青年毛澤東的思想承接了中國傳統的「存有的連續性」－－「天命」下貫而為人的「天性」，人則應該秉持著此一「天性」，盡「性」以知「天」，上契於「天」：「人」與「天」是相連續的。與中國傳統的觀念不同的是：毛把傳統中「天」對「人」的優位性，轉換成了「人」對「天」的優位性。
但青年毛澤東卻把人的情欲等「自然衝動」視為人性之根本，故與孟子以來對人性的看法大異其趣。毛的這種「自然人性論」，造成的結果是：在毛身上完全看不到基於道德上的考慮，而對於自己的欲望加以克制的努力。
由於在毛的思想中，人的「自然衝動」本來源自於「自然」或曰「天」；既然「天」與「人」是相連續的，順著「自然衝動」而行，就等於是「天」在人的�堶悼N理「人」來行動。毛相信：順著「自然衝動」而動，才是順「天」而行，如果遭遇了任何「外界之抵抗」，都應該加以克服，以期能實現「天」的意志(其實也就是他自己的意志)。在毛身上，一切內在的衝突，都被轉化為他自己與「外界」的對峙了。
然而，毛的「自然人性論」，卻並沒有發展成自私自利之學；毛反而發展出了「精神之利己」，「精神之個人主義」。毛作為「精神之個人主義」者，以「我」為中心，以「大我」為目標。「我」可以－－或更恰當地說：必須－－吞併萬有•包羅萬有，從「人類」，「生類」一直到「宇宙」，然後才能成其為「大我」。毛的「我」如同一個阿米巴(amoeba)一般，不斷吞噬、同化外在的一切，以自我擴大而成「大我」。毛的革命，其實就是這個「我」擴大為「大我」的過程。由於是以「我」為主，被包羅進來的則是歸順於「我」的從，由此而形成的一切關係－－包括人際關係、人與自然的關係等等，都不會是一種「對等」的關係，而是一種以「我」為主的「隸屬」的關係。
毛所進行的共產革命，正是為了體現這樣一個「大我」的必經之途。所有阻礙「我」發展而為「大我」的「外界之抵抗」，都必須掃蕩淨盡。為了實現「大我」這一個理想，毛必須開始關注現實中與他對敵的一切－－那些反抗、拒絕被他的「大我」所吞噬的一切：毛的一生，就是克服並吞噬這一切的過程。而中華人民共和國的建立，則是毛的「大我」之階段性的完成；是「己即神也」的實現，是「神」的誕生。在中華人民共和國的毛澤東時代，在那極權主義的階段所發生的種種事故，也都是以毛澤東這一尊「神」為主軸而發生的。

Young man Mao Zedong's thought inherited the "continuity of Being" in Chinese tradition: What Heaven imparts to man is called human nature, and man should follow and fully develop this nature in order to assist in the transforming and nourishing process of Heaven. Man is continuous with Heaven. What makes Mao different from Chinese tradition is: in traditional Chinese thinking, Heaven is superior to man, but in Mao's view, man is superior to Heaven.
Moreover, Mao regarded human desires or natural impulses as the very roots of human nature, much different from Mencious' theory of human nature. Mao's natural view of human nature makes himself a "natural man," who has shown no restraint on his own desires or impulses.
In Mao's theory, "natural impulses" were originated from "nature" or "heaven;" this is what we called the "continuity of Being." With the concept of "continuity of Being," men's following such "human impulses" made them agents of "heaven." Mao believed following "natural impulses" is actually carrying out the will of "Heaven." And he should overcome whatever resist from the outside world, in his term, "external world resists," in order to fulfill will of "Heaven," precisely, his own will. As a result, no internal conflict is found in Mao; he has transformed all the internal conflicts into external conflicts.
However, Mao's natural view of human nature didn't develop into egoism, which is selfish in nature; Mao transformed such view into a "spiritual egoism." As a "spiritual egoist," Mao started from "Wo"('T') and aimed at the fulfillment of "Dawo"("Big I"). "Wo" can, or more correctly, must devour everything, including human beings, living things, and the whole universe, in order to grow into "Dawo." Like an amoeba, Mao's "Wo" engulfed and assimilated everything in order to become "Dawo." As a matter of fact, Mao's revolution is the growing process of his "Wo" into "Dawo." "Wo" was the principal, and the devoured ones, the subordinates. They formed a subordinational relation, not a coordinational relation.
Mao's revolution is the destined way of the fulfillment of his "Wo"/"Dawo." Mao confronted and destroyed all "external world resists" for the purpose of the fulfillment of his "Dawo." His whole life is a course of overcoming, devouring and assimilating. And the founding of People's Republic of China is an achievement of Mao's "Dawo;" it is the realization of his "I am God" doctrine, and the birth of"God." Everything happening during Mao's period, the totalitarian phase of People's Republic of China, was caused by Mao's "Dawo," the living God.