Dear Friends,
When I was a kid, I watched a cartoon about a Quebecois mouse named Savoir Faire. He, it’s said, is everywhere. The cartoon was cute but the name is interesting. Savoir faire roughly translates to, “Know how to,” or directly into English, “to know is to do.” Which is curiously similar to Lao Tzu’s idea of action through inaction. In that to know is in itself to do. Another way of conceptualizing this idea is through Mencius in his idea of the golden mean, the central path in whatever society the “jen man” (human hearted person) finds himself in. He knows so he does. Then there’s the Christian idea that the person baptized in faith and working forthrightly, can but do good works. He knows so he does. This idea flows through many other philosophies and religions as well. Exposing its deeper meaning.
To know is to do, or Savoir Faire, knowing how to steal food the mouse simply did. He lived his ideal life because he knew how to. Thus he did. This applies to us as well. If we were to know how to live our ideal lives, we simply would. There would be no effort involved. We would know how, and so we would live life without effort, naturally. Lao Tzu’s Tao. Translated Tao means, “The way.” The way to enlightenment, the best life and prosperity. Lao Tzu said that only the unmoved can move. In other words, only those who are grounded can emote true action in the world. Grounded in what? The understanding that, to know is to do. Because once you know, everything you touch is colored by that knowledge. Savoir Faire is everywhere… all you need do is look for it.
Knowing how to do, or Savoir Faire, is what the little french mouse did. He knew how to steal food so he did. Not only couldn’t he help himself because Savoir Faire, to know is to do, but he also knew and so was able. As in the Christian ethic, that the saved person lives in grace, not under the Law. In that the act of accepting salvation imparts a knowledge of how to do good works, a human heartedness. Such that everything the saved person touches is blessed. Even the evil works. Because to know how to do makes one capable. One who doesn’t know then is incapable no matter how much they struggle. Take the example of a skilled basket weaver and a skilled layabout, weaving a basket. The basket weaver knows how to and so weaves a great basket. While the layabout doesn’t and so doesn’t.
The idea of “class” embodies the concept of Savoir Faire. While class is as rare today as gold latrines, you see examples in old movies. In Sound Of Music, the Baroness had class. She knew how to act and so acted correctly. Even when she was devastated by it. True knowing, Savoir Faire, leads to class in action, because to know is to do, and competence (as well as prosperity, enlightenment and class) comes from knowing how to do. That little thief of a cartoon mouse was a far deeper character than most realized at the time. Certainly me. His name and actions carried timeless truths whether the writers understood it or not. Though they probably did have an inkling. Savoir Faire, the Tao, and human heartedness are things we should strive for. For our own good.
Savoir Faire then leads to effortless advancement. While not knowing how, leads to frustration and failure. Moreover, true knowledge leads to success, because to know is to do. Which is why so many of our elites attempts at creating an Earthly Eden, have yielded a temporal hell. Because they lacked Savoir Faire. They didn’t know so didn’t do. Even as many people who eschew power, do it because they have Savoir Faire. They know how to do good works and so do good works. Such people don’t need to marshal huge resources to their command. They simply act in the world and goodness follows their footsteps like a trail. Where can we find Savoir Faire? In the Holy Bible, Plutarch’s lives and philosophy, not in inhuman hearted things like politics, power or coercion.
Sincerely,
John Pepin
