The Joy of Life

The way we’ve chosen to organize society –basing social relations around the needs of the market– does not easily translate into a life well-lived.  Remember that the professional sphere, the economic system, the legal system, and our systems of values (including prejudices and negative judgements), are all socially constructed– we built them up, through competition […]

Animals/Humans: A Story of Love and Loss

The inspiration for this article comes from the following short trailer for Midway, which provides a heart-wrenching glimpse into the effects of human capitalist consumption and pollution on the lives of our fellow animals: “Urbanization in the West was based historically on a notion of progress rooted in the conquest and exploitation of nature by […]

“The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is an attribute of the strong.” –Gandhi

It takes a very strong heart, strong mind, and strong spirit to truly forgive.  In a society that sees retribution as ‘justice’, it becomes easy to misunderstand payback as being courageous.  Forgiveness, however, is what takes the utmost strength –to not only be able to show compassion and forgiveness for those who have harmed you, […]

Remember Your Roots: Yosemite HD and the Pale Blue Dot

In an increasingly marketized, built, and technological world, it is easy to think of ‘nature’ as being something ‘out there’; something we build society away from, constructing large structures and technologies that will shelter us from natural elements that ‘threaten’ comfortable human lives.  In fact, we can’t talk about environmental change that is not socio-environmental […]

Leading by Example — Remembering Martin Luther King Jr.

Today, on the birthday of one of the most inspirational and perceptive thinkers and leaders of our time, let us take the time to reflect on some of the wisdom imparted to us by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Forgive your enemies, love instead of hate, and never, ever stay silent about issues that matter.  […]

Impermanence: Every Door is Open for Change

If you suffer, it is not because things are impermanent. It is because you believe things are permanent. When a flower dies, you don’t suffer much, because you understand that flowers are impermanent. But you cannot accept the impermanence of your beloved one, and you suffer deeply when she passes away. If you look deeply […]

Love is Simple. (the ‘Sharing Economy’)

“When we start substituting sharing for buying, fascinating changes –disruptions, opportunities, and maybe even climate benefits– can follow.” –Scott Rosenberg As is fairly obvious, the capitalist economy is a system of growth.  The circuit of capital accumulation has to grow to keep turning.  When the system can no longer grow in one area, it has […]

The Noble Truths

Buddhism offers a simple and straightforward way of looking at the world and what it means to live a moral and humble life.  It is not based on any sort of almighty God, as Buddha never claimed to be a God or a prophet of any kind.  Rather, Buddhist teachings help us to understand our […]

Conserving Your Inner Nature

Buddhism is not selective; it is not a typical religion.  It’s not about converting or not converting to Buddhism, but rather what can you take and learn from Buddhist thought? How can your life be improved by any aspect of Buddhist philosophy or practice? If you benefit in any way from conducting yourself in line […]

What if money didn’t matter?

If we don’t give capital its power, it won’t hold such extensive power over us all. What could life be like?