Great essay! All these new identities that have appeared in recent years make me think that it is precisely because these people--by which I mean progressive Anglo-Saxons--have no longer a sense of belonging (insofar as they reject traditional identities grounded in nationhood or biology or traditional family values), yet, clearly, consciously or unconsciously, they long to belong, and so they end up inventing all kinds of bizarre, often pathological, new identities. The irony is that these new identities are much more tyrannical than the old, traditional ones.
Excellent point, I've noticed the same thing myself. The desire to belong coupled with fear of being shamed by a group or lack of one's own values/principles makes people particularly vulnerable to this problem.
For real. Check the article I linked to in that section, it's appalling. And I've seen many other such cases. Seeing such blatant identity politics in such a wildly counterproductive place has caused me to avoid joining meditation groups I've otherwise been interested in.
One wonders if these people have ever understood Buddhism. Either they never understood it--which is very likely--or else their hypocrisy trumps their knowledge of Buddhism, in which case, they haven't learned anything from Buddhism.
Exactly. I lived in California where I used to go to Yoga several times a week, and that environment too has been corrupted. As you say, the types of people who tend to do Yoga are high in compassion and agreeableness--almost always women.
Love this, Jake! The entire essay is a case in point. Touché.
Thank you Michele!
Wow this essay blew me away. So thought provoking and articulate. I am probably going to read this several times!
Thank you so much! That’s so nice to hear!
I cannot judge the correctness of this philosophy of life because I lack the will to truly try to live it.
Great essay! All these new identities that have appeared in recent years make me think that it is precisely because these people--by which I mean progressive Anglo-Saxons--have no longer a sense of belonging (insofar as they reject traditional identities grounded in nationhood or biology or traditional family values), yet, clearly, consciously or unconsciously, they long to belong, and so they end up inventing all kinds of bizarre, often pathological, new identities. The irony is that these new identities are much more tyrannical than the old, traditional ones.
Excellent point, I've noticed the same thing myself. The desire to belong coupled with fear of being shamed by a group or lack of one's own values/principles makes people particularly vulnerable to this problem.
For real. Check the article I linked to in that section, it's appalling. And I've seen many other such cases. Seeing such blatant identity politics in such a wildly counterproductive place has caused me to avoid joining meditation groups I've otherwise been interested in.
One wonders if these people have ever understood Buddhism. Either they never understood it--which is very likely--or else their hypocrisy trumps their knowledge of Buddhism, in which case, they haven't learned anything from Buddhism.
Definitely, it's a failure of one of the philosophy's most core tenets!
Totally agree. It seems like Buddhist circles would be one of the few things more immune to identity politics!
Exactly. I lived in California where I used to go to Yoga several times a week, and that environment too has been corrupted. As you say, the types of people who tend to do Yoga are high in compassion and agreeableness--almost always women.