Tag: taoism
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What makes a year?
As the year 2025 draws to a close, I find myself reflecting on its twists and turns through the lens of Taoism. The Tao teaches us to flow with the natural rhythms of life, embracing both harmony and disruption as part of the eternal dance. In this year-in-review post, I’ll share my personal journey—marked by…
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The Piercing and the Return
Seven years. That’s how long I had been lost to myself. Seven years of wearing someone else’s life like an ill-fitting suit: polite smiles, muted opinions, a voice that apologized for existing. I had old friend groups that remembered the version 1.0 of me, the loud, weird, fearless kid who quoted Chuang Tzu between shots…
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Who Learns More: The Student or the Teacher?
In the dance of knowledge, who truly gains more—the one who receives or the one who gives? From a Taoist lens, this question dissolves into the flow of the Tao itself, where teaching and learning are not separate but intertwined, like the yin and yang. Drawing from the Tao Te Ching, Chuang Tzu, and modern…
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The Taoist Concept of Te and Red Team Activities
In the realm of cybersecurity, where proactive defense is key, the Taoist concept of Te—often translated as virtue, integrity, or power—offers a profound lens for understanding Red Team and penetration testing (pentest) activities. Rooted in the Tao Te Ching, Te represents the natural expression of the Tao, the underlying principle of the universe, manifesting as…
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Taoism, the Pitfalls of Active Laziness, and Effortless Effort in Security
In the high-stakes world of cybersecurity, where efficiency can mean the difference between safety and breach, the ancient philosophy of Taoism offers valuable insights. However, the concept of “active laziness”—when interpreted as being perpetually busy yet accomplishing little—can undermine security efforts. Paired with “effortless effort” (or wu wei), as explored in the What’s This Tao…
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Resilience Against Social Engineering: Lessons from the Tao
In a world where trust is both a virtue and a vulnerability, social engineering—manipulating people to divulge sensitive information or perform actions—poses a constant threat. From phishing emails to sophisticated pretexting, these tactics exploit human nature. The Tao Te Ching, attributed to Lao Tzu, offers timeless wisdom for building resilience against such deception. Chapter 54,…
The Half-assed Taoist 