[Buddha-l] Postmoderism and Buddhism [was another query]

[Sally McAra]

jkirk wrote:

> http://www.cabinetmagazine.org/issues/2/western.php
>
> What a joy to read Richard's exposure of Slavoj. I encounter him off 
> and on
> in one of my favorite bi-weekly journals, but only read for hilarity. 
> It is this crowd
> that no doubt will condemn my published CD-ROM to eternity because the 
> style
> (lack of jargon) and approach don't conform to their preconceived and 
> ignorant prejudices.
> I am ever so grateful that they have not been able to co-opt Buddhist 
> studies.
> Joanna
>
I've just read the Zizek article too. I note that someone on the list 
criticised him for saying things about Tibetans with no knowledge of the 
Tibetan language etc...
Well, I confess I don't know more than a few words of Tibetan (let alone 
Sanskrit etc) myself, but I could add (as someone doing research on a 
particular subgroup of the kinds of "western buddhists" Zizek is trying 
to make sweeping generalisations about) that I was wondering if he has 
ever met a western convert to buddhism?
Or did he just read about them in _Virtual Tibet_?

It is a very different thing to do participant-observation with a group 
of individuals (warts and all - mine and theirs) than to look at the 
history representations of Tibet in western popular culture as_Virtual 
Tibet_ does.

I make this comment without even trying to fathom what he meant about 
the "fetish" etc...
I have asked a friend who read a lot of Zizek while doing her PhD (and 
her PhD did very well, and doesnt read like gobbledegook at all) if she 
can read this article and tell me if she finds any sense in it. Just in 
case we might be missing out on something here.... I'll pass on anything 
she tells me that might be of help!
cheers
Sally