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展道 渺寛 Tendō Byōkan
Please take my words with a big grain of salt. I know nothing. Wisdom is only found in our whole-hearted practice together. -
The same thing is happening to folks here in Japan now. Before, they had long hours, but steady pay and a long term guaranty. Now, they often just have the long hours.
We really need a change in our economic system.
What can Zen Buddhism offer to the mess? Only that maybe we all need to live simply, separating the real necessities (food, housing, simple warm clothes, health care, safety, education, basic transport to get around) from the luxuries (almost anything else). It is a lesson I need to learn too, as I clean out the storeroom today with years of accumulated junk, and fool with installing Netflix on the too big TV. There are some excellent Zen and other "Buddhist Economics" books on living simply and focused on real needs ... both in our homes and in society in general. I think I will start making these a central focus of our Engaged Buddhist Center around here.
Unfortunately, these days, folks must work two or more jobs just for the necessities like basic clothes and health care!
Gassho, J
SatToday (also a "necessity" in my book!)Last edited by Jundo; 05-05-2016, 01:01 PM.ALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLEComment
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What's even tougher is trying to teach kids to live with less. All their friends have "stuff," and the hunger and poverty in the world is unreal to them. However, when they get out there with their college degree (hopefully) it will be even harder for them to afford the standard of living they had while growing up. I have hired more than one college graduate that couldn't find a job in their field, for only a few dollars an hour more than minimum wage.
Gassho
Jakuden
SatTodayComment
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Kaishin, (and others) it's the same way where I live. Homes that were once selling for $82, 000 are now selling or $210, 000. Wages have not gone up, and it's hard to find a decent job. There are many part-time, casual jobs but that doesn't pay the bills. Groceries prices have skyrocketed. The only reason that I can work casual is because we bought our home 15 yrs ago, for a very low price. We've driven one vehicle for the 17 years we've been married. We've hardly travelled at all, and we live very minimal. And, my husband has university education and is an accountant. Crazy!! But we are happy with what we have, so I"m not complaining.
It is hard with kids, Jakuden. They see all this stuff and want it. It makes me cringe looking at all their toys and yet they want more, more.
Troy, I so wish I could babysit so you and your wife could go out!!!!! =)
Gassho,
Joyo
sat todayComment
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I'm not complaining, I have enough. My father was an appliance repairman and made enough to support a wife and four children. He was well respected and valued in the community, as evidenced by the huge turnout at his funeral which was an eye opener. What has changed? Why and how has the wealth become so concentrated? No simple answers. But structurally some things must change and I sense this frustration from many.
SAT today_/_
Rich
MUHYO
無 (MU, Emptiness) and 氷 (HYO, Ice) ... Emptiness Ice ...
https://instagram.com/notmovingmindComment
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I wouldn't be surprised to see intergenerational households coming back into popularity.Thanks,
Kaishin (開心, Open Heart)
Please take this layman's words with a grain of salt.Comment
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1% of the world's population possesses half the world's wealth. Wow! Amazing. But who are these people? This elite group of the super rich. I didn't know so I did some research. Well, here is were it gets kind of crazy, I am one of the super rich. Yep, no lie. Another surprise is (and I am making assumptions here) you may be too. If you make more than $34,000 a year, you are part of that super elite group. Of course this does not tell the whole story, but it certainly interesting to think about.
Also, there is some encouraging news about the struggle against poverty. The is from the World Bank's website:
"According to the most recent estimates, in 2012, 12.7 percent of the world’s population lived at or below $1.90 a day. That’s down from 37 percent in 1990 and 44 percent in 1981."
Thought I would throw a little sunshine in to the conversation
You may be super rich (although it may not feel like it) and we are making progress in the fight against poverty!
..sat2day•合掌Comment
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Here is an interesting video on the subject of wealth inequality.1% of the world's population possesses half the world's wealth. Wow! Amazing. But who are these people? This elite group of the super rich. I didn't know so I did some research. Well, here is were it gets kind of crazy, I am one of the super rich. Yep, no lie. Another surprise is (and I am making assumptions here) you may be too. If you make more than $34,000 a year, you are part of that super elite group. Of course this does not tell the whole story, but it certainly interesting to think about.
Also, there is some encouraging news about the struggle against poverty. The is from the World Bank's website:
"According to the most recent estimates, in 2012, 12.7 percent of the world’s population lived at or below $1.90 a day. That’s down from 37 percent in 1990 and 44 percent in 1981."
Thought I would throw a little sunshine in to the conversation You may be super rich (although it may not feel like it) and we are making progress in the fight against poverty!
..sat2day•合掌
Gassho
Shingen
s@todayComment
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A personal view ...
I believe that capitalism is a wondrous system that has freed the power of progress and ingenuity to build a better world ... with miraculous advances in medicine, science, education and social/economic equality ... at least, compared to how things were in the past, throughout all human history. Even the poorest people in Western countries these days typically will live with greater safety and comfort than emperors of old. I often repeat the follow to remind folks of this too ...
Maybe what Buddhism can help us do is to focus and fine tune our system, keeping the best aspects but losing the excess, waste, environmental degradation, remaining social inequalities and injustice and the like ... knowing when to be satisfied with what we have even as we strive to make the world better ... knowing the intangible treasures of life are the true jewel, and not the stuff in stores for which we yell "more more more!" ...I often reflect that I live like a king compared to how even kings lived in centuries past. If one ever has a chance to visit the Palace of Versailles or any of the great homes from 200 or more years ago, one will first notice the absence of electricity, indoor plumbing (the servants would bring in chamber pots), refrigerators and microwave ovens, modern heating and air conditioners, televisions, radios, computers. One might also notice the absence of general sanitation, automobiles, modern medicine and the like. Please don't even ask how the servants lived in their homes! (In fact, much of the world outside the west ... even sometimes in it ... still lives so).
So, it is hard for me to feel sorry for the little drafts and inconveniences in my own home which is big and more than spacious enough, with a garden (not quite the size of Versailles) and having all of the above. The fact is that even the typical home of a family under the poverty line these days in the west will still usually have many of the things that kings of old never dreamed of ... a fridge, electric lights, a microwave, constant entertainment on the tube, heat (hopefully), a phone, toilet, shower, recorded music at one's fingertips. Our rising expectations cause us never to be satisfied even when we live better than kings!
That does not mean that I think it perfectly fine that many in my own country still live in violent and drug filled neighborhoods, in rat filled housing where kids live in terror. I do not, and it is the great disgrace of America that so many live in such way. I also dream of the day when everyone in the world can have access to the basics of life ... a warm place to sleep, health care, education, safety. We must keep striving until all our fellow human beings are so. I think it also fine that most of us might want to move to a home or neighborhood cleaner, quieter, safer than where one now finds oneself (my gosh, I think back to some of the horrible noisy and run down apartments I used to live in in rather dangerous neighborhoods. I am glad to be out).
However, it is also so easy for us to have ever rising standards of what we "need", never realizing and satisfied with what we already have even if far from "perfect". Most of us live better than Louis XIV.
http://www.treeleaf.org/forums/showt...l=1#post131161
... finding the best of both worlds ... a world in which we keep the best of our present economic system striving for advances in health, science, education and general living standards, yet infused with more of the simplicity, moderation, balance, non-consumerist values, generosity, sharing, peace and satisfaction of Buddhism.
David Loy, the great Buddhist "futurist" and commentator, writes on such topics frequently.
and
Gassho, J
SatTodayALL OF LIFE IS OUR TEMPLEComment
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Practicing Zen when also a busy parent
Well, that took all the sunshine out the conversation, lol. But, yeah you are right there is still a lot of work to be done. I think the question we should be asking is what are we, the super rich, going to do about it? To think that me giving someone a $1.90 a day could double their income blows me away. But that is the good news, we can make a difference.Here is an interesting video on the subject of wealth inequality.
Gassho
Shingen
s@todayLast edited by Troy; 05-06-2016, 03:30 AM.Comment
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Then again...[emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]
..sat2day•合掌Comment
Sangha.
Actually, you are correct in trying to find that silver lining in the mud and the muck ... so lets keep at it and find a good balance that works for everyone. =)
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