[Buddha-l] Diversions, distractions and off-topic discussions

[Dan Lusthaus]

Mike,

It's not an either/or ... just thinking about yourself and
"self-improvement" but never about "world" affairs, etc. Taken to its
extreme that option becomes narcissism -- and there's certainly plenty of
that to be found among those on a spiritual path. But you recognize that
already, since these are already group discussions, a community exercise,
not just narcissistic exercises in which Others serve as little more than
mirrors to feed one's narcissism.

This list has, for some time, devoted more attention to playing out certain
political demonizations than it has to discussing anything Buddhist. It was
time to -- if not clear the air (it's gotten too dense and murky to hope for
that) -- at least shake things up a bit. It's not gratuitious, though.

Such discourse can influence how people think (minds don't change that
often, but seeds can be crossplanted for later sprouting), and gradually
improve things. But you are right, just talking about "them" without
checking where that's happening within at the same time is an avoidance
mirror-image of that narcissism.

Dan Lusthaus