Chapters 11 and 13 for Editing and Discussion

CH 11

The Mandlebrot grows in infinite complexity
but it depends on the empty space at the center.
Knowledge is built of facts:
A scaffolding to support ignorance.

First off, I loved how I had to look up the definition of the Mandelbrot set to confirm it really starts with Zero.

The lines in a coloring book give the page form
but crayons give it life,
not staying constrained inside the lines,
nor reducing the pattern to scribbles.

No problems here.

We stick apart & stay baffled,
yet keep coming back
to the very same thing.

I'm not sure what the intent of this verse is. The concepts of Sticking Apart and Staying Baffled (staying curious?) don't seem to meld here, and I'm not sure what the Thing we're coming back to is.

The lens of the first microscope revealed fractillian ignorance.

Shaped words, unraveled meanings,
interpret, corrupt, adapt or construe,
we knew all along
words don’t count.

I think I get the meaning here (our knowledge is often based on words, which are inaccurate), but I think a bit more coherence might be good.

Take advantage of what exists,
and use what does not exist.

CH 13

Having and not having 
both create frustration.
When you have, you're afraid to lose.
When you have not, you're afraid you won't have.
Kill the cycle by expanding your definition of Self
to encompass the Universe. 
Then, your soul is not inside you, and you are inside your soul.
You can have it all with nothing to lose.

This sounds to me like it's closer to the Tao than the Chao. The Original:

Good fortune and misfortune cause apprehension.
Regard great trouble as you regard your self.

What is meant by
"Good fortune and misfortune cause apprehension?"
Those with good fortune are apprehensive of their gain.
Those with misfortune are apprehensive of their loss.

What is meant by
"Regard great trouble as you regard your self?"
Great trouble comes from being selfish.
Being selfless, what trouble is there?

Therefore those who value the world as themselves
may be entrusted to govern the world.
Those who love the world as themselves
may be entrusted to care for the world.

The advice from the TTC is to stay balanced. This would tend to translate as the (An)Eristic Illusions, and what happens if you fall out of balance.