The Superior Person

“Wealth and honor are what every man desires. But if they have been obtained in violation of moral principles, they must not be kept. Poverty and humble station are what every man dislikes. But if they can be avoided only in violation of moral principles, they must not be avoided. If a superior man departs from humanity, how can he fulfill that name? A superior man never abandons humanity even for the lapse of a single meal. In moments of haste, he acts according to it. In times of difficulty or confusion, he acts according to it”

With basic Confucian principles in mind (such as the concepts of virtue, ren, reciprocity, and so forth), imagine Confucius’ Superior Person as a modern-day super hero. Could someone describe what sort of super powers this person would have and how he or she would combat evil. Provide a “real-life” example of someone who you believe meets Confucius’ characteristics for a Superior Person, and explain why.

Your modern day super-hero would have the ability to effectively communicate the best directions for all of mankind without creating political or religious discontent.

It's not the lack of people with Confucius' prescribed qualities that make that such a remote possibility, it's the offsetting greed and desire for power of the many who don't have those virtues.