Monthly Archives: September 2007

culture of usury

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I’ve been thinking a lot lately about all the things that have contributed to the current economic crisis. Which is not just a crisis for this country, but for many individuals. I’m not a financial analyst; in fact, I’m quite inept when it comes to adding 2 + 2. Yet it seems very important to try to understand what is happening here, because something bad is definitely happening.

A recent article about wounded vets, and their economic woes.

An online book on Buddhist economics and ethics by Ven. P.A. Payutto.

“Mortgage Vultures” and rescue scams.

Credit Card Nation and In Debt We Trust.

Many lenders are not just predatory, but also abusive.

Recent events point to an increasing numbness, a lack of compassion, a lack of real understanding about the extent to which we are all hooked into a culture of usury, and a cycle of dependency upon those who use us, and our money — unwisely, to say the least.

Slavoj Zizek on Buddhism and Capitalism

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I’m curious to know what you Buddhists out there think of cultural critic Slavoj Zizek’s take on Buddhism and Capitalism…? He seems to be suggesting that Buddhism has nothing to offer in terms of dealing with the problems of imperialist/capitalist expansion — that Buddhism (especially “Western Buddhism,” which he equates with “New Age”) because of its “distancing” effect offers no practical engagement with the world on a material basis.

“The only “critical” lesson to be drawn from Buddhism’s perspective on virtual capitalism is that one should be aware that we are dealing with a mere theater of shadows, with no substantial existence. Thus we need not fully engage ourselves in the capitalist game, but play it with an inner distance. Virtual capitalism could thus act as a first step toward “liberation.” “

So often when some people are critical of Buddhism, they tend to focus on one aspect, like “distancing” or “no self,” from within a purely Western mindset, without attempting to understand the practice from within (practice), or from within the context of a language like Pali and how Buddhist concepts are transliterated to English. Zizek might do well to read Ajahn Punnadhammo’s post on Bhikku Bodhi’s Challenge.