inner activism

Buddhism is the ultimate activism, and I’m not talking about the social justice movement Engaged Buddhism.

The argument is that materialism stems from not just greed, but also from seeking to soothe our suffering through consumption, through looking without ourselves for that thing that will ease our suffering, a thing that doesn’t exist outside ourself.

So while the Buddhist methodology teaches how to undermine greed in the world by treating our own desire, it also undermines our tendency to avoid pain by narcotising ourselves with whatnot.

When we are not treating our pain through consumption, we reduce demand in the capitalist system.

It might not seem like much because who is one person, what impact can their reduced consumption really have?

But we need to remember that we can’t directly influence anyone else’s mind, only our own. There is no person, no institution, government agency or corporation we can influence to change ~ applying pressure through direct action is admirable, but ultimately a pony show compared to the work of undermining the system from within, because we are the system.

Change ourselves, change the system.

And remember this quote from the Dalai Lama:

If you think you’re too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito!