.
Obviously, the theoretical foundation of our civilization has
serious flaws. It created only a tiny minority of winners but a
vast majority of losers. It does not give enough consideration
on coexistence, equality, fairness, cooperation, and sharing.
6. The Declaration of Independence states, “We hold these
truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator with certain
unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness. That to secure these rights,
governments are instituted among men, deriving their just
powers from the consent of the governed, - That whenever
any from of government becomes destructive of these ends,
it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to
institute new government, laying its foundation on such
principles and organizing its power in such form, as to
them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and
happiness.”
7. It seems to me that we need to take a long hard look at
these words.
Do we understand their meaning truthfully?
Should we decide to change the foundation upon which our
society was meant to be built by the Constitution?
Because it turns out, the individualistic interpretation has
not brought, nor will it bring the safety and happiness that
most people are seeking for.
8. When tango was imported, few Americans realized that a
new idea was introduced. In contrast to individualism,
tango does not see man as an independent individual, but
as a part of the whole in an interdependent, cooperative and
complementary relationship with others. Without the latter
the former is not complete regardless of how important
he/she is from his/her own perspective.
In tango, the dancers can only perform well when they
cooperate with each other, and only in such cooperation can
each individual person enjoy the maximum joy. The
success, therefore, is not that of any single individual alone,
but that of the team as a whole.
9. The two partners are not in a relationship of competition,
control, power struggle or taking advantage of each other,
but that of love, submission, collaboration and complement.
Resting in his arms, surrendering to him, feeling his
masculine strength, following his lead without worry,
savoring his attention, enjoying his protection, sharing his
emotions and creativity, moving rhythmically with him in
harmony, and letting her femininity display to meet and
attract him, these to the woman mean security, pleasure,
and realization of her value as a woman.
10. On the other hand, being with her, winning her trust,
enjoying her femininity, affection, obedience and seduction,
feeling her soft body twisting in his arms, pampering her,
protecting her and displaying her feminine beauty, these to
the man mean comfort, pleasure, and realization of his value
as a man.
Tango brings men and women back to their original state,
where the two sexes are in a destined fellowship, where there
are no calculations of gains and losses, not exchanges of
money and power, no worldly concerns, no self-interests
involved, only the simple joy and satisfaction of being
together, and where all Cinderellas and Quasimodos enjoy
the treatment and freedom as a royalty.
11. Happiness is an inner harmony and contentment.
Individualism, materialism, competition, and power
struggle are destructive of that end.
What is regarded as virtuous in tango is fraternity, intimacy,
mutual submission and cooperation.
Although tango does not involve economic activities, as an
action of cooperation its joy is shared. This principle can be
extended to other aspects of life as well. What is not based
on self-interests does not submit to the control of the
invisible hand of capital and greed.
12. We can logically infer that wealth can be distributed fairly
to allow all who participated in its creation to share, rather
than being hogged by a few.
Just like the victory of a sport team is resulted from the
cooperation of all the players, so the honor is given to all
team members rather than just the ones who scored.
Shareholding, therefore, seems to be a better way of
distribution than minimum wages.
13. How we see ourselves decides how we organize our political,
economical, social and cultural lives.
Jean-Jacques Rousseau said, “Man is born free, yet
everywhere he is in chains.” We created our own chains. We
must also be unchained by ourselves.
To be a free people, we must first understand what that
means.
There is still a long way before we truly gain freedom – the
freedom that is stated in The Declaration of Independence. I
can only hope that tango will help to gear up that process.
