What a great essay! Thank you!

Some unorganized thoughts triggered by your essay that may be somewhat interesting.

Parallels in traditional Chinese philosophy: Confucius thought, especially the Wang Yangming school, frame "repression " as our innate search for truth and good. Some are keenly aware of this and are able to keep on this path through their own efforts. Some need to be inculturated to social etiquette (礼仪) so their proper behaviors are conditioned by social conventions. Others can only be restrained by law so their proper behaviors are constraint by threats of punishment.

Repression and oppression are words that originated from an individualist culture. From the perspective of the individual, we repress ourselves or are oppress by others when we interact with society.

When the starting point is the collective, we find ourselves when we seek to join and contribute to society. When other individuals are just as valid and important as ourselves, the resulting moral philosophy is about how to live in harmony with each other.

Taoism locates harmony not just in human society but in the universe. The Tao is universe harmony. We thrive if we live in this flow and wither if we live against it.