Protest: When knowledge awakens the courage to resist

Source: The power hidden in unknowing: Lao Tzu's wisdom

Therefore, this is the rule of the sage: he empties their hearts, fills their bellies, weakens their ambitions, strengthens their bones. He makes the people devoid of knowledge and devoid of desire, and ensures that those who know dare not act. Act through non-action, then order will be established.

(Laozi, Daoism, Bialik Institute 1973, p. 31)

Explanation: A philosophy of rule: The wise ruler and his submissive people

Lao Tzu is the father of Daoism. His teachings address proper conduct, minimal interference with the environment, and non-action. The role of the leader, according to Lao Tzu, is to fill the people's bellies so they do not rebel, and to keep them devoid of knowledge so there will be no criticism. Accepting reality as it is, along with compassion, moderation, and humility, will bring about a peaceful, good life.

Perspective: When knowledge becomes power: From slavery to revolution

For generations, leaders took care to withhold knowledge from the masses, because knowledge is power. Dictators, kings, emperors, presidents, and all kinds of other rulers all feared an enlightened public. In the Torah of Moses, parents are commanded to teach their children—an education that imparted strength and a critical eye, yet also fostered anarchy and disrespect toward leadership throughout the generations. In modern times, many peoples were liberated simply because they were exposed to knowledge, from the French Revolution to the American Civil War, when Black people were freed from slavery. Protest is the fruit of knowledge—knowledge that brings the power and courage to resist.

Going Deeper: Singapore: Prosperity or control? When freedom is traded for personal security

Wikipedia, "Singapore"

The Singaporean economy is considered free, innovative, dynamic, and business-friendly. Singapore attracts a large volume of foreign investment thanks to low tax rates, its location, a skilled workforce, low tax rates, and a zero-tolerance policy toward corruption.

Singapore has the highest percentage of millionaires in the world, with one in six households possessing at least one million dollars in liquid assets. The government in Singapore provides assistance to the homeless and the needy through the Ministry of Social and Family Development, making severe poverty extremely rare in the country. Part of the program includes cash grants of $400 to $1,000 per month for needy households, alongside free healthcare and coverage of children's school tuition.

Punishment in Singapore is very severe. The death penalty exists for drug possession and is carried out by firing squad. Those who commit traffic violations or litter in the street are punished with heavy fines. The penalty for littering the first time is a fine of about 1,000 Singapore dollars; for a second offense, the accused must work as a street sweeper for three months. In 1992, the sale of chewing gum was banned in the country, and anyone who spits out gum faces a $1,000 fine. Anyone caught entering the country with more than a few packs of gum for personal use faces a $600 fine and a year in prison.

An unusual punishment practiced in Singapore is public caning on the buttocks. Humiliation is an effective tool in the Singaporean fight against crime. Photos of criminals, even for minor offenses, are published in the press. Singaporeans are extremely conservative when it comes to sex. Television scenes with sexual innuendo are censored, and possession of pornographic material is prohibited.

Would you want to be a citizen of Singapore?

Culture: The king's clothes: The courage to see reality as it is

The Emperor's New Clothes. H. C. Andersen, Hebrew translation: David Frischmann. Ben-Yehuda Project

The King walked on... and all the people in the streets and at the windows shouted out: “O Lord God, how beautiful are the new clothes the King is wearing!... For each man was careful not to let his fellow know that his eyes saw nothing at all...

“But the King has no clothes on, nothing covering his flesh!” a little boy suddenly cried.

“Oh, listen, listen to what this innocent mouth is saying!” replied the boy’s father...

“There is no garment, no covering upon the King's flesh!” cried all the people at last with one voice... Yet in his heart [the King] thought: “Now I have no choice but to see through what I have begun!” So he carried himself with seven times more pride and loftiness than before, walking upright, while the chamberlains serving him walked behind, holding up the train of the mantle that was not, and never had been.