The problems of the world are caused by the old philosophies. The world needs a new philosophy.

1. P A U L Y A N G
The World Needs a Different
Philosophy

2. Tango, as a drop in the ocean of human
civilization, both reveals its beauty and
reflects its pollution.
The problems in tango today in fact are
not the problems of tango alone, but that
our civilization is facing in the modern
world as well.

3. Just like how we understand tango
affects how we dance it, how we
perceive ourselves affects how we
behave and live.
In the course of human evolution of the
past millions of years, mankind have
gradually separated ourselves from the
beast.

4. The distinction between man and
animals can be summed up in one word:
humanity.
Our understanding of humanity has
reached its peak in the Renaissance of
14th - 17th centuries.

5. Contrast to the twisted and demeaned
image of man in the contemporary arts,
his dignity, nobility and beauty were the
dominant themes of the Renaissance.

6. The consequent sublimation of human
spirit formed a powerful force, which
eventually led to the rejection of all forms
of bondages, oppressions and violations of
human liberty, the establishment of
democracy, the discharge of human
creativity, the increase of human
production, the advancement of science
and technology, and the prosperity of
modern material civilization.

7. In this process, however, mankind have
gradually lost sight.
We left footprints in every corner of the
Earth.
Farmlands replaced forests.
Cities replaced farmlands.

8. Pollution replaced purity.
Materialism replaced idealism.
Extravagance replaced simplicity.
Competition replaced cooperation.
Stress replaced enjoyment.

9. Individuality replaced fraternity.
Pragmatism replaced integrity.
Corruption replaced uprightness.
Monopoly replaced sharing.
Polarization replaced equality.

10. Legalism replaced common sense.
Games and sports replaced literature
and art.
Sex liberation replaced marriage.
Single parent family and gay family
replaced traditional family.

11. Artificiality replaced natural production.
Machine replaced people.
Self-interests replaced common interests.
Antagonism replaced harmony.
Violence replaced peace…

12. Modernization has led mankind farther
and farther away from nature and
humanity.
The living environment is deteriorating.
The resources are depleting.
The morality is decaying.

13. Individual person, genders, races,
special interests, political parties and
nation states are infighting with each
other for self-interests.
It seems that human liberty, the very
thing that has led us to prosperity, is
leading us to self-destruction.

14. Someday, ideas like environmentalism,
returning to nature, inaction, moderation,
thrift, humanism, equality, coexistence,
cooperation, sharing, agreement, and
harmony, will replace dogmas like being
unique and different, individuality, power
politics, aggression, competition,
winning, conquest, expansion, and
success, to be the consensus of most
people.

15. I only hope it will not be too late.
The world need a different philosophy,
not the narrow-minded and unbalanced
doctrines like individualism, feminism,
liberalism, pragmatism, materialism,
capitalism, etc., but an idealism that
can lead mankind to nobility, greatness,
magnanimity and cooperation.

16. Hopefully, tango will play a positive
role in the return of humanity, because
it manifests the values and spirit that
make us human.

17. More on this at yangningyuan.blogspot.com.