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Buddhism has found a new institutional home in the West: the corporation

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Re: Buddhism has found a new institutional home in the West: the corporation

#111

Post by prox »

jan_Inkepa wrote: post #89
godmode2019 wrote: post #79

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why use the correct word in the title but the western mispronunciation in the quote. Dao

The 道德经 was not written in the last century, and the ancient pronunciation is only approximately known. Yes it's written in Modern Standard Chinese/pinyin as "Dào Dé Jīng" but the text has existence in the western world older than the Modern Standard Chinese language, certainly longer than modern Chinese orthography. Looking at Zhengzhang reconstruction of the title, for instance, we get the pronuciation /l'uːʔ tɯːɡ…

My Daoist teacher doesn’t really mind either way, although his english usage is the “Dao” form. I am assuming that is the more modern/current form.

Re: Buddhism has found a new institutional home in the West: the corporation

#112

Post by emptysongglass »

throwawayacc2 wrote: post #93

I stopped reading upon seeing at the very stop this “ Silicon Valley is the latest player in a history of Western appropriation of Buddhism” I was very curious about the article. I am wondering if it treats ideas such as “hire fast fire fast” - In a way a concept related to the Buddhist ideas of detachment, or the opposite, “bing your whole self to work” which in a way seems contradictory - you have attachments, cont…

I had a coworker recently tell me I was culturally appropriating the Buddha (I'm a Buddhist) presumably because I am "from the West". Apart from being one of the most offensive things I've ever been told (before anyone jumps on me for this: I can still observe it as offensive regardless of my attachment to the offense) it confirmed for me that whatever is going on in the US with identity politics has jumped the shark.

You do not need to be of a skin color, creed, gender or class to take refuge in the Buddha's teachings. The dharma is for all.

Re: Buddhism has found a new institutional home in the West: the corporation

#113

Post by School-Cotton »

md_ wrote: post #99
throwawayacc2 wrote: post #93

I stopped reading upon seeing at the very stop this “ Silicon Valley is the latest player in a history of Western appropriation of Buddhism” I was very curious about the article. I am wondering if it treats ideas such as “hire fast fire fast” - In a way a concept related to the Buddhist ideas of detachment, or the opposite, “bing your whole self to work” which in a way seems contradictory - you have attachments, cont…

I think the key point is that it becomes "appropriation"--vs cultural mixing or exchange--when the ideas are removed of their source context and used in a way that is contrary or even disrespectful of their original intent. I'm far from an expert, but it seems like a reasonable argument to advance that the linkage of Buddhist practices with corporate and material advancement--and the removal of spiritual or ethical c…

That’s indeed contrary and disrespectful of their original intent, but why does it matter what culture does it?

If people from a traditionally Buddhist country like Nepal disrespected Buddhist ideas, it would presumably be just as disrespectful as if people from America did, so I don’t think “cultural appropriation” is the right way to analyze this.

By the way, practically every religion has been transformed and warped so much over time as to be almost unrecognizable. This again is normal human behavior.

Re: Buddhism has found a new institutional home in the West: the corporation

#114

Post by School-Cotton »

goodpoint wrote: post #109
md_ wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the key point is that it becomes "appropriation"--vs cultural mixing or exchange--when the ideas are removed of their source context and used in a way that is contrary or even disrespectful of their original intent. I'm far from an expert, but it seems like a reasonable argument to advance that the linkage of Buddhist practices with corporate and material advancement--and the removal of spiritual or ethical c…

Spot on. This is a perfect example of appropriation. --- Cultural appropriation is the inappropriate or unacknowledged adoption of an element or elements of one culture or identity by members of another culture or identity. This can be controversial when members of a dominant culture appropriate from minority cultures. According to critics of the practice, cultural appropriation differs from acculturation, assimilati…

Why are Americans the “majority” and Asian Buddhists the “minority” in this exchange? And what makes this “colonialism” ?

Re: Buddhism has found a new institutional home in the West: the corporation

#115

Post by throwawayacc2 »

md_ wrote: post #99
throwawayacc2 wrote: post #93

I stopped reading upon seeing at the very stop this “ Silicon Valley is the latest player in a history of Western appropriation of Buddhism” I was very curious about the article. I am wondering if it treats ideas such as “hire fast fire fast” - In a way a concept related to the Buddhist ideas of detachment, or the opposite, “bing your whole self to work” which in a way seems contradictory - you have attachments, cont…

I think the key point is that it becomes "appropriation"--vs cultural mixing or exchange--when the ideas are removed of their source context and used in a way that is contrary or even disrespectful of their original intent. I'm far from an expert, but it seems like a reasonable argument to advance that the linkage of Buddhist practices with corporate and material advancement--and the removal of spiritual or ethical c…

The exact same thing can be said about anything. Judaism appropriated pre existing ideas and disrespected them by insisting on a single god. Christianity appropriated judaism and disrespected it by removing covenant practices such as circumcision and adding new ideas such as the kingdom of heaven being available to anyone not just “the chosen people”. Islam appropriated christianity and disrespected it by demoting Jesus from the son of god to a mere prophet.

This is how ideas work. And it’s not just religion. Think of left wing thought. The original communist ideology was revolutionary. Social democrats appropriated ideas from them but believe working within the system. Many hard left people despise social democrats and believe they do more harm than good.

Re: Buddhism has found a new institutional home in the West: the corporation

#116

Post by prox »

emptysongglass wrote: post #112
throwawayacc2 wrote: post #93

I stopped reading upon seeing at the very stop this “ Silicon Valley is the latest player in a history of Western appropriation of Buddhism” I was very curious about the article. I am wondering if it treats ideas such as “hire fast fire fast” - In a way a concept related to the Buddhist ideas of detachment, or the opposite, “bing your whole self to work” which in a way seems contradictory - you have attachments, cont…

I had a coworker recently tell me I was culturally appropriating the Buddha (I'm a Buddhist) presumably because I am "from the West". Apart from being one of the most offensive things I've ever been told (before anyone jumps on me for this: I can still observe it as offensive regardless of my attachment to the offense) it confirmed for me that whatever is going on in the US with identity politics has jumped the shark…

Indeed. There seems to be a lot of misunderstanding on the word “appropriate” , “to make it your own.” Basically the more academic wording of “you made this? I made this.” meme.

As long as you don’t pretend you created Buddhism or are an infallible authority of Buddhism it’s not appropriation.

Personally I find the word not really appropriate with what we are trying to convey which I assume would be something along the lines of “disrespectful usage of other peoples cultures or practices.”

Re: Buddhism has found a new institutional home in the West: the corporation

#117

Post by Cthulhu_ »

fendy3002 wrote: post #104
yunohn wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Disclaimer: I’m an atheist. I don’t believe this is the gotcha that you think it is. Every single school of thought, religion or otherwise, has good and bad parts. Taking the overwhelmingly good aspects of Buddhism to understand how to lead a better life, is not invalidated because the Buddha said one thing you dislike. It’s naivety to desire 100% perfection from everyone/thing.

I don't know why this good advice is downvoted, and looks like mine will too. I don't understand why people still consider literature written by human with nowadays language to must be either perfect or it's worthless. Also how they see a form of government that declared they're adopting one religion teaching and using it as argument proof / point. We will spiralling down to whataboutism soon like this. Cherry picks…

It's like people want these things written down in no-holes legalese. While at the same time people will misinterpret what others are saying (see "straw man argument"; people are quick to jump to conclusions about people about what they say and don't say).

Here's a religious code people can live by: "Don't be a dick". I'm sure that summarizes all the good parts of organized religions and philosophies. It's also the most difficult one to adhere to for a lot of people.

Re: Buddhism has found a new institutional home in the West: the corporation

#118

Post by md_ »

School-Cotton wrote: post #113
md_ wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think the key point is that it becomes "appropriation"--vs cultural mixing or exchange--when the ideas are removed of their source context and used in a way that is contrary or even disrespectful of their original intent. I'm far from an expert, but it seems like a reasonable argument to advance that the linkage of Buddhist practices with corporate and material advancement--and the removal of spiritual or ethical c…

That’s indeed contrary and disrespectful of their original intent, but why does it matter what culture does it? If people from a traditionally Buddhist country like Nepal disrespected Buddhist ideas, it would presumably be just as disrespectful as if people from America did, so I don’t think “cultural appropriation” is the right way to analyze this. By the way, practically every religion has been transformed and warp…

I'm not sure which is more disrespectful, but I do think the two situations are different. If I'm immersed in a culture or practice and I reject some aspects of it, from a place of familiarity, that means something different--maybe something more disrespectful!--that if I display the trappings of a culture without understanding what they mean.

Re: Buddhism has found a new institutional home in the West: the corporation

#119

Post by Cthulhu_ »

TedShiller wrote: post #27

> LinkedIn CEO Jeff Weiner calls his leadership style “compassionate management,” which he describes as “putting yourself in another person’s shoes and seeing the world through their lens or perspective,” and claims it is inspired by teachings of the Dalai Lama. It’s good corporate marketing but only skin thin: He’d still fire your ass in a millisecond if he needs to or wants to, regardless of your personal predicame…

For sure, that's what managers do; sometimes for good reason, but often it's just a numbers game.

I've seen this a few times; companies live by their values, until it comes down to money, then it's "just business". It's the public marketing face, and plenty of people are happy to live under its delusion, only to be confronted with the hard truth when it's time for reorganizations.

Re: Buddhism has found a new institutional home in the West: the corporation

#120

Post by Cthulhu_ »

solardev wrote: post #2

Oops, looks like your mindfulness has expired! Would you like to renew it for $4.99?

lmao, reminds me of when in response to a lot of people being overworked and unable to work, they decided to offer a free subscription to a mindfulness app.

I mean, have you tried reducing workload first?

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