While Tibet has been foremost in my thoughts in recent days, that hasn't stopped or even slowed down the pace of life here in my life and in the US.
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Last night Kelly and I snuggled up to watch BarackOBAMA
Obama's now famous 'A More Perfect Union' speech on YouTube. For impressive commentary on it I suggest this post from Nacho Cordova, fellow Buddhist/Humanist blogger and professor of rhetoric at Willamette University. For my part, I was hugely impressed that Obama refused to lay blame; as he pointed out faults in one person or community he was quick to suggest that there are reasons for these faults, and that, hey, nobody is perfect. He handled the difficult issue of race in America with grace and poise.What I think struck me the most about Obama's speach, however, was his refusal to pander to the sound-byte hungry media (it was a bit amusing/irritating that CNN tried to fix this by pulling out sound-bytes of their own to display on screen during the speech). What's more, he openly and rightly criticized the media's handling of both his Rev. Wright's comments and of the presidential campaigns in general.
I agree, and I'm glad that I don't normally watch TV. In addition to this CNN annoyance, while Kelly and I were having her car's oil changed, we caught 15 minutes of (also) CNN coverage in which they repeatedly played a 15 second clip of a South Carolina police officer running into a suspect with his patrol car on purpose - this was followed by about a minute of personal banter and jokes between the commentators - no analysis, no context, no attempt to educate the viewer on broader issues that might have brought this about... I thought CNN was the 'good guy' on TV! It was sad.
Fortunately, I did manage to get a number of perspectives and solid analysis from NPR over the past few days. I should also note my continuing gratitude for a communications course I took in college. It was called "Introduction to Rhetorical Theory" by Steve Schwartze, and it basically consisted of a historical survey of how to use language to manipulate the masses. So, to another one of my teachers, I say "thank you."
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STUFF
I have been feeling a bit queezy about all the 'stuff' Kelly and I are going to get - are already getting - associated with our upcoming marriage. There are several things at play here, which I'll work out (or at least work on) in coming days/weeks. One is my upbringing: my very happy younger days when our family had little money and my sense of personal responsibility in this world. Another is my education. From studies in psychology, religion, philosophy, and ecology, I've come to see a life of voluntary simplicity as the best for oneself and the planet - not that I've ever really lived up to my standards of what this life should be, but I'd like to keep trying.
Besides simply having all of this new stuff, I worry that 90% of it is going to be made in China, a country known for its appalling lack of labor standards - not to mention their willingness to put unsafe chemicals and fillers into products, resulting in numerous recalls over the last several years. So by filling my home with Chinese made products I seem to both support human rights abuses and put myself/friends/and family at risk from the unknown substances in these products. What to do? Suggestions?
And Work
I just added four new books to my stack, two Oxford 'Very Short Introductions' (VSIs), to Buddhism and to Buddhist Ethics, both by Damien Keown; Vic Mansfield's book that I blogged about recently, and David Kalupahana's book on Ethics in Early Buddhism. All that said, my real work for the next couple weeks will be in putting together a proposal for a large American Philosophical Association meeting next December. The proposal will be on something regarding Karma and/or theories of causation in early Buddhism. That and dusting off the old CV and looking for work for the fall in/around DC (Buddhist academic for hire!).
Good times. And I'm off!
I have been feeling a bit queezy about all the 'stuff' Kelly and I are going to get - are already getting - associated with our upcoming marriage. There are several things at play here, which I'll work out (or at least work on) in coming days/weeks. One is my upbringing: my very happy younger days when our family had little money and my sense of personal responsibility in this world. Another is my education. From studies in psychology, religion, philosophy, and ecology, I've come to see a life of voluntary simplicity as the best for oneself and the planet - not that I've ever really lived up to my standards of what this life should be, but I'd like to keep trying.
Besides simply having all of this new stuff, I worry that 90% of it is going to be made in China, a country known for its appalling lack of labor standards - not to mention their willingness to put unsafe chemicals and fillers into products, resulting in numerous recalls over the last several years. So by filling my home with Chinese made products I seem to both support human rights abuses and put myself/friends/and family at risk from the unknown substances in these products. What to do? Suggestions?
And Work
I just added four new books to my stack, two Oxford 'Very Short Introductions' (VSIs), to Buddhism and to Buddhist Ethics, both by Damien Keown; Vic Mansfield's book that I blogged about recently, and David Kalupahana's book on Ethics in Early Buddhism. All that said, my real work for the next couple weeks will be in putting together a proposal for a large American Philosophical Association meeting next December. The proposal will be on something regarding Karma and/or theories of causation in early Buddhism. That and dusting off the old CV and looking for work for the fall in/around DC (Buddhist academic for hire!).
Good times. And I'm off!
Posts
4 comments:
Justin, it's always good to read your blog--so many ideas and points of information! Just a few quick thoughts about the 'stuff' issue. As you rightly say, it's getting really hard in our modern world to deal with what we do and don't need. Off the top of my head: research things like fridges and washer/dryers on reputable 'green' websites, also perhaps with organisations that keep an eye on which companies have human rights checks on their foreign subsidiaries and which don't. Remember that sometimes spending a bit more money to get something well made that will last longer than the 'bargain' item. Find a local or regional organic grower who makes weekly deliveries and set up an account, rather than going to a big box store once a month and stuffing the freezer with frozen packaged stuff from gods-know-where. This means you won't need a big chest freezer. Buy a Brita water jug and filter your own drinking water rather than buying plastic bottled water that needs storage and recycling. Never go near a Wal-Mart. Above all, put a lot of thought into what you really need, in the context of your own unique lifestyle, as opposed to what other people have/think you need to have/want to give you because they are generous and love you and want to show their love by helping you out. And I'm pretty sure you already knew all of the above!
Happy Spring!!!
All of Margaret's ideas are awesome. I had a couple of thoughts too. First when you register for gifts be really observant of where things come form. I'm sure you already thought of that. The other is have you considered having people donate the money they would spend on a gift to charity, or a pay off our student loan fund :) Also if you get duplicate gifts or stuff you really just don't need you could give it to a womens shelter. Don't get to hard on yourself for acquiring stuff. Stuff happens. You seem blue, I hope you are doing well.
Peace Jen
Margaret - excellent ideas, many many thanks :) I think we'll sign up for a food co-op with a local farm here soon. We're definitely pro-Brita/Pur and avoiding Wal-Mart like the plague. Figuring out what I/we really need is probably the toughest part. I've lived so long as a low-income, nomadic, academic bachelor that planning for greater needs is tough.
Will I need a walnut salad bowl with matching pepper mill and serving bowls? I think I can say for my own part - "nope, not me, never." But then I might be thinking too much like that bachelor and not enough like a middle-class family man.
Part of it could be me fighting that transition a bit too, trying not to get assimilated into the rat race of Western overconsumption and (mainly American) overworking. But getting all the stuff may be an important sort of 'rite of passage' for Kelly (or both of us), so I think I'll aim my worries elsewhere as much as I can :)
Jen, Happy Spring to you too! Actually, you'd be surprised - we didn't look at origins of things at all when we registered. It wasn't until an early bridal shower gift arrived stamped with "Made in China" on it that it dawned on me that we'll probably be getting a lot more like that.
Ohh, a charity/pay off student loan fund sounds gooooooood. So does donating to a womens shelter. Great ideas :).
And you're right about not being too hard on myself - I do get a bit overly pensive at times. But in general I am doing extremely well - I have my health, a lovely apartment, an even more lovely (quite beautiful in fact) fiancee, an amazing education, and GRRREAT friends :)
Justin,
Every so often I come across something in my Dharma reading about possessions. Usually what the teaching boils down to is that possessions themselves are neutral. What matters is (a) how/why we acquire them; (b) what we do with them. There is nothing wrong with something carefully bought as the fruit of one's own work, which gives one pleasure and which is useful in one's life--even ornaments are useful, too, since beauty feeds our spirits. Once we have things, let's hold them lightly, with appreciation but without attachment, understanding that they are as transient as we are.
And yes, Jen's ideas are great!
Blessings!
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