Use plain words to make friends, use deaf words to stop slander, use carved words to blame yourself, and use weak words to resist insults.
People cannot exist independently of the crowd. Naturally, there will be various causes and conditions. In interpersonal interactions, there are good and bad conditions, good times and bad times. How to deal with the complicated personnel environment, maintain a stable mentality, and cultivate moral character is a topic that everyone cannot avoid and is very concerned about. This is the valuable experience left by the ancients for us. First of all, it tells us to "make friends with light words" and to be indifferent when interacting with friends. The friendship between gentlemen is as light as water, the friendship of morality and justice is peaceful and long-lasting. If you interact for the sake of self-interest, you may turn into enemies when your interests conflict. You live in the midst of gains and losses, honor and disgrace every day, and are restless. How can you make real friends?
Use the word deaf to stop slander. Conflicts, misunderstandings and even slander and insults seem to be unavoidable in life and have the greatest harm and impact on people. Therefore, many people say that "people's words are terrible". If they cannot be handled rationally, they often lead to tragedies with unimaginable consequences. This is also the time to test our self-cultivation. We are told here that the only way to stop slander is to pretend to be deaf and ignore it. Over time, the truth will naturally become clear. If you rush to refute and explain, it will only make things worse and cause greater harm.
Responsify yourself with words, and be strict and harsh in reprimanding yourself. You cannot muddle along and live by the rules. Harshness and meanness are originally bad conduct, but if you use them to demand yourself, help you restrain your speech and behavior, avoid mistakes, and improve your moral character, it will have unexpected effects. It can be seen that there is no certain good or evil in things. The key is that we must be good at using them and turn evil into good for ourselves.
Use weak words to resist insults. When facing insults from others, you can only keep a low profile to calm the situation and resolve it peacefully. If there is opposition and resistance, it will only intensify the contradiction and hurt both sides. The word "weak" here does not mean cowardice, but the understanding of cause and effect, the meekness and humility shown, hiding one's strength and biding one's time, as if nothing is true. This kind of "weakness" has more lasting vitality, just like the willow branches in early spring, full of vitality. That’s why Lao Tzu said 2,500 years ago, “The weak is stronger than the strong.” Being able to believe and implement it, harmony among people, harmony in society, and world peace are not just dreams, but achievable.