Daoism In The Great Gatsby

In the universe, good and evil intertwine to form the lives of people and the environment around them. Humans have, even from the beginning, thrived off systematic order of things, whether it be tribes coming together to survive the elements, or your new class schedule finally coming in the mail. One predominate thing we tend to prosper from is unified religion. One major religion, Taoism (all though more commonly known as Daoism), emphasizes a now universal theory of the Yin and Yang. This theory has established itself in all sorts of media, from books in the library to the songs heard on the radio. Arguably one of the most controversial books in American Literature, The Great Gatsby, has collections of characters that fall into the theorem

It’s put on jewelry, sweatshirts, socks even. Books have been written about it, people have focused entire careers on it even, but what really is the theory of the Yin and the Yang? Numerous misconceptions have been made about the philosophy, ranging from the meaning of the words all the way to the what the entire philosophy is based on (Derek). The true Yin and Yang philosophy is over 5000 years old (Dunas), and it comes from the ancient Chinese people who “were greatly interested in the relationship and patterns that occurred in nature” (Integrated Chinese Medical Holdings Ltd). While Eurocentric ideologies have morphed their faith into a vision of a world filled with only good and evil, the Chinese expanded their vision to see the world not just as a whole, but as a combination of “two relative aspects of the same phenomena.” (Integrated Chinese Medical Holdings Ltd). The commonly known symbol has more meaning than just an creative thing to post on social media. The Yin and Yang symbol of Daoism represents “two relative aspects of the same phenomena.” (Integrated Chinese Medical Holdings Ltd). Instead of opposites, such as the sun and moon, the figure represents two separate areas of life coming together to with equal strengths to promote harmony. Though the symbol is important, just like a cross is to Christians, it isn’t just about the sphere. The entire philosophy