Teach A Man To Fish

“Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime.”

This maxim, variously attributed to Confucius, Buddha, Sun Tzu or Kilgore Trout, is used by people of different political persuasions, religions, cultures and philosophies to suggest that it is perhaps better to empower those in need than simply enabling them to continue in their neediness.

Hard to argue with that. A long-term solution is usually a better approach than a short-term fix. But what if, after all these years, the pundits had it wrong?

As a student of Eastern philosophy, I suspected that the lesson was more than it appeared. Zen koans and Taoist writings usually contain deeper meanings than first meets the eye. And when I discovered a variation on the proverb, I realized that it did, in fact, mean more.

“When I give a man a fish, he eats for a day. When I teach a man to fish, he eats for a lifetime.”

Do you see the difference? The “I” in this version changes the meaning, gives more depth to the concept. It is no longer just a testament to empowering others, it is a testament to personal responsibility. I am giving the fish, and I am teaching. I exercise my personal responsibility in order to teach someone else personal responsibility.

That’s a huge difference. Because, in the first version, who is going to teach? The government? The churches? Nonprofits? We simply assume someone will take up the task of teaching. Not necessarily me. I’m too busy. But someone should do it. And stop feeding him, for Pete’s sake. Teach him to fish!

By taking personal responsibility, we make sure that the job of teaching gets done. And we empower that person in need to take personal responsibility from hereafter.

There’s another important difference in the two versions. The use of the word, “When.”

Not “If,” but “When.” There is no either/or scenario. I give and I teach. As part of my personal responsibility, I must not only empower, I must give. What lesson are we truly imparting if we are content merely to teach someone to fish? We must also teach them to give.