What is your slant on this?

Question

If you give a person a fish they are fed one time, if you teach a person to fish they are fed for life?

Ok ok, Most all very good answers,but I am looking for something more mystic. Thank you.

Alan S: I like the way you think. It is about enlightenment. There is an old story about "The enlightenment of Joe McCool" I was thinking about when I submited the question, that has to do with water & a fish.

Answer 1

Tell me and I will forget. Show me and I will remember. Include me and I will understand.

-Confucius

Answer 2

Most people have missed the question. The question is not about fish and feeding and teaching etc The question very clearly is " What is your slant on THIS?" Now that is a huge question and if studied correctly can lead to enlightenment.
THIS just this, is all about NOW, the present moment where we are, what we are. There is of course only one moment . THIS is it say the mystics.
Very clever question indeed. Hopefully I have no slant on the question. Well done.

Answer 3

Its an old saying.... but true none the less. Educating people how to feed themselves etc is better than doing it for them as when you've gone home they wont know how to do it.

There is nothing mystic about it or a conspiracy theory.... They call it common sense

Answer 4

This is a quote often used to highlight the value of education versus indoctrination. Nothing mystical in there, whatsoever. If you feed people mumbo jumbo from holy books and scriptures, they will reamin helpless and vulnerable (where most religions want them, right?) but if you teach people HOW TO THNIK FOR THEMSELVES, they will make up their own minds about important things. This approach is anathema to religionists.

Answer 5

*It is clear that if you either hire someone for a job if you are an employer or teach someone to work at a skill you feed them for life, but to give them just one meal you feed them for one time. That does not mean Christians or non Christians are free to ignore a hungry person, but of course the non christian does it out of kindness and not because God told them to.

Just do what you can. I you can't give a hungry person a Job or teach them a trade but can spare a buck, do what you can.

I may be selfish but when a person on the street asks me for money, if I have it to spare, I Will buy them a lunch instead of giving them the money. I used to give money and a man went Right in the liquore store we were in front of and came out with wine and beer and laughed at me when I stood watching with my mouth open, he said he was hungry. *

Answer 6

If you introduce a person to a mystical experience, they are 'fed one time', if you teach a person to recreate the experience on their own, they are 'fed for life'.

I love Atlas's answer. It reminds me of what I meant in your stairway to heaven question; to know, to experience, to become.

Answer 7

What do you mean "what's your slant"? Do you want to know my opinion? Yes, it is true because they would eat one fish in a meal or two. If you teach them how to get their own fish then they can get food any time they need it.

Maybe I am not understanding what you want.

Answer 8

If the person is hungry, you give them the fish first. You teach them to fish later, when they aren't hungry anymore.

Answer 9

Common sense.

Answer 10

good thinking when appropriate

A perfection of means, and confusion of aims, seems to be our main problem.
Albert Einstein

Answer 11

It's a great saying. Brings Wellfare to mind. I think too many people know that there is a safetynet for them if they fall. It was originally for people that tried their hardest NOT to fall but now it's all messed up.