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Emerging evidence that mindfulness can sometimes increase selfish tendencies

bbc.com

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Re: Emerging evidence that mindfulness can sometimes increase selfish tendencies

#2
So reading through this it's kind of interesting to look between the lines. There has always been vapid social vampires in our midst that would leech from others around them in any way that they could. It could be in monetary support, social and emotional support etc... And these vampires would do it naturally never thinking to give anything in return. The rise of the selfie cam and social media has created even more of these vampires.

Now when I read this article about mindfulness promoting selfishness what I actually see is people who are preyed upon by these vampires stop being prey when they embrace mindfulness. I suppose when you are the vampire and you are no longer to Leach your happiness from others you would consider that other person selfish. In reality this is more that people embracing mindfulness are incredibly attuned to their surroundings and the people that they interact with and realize what's happening and simply are holding up a mirror. These social vampires like the vampires of fantasy see nothing and thus call other selfish for refusal to be prey.

Re: Emerging evidence that mindfulness can sometimes increase selfish tendencies

#3
post #2

So reading through this it's kind of interesting to look between the lines. There has always been vapid social vampires in our midst that would leech from others around them in any way that they could. It could be in monetary support, social and emotional support etc... And these vampires would do it naturally never thinking to give anything in return. The rise of the selfie cam and social media has created even more…

How do you draw that conclusion when the study says:

"Experiments 2a-2c found that induced state mindfulness reduced the willingness to engage in reparative behaviors in normally guilt-inducing situations."

This is about people who has has wronged others becoming less likely to make up for it after practicing mindfulness. Meaning, this is about mindfulness making more vapid social vampires who just take without giving back since it reduces guilt, not about people being more resistant to them.

Re: Emerging evidence that mindfulness can sometimes increase selfish tendencies

#4
Mindfulness and compassion are often talked of as "two wings of a bird" by dharma teachers - mindfulness doesn't automatically translate to compassion. This sutta makes the same point:

Maṇibhadda Sutta (SN 10:4)

On one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Magadhans at the Jewel-stand Shrine, the haunt of the yakkha-spirit, Maṇibhadda [Auspicious Jewel].

Then Maṇibhadda the yakkha-spirit went to the Blessed One and, on arrival, recited this verse:

“It’s always auspicious for one who is mindful. The mindful one prospers happily—always. The mindful one grows better each day and is totally freed from animosity.”

The Buddha:

“It’s always auspicious for one who is mindful. The mindful one prospers happily always. The mindful one grows better each day

but isn’t totally freed from animosity. Whoever’s heart, all day, all night, delights in harmlessness with goodwill for all beings

has no animosity with anyone at all.

Re: Emerging evidence that mindfulness can sometimes increase selfish tendencies

#5
10-20 minutes/day was enough to teach me how to be 'mindful' on demand and mitigated a lot of mild ADHD-type problems in my life (impatience, anger, finding queues unbearable, high sensitivity to noise etc.).

I spent a few months doing more, and it may not be related, but I became increasingly detached from the outside world, more self-absorbed and less motivated. Spent a lot of time just sitting and being content with nothing, which made me question why I should strive for -anything-. Always focused on improving myself, and the way I thought and felt, but it kept me stuck in my own head and not engaged with other people. There is a benefit in doing loving kindness and other forms of meditation that connect you with others.

Re: Emerging evidence that mindfulness can sometimes increase selfish tendencies

#6
post #5

10-20 minutes/day was enough to teach me how to be 'mindful' on demand and mitigated a lot of mild ADHD-type problems in my life (impatience, anger, finding queues unbearable, high sensitivity to noise etc.). I spent a few months doing more, and it may not be related, but I became increasingly detached from the outside world, more self-absorbed and less motivated. Spent a lot of time just sitting and being content wi…

A recent Dr K video tries to address this problem.

I Meditated, Now I Don't Care Anymore - https://youtu.be/NnTLJtBr1zo

Re: Emerging evidence that mindfulness can sometimes increase selfish tendencies

#8
post #5

10-20 minutes/day was enough to teach me how to be 'mindful' on demand and mitigated a lot of mild ADHD-type problems in my life (impatience, anger, finding queues unbearable, high sensitivity to noise etc.). I spent a few months doing more, and it may not be related, but I became increasingly detached from the outside world, more self-absorbed and less motivated. Spent a lot of time just sitting and being content wi…

I have experienced this as a Soto Zen practitioner. Easy to kind of "give up" on normal life, since it suddenly seems much less important

Re: Emerging evidence that mindfulness can sometimes increase selfish tendencies

#10
post #5

10-20 minutes/day was enough to teach me how to be 'mindful' on demand and mitigated a lot of mild ADHD-type problems in my life (impatience, anger, finding queues unbearable, high sensitivity to noise etc.). I spent a few months doing more, and it may not be related, but I became increasingly detached from the outside world, more self-absorbed and less motivated. Spent a lot of time just sitting and being content wi…

A recent Dr K video tries to address this problem. I Meditated, Now I Don't Care Anymore - https://youtu.be/NnTLJtBr1zo

Is it good to not care?
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