Thursday, February 28, 2008
What is the point of blogging on topics (sort-of) "about" Buddhism?
What are the true underlying motives for wanting to blog on topics (sort-of) "about" Buddhism? This is not the same as blogging and being a Buddhist, nor even the same as having a blog which focuses exclusively on the history or philosophy of Buddhism as a field of study (and about which one would presumably be well-versed). But what is the intent when one specifically and regularly invokes the term (and terminology of) Buddhism and then goes on to incorporate some presumably "Buddhist" principle by name into some other topic (when one could incoporate that principle without referring back to the Sanskrit, Pali, or Chinese label for that concept)? Is the perspective or advice not as good if there isn't an explicity reference to the spiritual tradition from which it comes? Is there some reason to want to display or promote that affiliation? If so, what is it? In some cases, for elaboration's sake, there may be a need to briefly use or define a term and when the position being discussed may seem counterintuitive to the intended audience, but what is the goal of a blog that is about referring to "Buddhism"?
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Hi TT,
ReplyDeleteI kind of wonder about this too. I noticed a number of blogs advertise as Buddhist blogs, but seem to be about photography, music or whatever. The "Buddhist" stuff seems to only come up once in a blue moon.
Silly.
P.S. I guess I say that because I am one of those silly "religious" Buddhists. You know, the ones who follow all these "cultural accretions", am superstitious and so on. ;)
ReplyDeleteWell, I was mostly directing the question inward. That's not to say it wasn't open for others to reply to, or I wouldn't have posted it. I only mention this because some may see the post as a criticism leveled strictly at other blogs (which would in fact then by hypocritical).
ReplyDeleteAnd to clarify in another way, I guess part of what I was asking has to do with over-referring to Buddhist terms and concepts. It's as if the principle is cool just because it is exotic (even if a similar or identical principle can be found in a more familiar cultural reference or sans any cultural reference). Or as if there is some need to remind people "Hey, I'm Buddhist".
This is not to suggest it is necessarily wrong or harmful to speak about the Buddha or Buddhism, but rather invite an examination of motives. Is it because someone thinks Buddhism is cool or hip? Is it because they are "humbly" fishing for compliments about how well they feel they have grasped a concept or principle associated with Buddhism?
Or to put it more simply, to what degree is the posting a way of stroking the ego? What was the genuine intent behind the superficial reasons we may tell ourselves for why we blog about Buddhism? Are we truly humble and careful not to over-reach with our pronouncements? Are we genuinely trying to be helpful, and if so, what are we presupposing people need help with?
[On another level, which went unspoken, there is the additional issue of people who have read a few books and spent some time meditating or chanting who now appear to want to (re-)define Buddhist terms or concepts for everyone, as if suddenly after languishing in Asia for millenia the full meaning and potential of Buddhism can be released because of its context with the western version of Enlightenment. Then there is the reverse, where people of similar experience and authority then seem to be claiming to know the full and true original meaning of Buddhism before it spread to this or that place.]
Excellent points. I never really thought you were doing anything wrong in your blog by the way. I do get frustrated with Buddhist "hipsters", but I certainly don't think you are one of them. :)
ReplyDeleteOr to put it more simply, to what degree is the posting a way of stroking the ego?
I grappled with this question quite a bit, and that's how my blog got blown away. It turns out thoguh, on another level, that I had made plenty of friends online I would not have met without. This became apparent when people noticed the blog was missing.
Also, I realized that i had posted lots of good stuff about Baby when she was first born, that I missed terribly. I should have at least backed up when I blew the blog away, but I was just not thinking at the time.
The irony, as I realized, is that in trying to consciously humble one's self is that this too is kind of ego-centric. Better to turn one's thinking outward to life itself, and the ego is just forgotten.
gerald ford wrote: The irony, as I realized, is that in trying to consciously humble one's self is that this too is kind of ego-centric. Better to turn one's thinking outward to life itself, and the ego is just forgotten.
ReplyDeleteYes - and that is a more direct way to get at what I am trying to put my finger on. One can write all day and night about Buddhism but what do the blog articles and posts demonstrate about the effect/change in perception and attitude resulting from applying it in our lives? Which gets back to the quote I keep at the top of my blog:
"Someone may say, 'Yes, I believe in Jesus.' That's fine, but what is the point? Someone else may say, 'Mohammed is the final prophet.' That's fine, but what's the point? Share it with me! Someone else may say, 'I follow the Buddha.' Yeah, that's fine, you have the freedom to follow anything, but what is the point? What is the bottom line? What is the Buddha teaching us?"
For our current purposes I guess could modify the next bit to say: "...if people would look at themselves and consider How does a more expansive view affect my life? or How does this help me to see people and situations in a new light?, then they would have wonderful posts to share with each other on their blogs."
Even here there is a danger that in trying to be so self-consciously humble or gracious or all-caring in appearance we just end up feeding another variant of our self-indulgent focus. That's why I sometimes really enjoy some of the Shin blogs, because you occasionally get people talking about how they are struggling with or unable to have the ideal kind of mindfulness and compassion so-often talked about but rarely achieved. To paraphrase Randy Jackson - "Their keeping it real..."
And hope "they're" spelling things correctly too... (blush)
ReplyDelete(o)
ReplyDeleteThat's why I sometimes really enjoy some of the Shin blogs, because you occasionally get people talking about how they are struggling with or unable to have the ideal kind of mindfulness and compassion so-often talked about but rarely achieved. To paraphrase Randy Jackson - "Their keeping it real..."
ReplyDeleteHa ha ha, I never thought about it that way. I usually just assume Shin blogs are whiny (mine is anyways). The Randy Jackson quote was just awesome. :)
Yeah, people still walk around with a really idealized version of what Buddhism should be, but as the generations pass, I think this will fade and Buddhism will better address life here in the West.