This quote, “To lay hold of the mean without taking into account the occasion is like grasping one thing only,” essentially emphasizes the importance of context and adaptability in our actions and decisions. The ‘mean’ here refers to a middle path or a balanced approach. Though, Mencius suggests that simply adhering to this ‘mean’ without considering the specific circumstances or occasion can be limiting and one-dimensional.
In simpler terms, it’s like saying that sticking rigidly to a rule or principle without considering unique situations is akin to understanding just one aspect of a multifaceted issue. It encourages us to be flexible and adaptable in our approach rather than being dogmatic.
Applying this idea in today’s world could mean not sticking rigidly to set rules or procedures when they may not be appropriate for specific situations. For instance, in business, while it’s important to have standard operating procedures (sops), there may be unique scenarios where deviating from these SOPs might produce better results.
In terms of personal growth,it underlines the importance of adaptability as an essential life skill. While having principles is critically important, we must also learn how to modify our behavior according to different situations.For example, while honesty is generally considered an admirable trait, there might be occasions where tactfulness might require us not being brutally honest.
Hence Mencius urges us towards an adaptive virtue ethics where we take into account both our principles (the mean) but also considerate about when and how these principles should apply based on individual circumstances (the occasion).
