Good, Bad—Who’s to Say? A Taoist Lesson in Business and Life

Have you ever heard the Taoist parable about the farmer whose horse runs away?

It goes like this: The villagers express their sorrow, but the farmer simply says, "Good, bad, who’s to say?" Days later, the horse returns, bringing two more horses with him. The villagers congratulate the farmer, but he responds the same way, "Good, bad, who’s to say?" Later, the farmer’s son tries to ride one of the new horses but is thrown off and breaks his leg. The villagers are sad for the farmer again, but he remains steady in his response: "Good, bad, who’s to say?" Finally, war breaks out, and the farmer’s son is spared from battle due to his injury, while the other young men from the village die in battle.