Two excerpts that I found very interesting are 17:15 and 17:17, which emphasize the importance of using the right words. In 17:15, Confucius explains that skillful speech and flattering expressions are only used by people who aren’t good. I think he means that people who talk a lot in order to flatter others do this because it makes them look intelligent and likable. However, Confucius believes that this does not make you good since words are just words, not actions or thoughts. Similarly, in 17:17, Confucius wishes that he could avoid talking since nature is able to flow and evolve without ever speaking. When I watched the BBC documentary, something that stood out to me was Confucius’s belief that nature is inherently good and if we become more like nature, we can be good. This is interesting to think about today because we usually admire nature but don’t try to “be” like nature, meaning that “going with the flow” is usually seen as irresponsible or lazy in the Western world. However, I think that Confucius believed that being like nature did not mean not acting but simply not complicating or obstructing things. We don’t have to control everything, especially not with our words, but we should continue to do good things and learn how to become better.