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Step 6 of 6~8 min read
Reflection: Names You Live By
Reflect on how naming shapes your own social world.
Prompts to consider
- Think of a title or name you bear, friend, colleague, citizen, child. Does your conduct live up to what that name requires? Where does the gap feel most uncomfortable?
- Confucius says the gentleman 'guards against arbitrariness in speech.' Is there a word or label in current public discourse that you think has been severed from its proper meaning, and what are the social consequences?
- Xunzi thinks names are conventional but must be stabilized; Confucius thinks they carry normative weight. Which view resonates more with you, and what does your answer imply about who has the authority to name things?
Write at least a few sentences, then you can request feedback or mark this step complete.