Living A Good Smart Edgy Buddhist Life in the Overwhelming IT and Consumerism Era
Author: Witcoin Miner
Keywords: #economic, #Buddhist, #rich, #edgy, #money
Length: 1558 words
Date: 15th November 2019
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The culture-ideology of consumerism and self-gratification in the modern IT and capitalistic era is seen and condemned as a complete descent into being mindless, at the same time extolling. The argument of the advocate side is if it is not uncontrollable consumerism, for example, green consumerism, is a hopeful token of more substantial change. Fundamentally, what we have to think about is the fact in relation with Buddhist belief that the 21st century cultural values encompassing optimism, self-determination, individualism, consumerism would inevitably add to the practical Buddhist mix.
The religious choice for the coming generation is somehow reflective of religion's dilemma: old or new, particularly when dealing with living a Buddhist life associated with the consuming issue. Traditional Theravada belief on economy emphasizes Buddhists to be moderate, aware when to acquire things and how much of it to acquire, how to consume the four life requisites: meal, clothes, residence, healthcare, which is concluded into the word ‘Mattannu’ meaning knowing what amount is enough and what amount is just right for everything concerning the way of living a life within the context of economic ability.
To exercise moderation amid the strong disruption of e-commerce, online shopping: Lazada, Shopee, Alibaba, etc., on the digital platforms, people are drawn to their quick and convenient access to products or services by just a ‘click and transfer’ then the item bought will be ‘lineman-ed’ to the doorstep possibly within a day. In couple with people’s instinct wanting to stand out escalates the demand (desire) for more things and new life experience to enhance their life comfort and being modern, Buddhist teaching on moderation aiming to de-escalating people’s excessive desire seems overpowered by the on-going strong consuming flow and its savvy strategic marketing scheme attempting to tempt shoppers to go online shopping at any time or walk the shopping malls and spend money.
Moreover, modern corporates sectors compete in devising more cutting-edge marketing strategy delving deep into the understanding of people’s psychology now learning that goods purchased by customers become part of their identity and tend to complement one another giving a consequence especially when an introduction of a new item purchased which deviates from that identity can cause a spiral of consumption in an attempt to forge a new cohesive whole; it is simply because in getting even a single item that broke the customers’ original theme drives them into having an attempt to replace everything in their room to match the splendor of their new robe, for example as anybody who has bought a new shirt only to need new shoes, pants, and ties to match, this spending can so get out of hand in a hurry.
For this reason, it is what the rest of us need to be wary of where one out of place purchase can lead as it makes people desire things they do not need to. If it is an extreme case, makes worse no doubt as Buddhism teaches on the cases of material goods explains how one purchase without mindful consideration can fuel the desire for the next and the next and the next… The practical advice at this point through the lens of best and safe stance is to provide themselves a more seamless association between the things they have. Once they drop their attachment to what is defied by new-arrival fashionable trend setters as cool, cute, edgy, swanky, they will feel less tension but more freedom to opt in to an idea of instead of thinking of the newly bought item as an upgrade, consider it as a mere replacement.
In the era when the clothing fashion of frills, laces and ‘sabai’ rubs elbows with spaghetti-strapped blouse, bare midriff or bare shoulder and a lot more are likely to see, old or new, vintage or voguish, are all evolving consistently so a good pick and mix will provide the desirable chic look at the outcome for everyone to go without indulging in unnecessary buying spree.
Most importantly, even though it is right that in the free market system, people chase goods and convenience to become happy. As Buddhist, we know that happiness does not come from filling up our closet. So it is a wise choice to move from a closet-full consumption to a mind-full consumption. And convenience provided by marketing campaign does not always translate into happiness. In Buddhist consuming theory, happiness is defined by the concept of interconnectedness. All people, all beings, are interdependent with each other and with nature. Happiness comes from making sure people lead comfortable, dignified lives and interact with each other and nature in a meaningful and caring way.
Things do not end at self-consuming, being a Buddhist, fulfilling one’s duty of moderation in living one’s own life presents only a part of what suggested to do, the other part requires a Buddhist to perform a duty of supporting the monastic’s community through the four-requisite providing; to ensure the monastics can practice moderation to be in line with the frame work of Vinaya, lay Buddhists are suggested to exercise moderation taking an example of food offering which is the most frequent activity done by Buddhists. Implementing moderation concept in the modern society for food donation is viewed slightly different from the traditional way. Lay Buddhists in present health-conscious society highlight moderation within the context of quality rather than quantity, saying that people must nourish the monks in the right way as a prerequisite for nurturing and sustaining Buddhism. They are suggested to offer nutrient food to keep the monks healthy.
In Dhammakaya temple, food offering for the monks produced by the temple’s kitchen through the financial donation from lay devotees, by this way the moderating duty on food issue falls on the shoulder of the catering people. The kitchen’s people are aware of the importance to serve monks dishes consisting of vegetables instead of fatty food such as deep-fried fritters and curries thick in coconut milk and cream, otherwise long-time ordained monks with diets steeped in sweet, salty and fatty fare are easily suffered by obesity. Monks generally eat two meals a day but if they overindulge, doing chores such as sweeping the temple grounds or studying Buddhist scriptures are not vigorous enough exercise to burn off those extra calories. Moreover, monks are expected to carry themselves in a calm, composed manner and some Buddhists worry that energetic exercise may seem unbecoming even though ironically, today people understand to stay healthy, everyone needs to keep one’s weight in check regularly.
The Vinaya provides a wise guideline in dealing with eating issue saying that food, no matter how good it looks on the plate or how lovely it tastes to the palate, will lose all that appeal once it passes through the esophagus. Monks in some temples therefore mix together savory dishes with the sweets in their alms bowls and eat them together so they can transcend notions of taste and appreciate the intrinsic value of the food itself.
Moderation does not end at eating and clothing but many more to deal with such as technology. Monastic life and lay livings are alike hacked by technology: iPhone, iPad and other i-items are part of daily living need as all equally want to go online for their own various reasons. While some Thai conservative Buddhist scholars strongly object the use of mobile devices by monks arguing that only small percentages like 20% of them use it for educational and teaching Dhamma purposes whereas the rest are indulged in entertainment. Dig deep to understand the fundamental element that spun the idea of the restraint of conduct from lay community perspective, lay Buddhists in general expect to see monks consume less materialistic than lay living pattern, otherwise are perceived as being extravagant.
The debate on monks’ IT usage is still going as Buddhists themselves have not been uniform in their responses in this issue. Moreover, the questions and answers naturally shift and change over time and place. Comparing another case of monk handing money, contemporary Buddhists understand the need for the monastics to carry pocket money around as long as not crossing the line to become accumulating wealth like the way the secular do. So it seems that if monks are not better well-off than the secular, it supposes to be alright. Back to the hand-phone issue, to offer a win-win solution for both sides, how about, let the opposition win the debate now and wait until each population possesses average two, three or more hand phones then the advocate side will free from being seen as IT indulgence and win.
Consuming decision making is always inter-played with desire. Interestingly, in the present free market economy, desire in consuming ideology and in Buddhist teachings coincidentally agree upon that it can never be fulfilled, but one looks at it as a source of making profit, the other as a source of breeding suffering. So the real test for Buddhists when they engage in the real world is to prove whether they can live a good smart edgy life with ability to express ‘Mattannu’ through decisions, behaviors and relations, to see whether they can really walk the walk or just talk the talk.
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