[Buddha-l] Mindfulness in the marketplace

[Erik Hoogcarspel]

jkirk schreef:

>http://www.inthesetimes.com/site/main/article/2039/
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>"...Tom's mission: To protect frazzled high-power execs from burnout by
>teaching them "how to play the casino without getting hooked." Proudly, Tom
>promotes an in-the-moment philosophy of "mindfulness"-allegedly
>rehabilitated, he's now an entrepreneur who turns his cell phone off at
>night."
>
>Something about this phenomenon makes me edgy, but I can't put my finger on
>precisely why, other than to wonder if meditation in se is ethically
>neutral!
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I get the same feeling, Joanna, and for me the reason is that by a shift 
in the meaning of words, something banal and mean like the pursuit of 
gains by lawful cheating, gets the social capital of the opposite: 
striving for inner peace and trying to become a better person. Being 
totally egotistic and stupidly involved in short term goals get the 
appearance of selflesness and wisdom. Aand those who write this and 
believe are so proud of themselves!
Is meditation ethically neutral? TM is in my opinion, but Buddhist 
meditation cannot be, because right from the beginning the Buddha ruled 
hedonism out because it is 'unworthy and mean'. Eudemonism is also 
rejected in most Buddhist traditions because it is a dead end and 
doesn't lead to wisdom. Utilism is restricted to marginal questions 
because nirvaaNa is not useful and, well you know Richard and I have a 
different view in this, but I would say that the Buddha would agree more 
with Aristotle than Kant or Habermas.

erik