The 39th Verse of the Tao Te Ching suggests that when humans interfere with the intelligence of the universe (Tao), the sky becomes filthy, the earth becomes depleted, the equilibrium crumbles, and creatures become extinct. All of these factors are indicative that the human family has found a way to go contrary to the innate nature and manner of living that has been intended. Moreover, instead of living and being rooted in humility, loftiness becomes the order of the day. When one seeks loftiness, he/she discards that which appears to have no particular or immediate use and, as a result, the individual is able to render certain things as unimportant.
When nobility and humility is lost, there is no regard for that which is truly life-giving; rather, individuals become concerned with the needs of the ego and this, in turns, leads to eventual destruction of the self. Though the ego is a part of the self, it rarely elects to be satisfied by that which is truly eternal---love, joy, happiness. The ego becomes that force that causes humans to seek gratification, usually on a material level, and subjugate other people and things beneath the individual. This lack of regard is what eventually leads to the filthy skies, depleted resources, and extinct creatures. This lifestyle of loftiness is that which causes the individual to lose touch with his/her intricate purpose and, eventually, this causes the individual to lose sight of his/her role as a noble and humble element of the universe.
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