“Nothing is more difficult than having to deal with people who have problems or who have lost hope. A sincere heart will not here alone suffice, and in such cases it is necessary to possess keen powers of perception in order to see into the other’s spiritual condition so that one may then join with it. A deep heart of love is required in dealing with those who ‘have lost’.

The basic problem, then, is how to nurture such powers of observation and perception, and how to develop a deep, loving heart of one’s own. A person who is simply good and sincere might easily end up thinking the same disgruntled thoughts as the person who is complaining, and might be pulled down by stories of other people’s misfortunes. People might find some sense of relief in complaining or fulminating but in time this habit of complaining takes root and, without even being aware of the weakness that caused them to fall into despair, they choose a way of life that hampers further uplifting of their spirit.”

Masahisa Goi, in The Spirit of Lao Tsu

He continues:

“The bitter complaints of these people might, if repeated over and over again, eventually engulf the good and sincere individual…”