Confucius: The OG Influencer Who Didn't Even Have a Throne
So, we’re talking about Confucius. You’ve probably heard the name, maybe seen some “Confucius says” memes that are honestly kind of cringe. But here’s the thing: this guy was basically the original influencer, and he did it all without a smartphone or a single follower on social media.
I’ve been reading Meher McArthur’s book, Confucius: A Throneless King, and it’s surprisingly relatable. We like to think we live in a unique time of “unprecedented” chaos, but Confucius lived in a world that was literally falling apart. Warring states, corrupt leaders, and zero job security.
And yet, he spent his whole life trying to figure out how to be a good person and how to build a society that didn’t suck.
Over the next two weeks, I’m going to walk you through his life, chapter by chapter. We’ll look at how he went from a kid in a struggling family to the most famous teacher in history. We’ll talk about his weird travels, his loyal (and sometimes annoying) students, and why his ideas still run the show in huge parts of the world today.
It’s not just a history lesson. It’s a story about a guy who failed a lot, stayed hungry for knowledge, and somehow changed the world anyway.
Buckle up. It’s going to be a wild ride through ancient China.