The Individual & The State (week 11)

Classical liberals like Mill usually argue that so long as you aren't being coerced or forced to do something by the state, then you are free. People sympathetic to Marx are likely to argue that freedom requires that we are protected from forms of coercion that stem from economic disparities, and that this perhaps requires some kind of active state intervention to make sure that we are free to make our own economic choices. What are your thoughts on this?
 

 

I think there's something to be said for both of these arguments, but I don't think either one of them is perfect. It's all very fine saying you don't want to be forced to do anything by the state, but I think it's a matter of finding the right balance. Laws do serve a purpose - we're all protected by laws against assault, theft, murder etc.  If classic liberals think their freedom is being threatened whenever the state requires something of them, then I think they're asking for too much freedom. For example, I think anyone who wants a gun ought to be background checked and licensed, and if that's something they consider to be too intrusive, then too bad. Obviously some level of control is in everyone's interest.

But then Marx goes to the other extreme. He makes a good case for state involvement at a very high level, but I think he goes too far, too. If the state controls too much of your life, including how much work you have to do, and how the product of your labor is divided, and if the benefits are shared equally among everyone, then there's no incentive for anyone to strive for anything.You may be protected from poverty, which is great, of course, and the idea of everyone pulling their weight, sharing their food, sharing their money etc, sounds very fair - but if it's not a choice, if it's something you are forced to do, and everyone else is forced to do the same thing, then even if the conditions are good, I think you'd start to feel like a prisoner with no options, and not very free at all.

Buddhism in NYC (week 9)
According to Buddhism, the main source of our suffering is our preoccupation with our own desires. Suffering is said to be caused by selfish cravings and desires. The way to enlightenment, for Buddhism, therefore involves detaching from our narrow concern with ourselves, escaping the prison of our own desires and illusions. Do you think it is possible to live according to this teaching in the contemporary United States? Is there a conflict between what Buddhism teaches, and how we are encouraged to think and act in our society?

I'm not sure I totally agree with the Buddhists on this point. I do see that a lot of our dissatisfaction would be greatly diminished if we were able to detach from our "narrow concern with ourselves", and to eliminate our "selfish cravings and desires", but I don't really think this works when we apply it to the sorrow or pain we feel for people we love, when they are hurt or sad. It isn't really a selfish desire or craving that's causing our pain, it's love and empathy that's causing it. But that's another topic, I guess.

I don't really think anyone can completely give themselves over to the Buddhist way of life while living in the US or any similar society, to be honest. It's not that I think we can do nothing about our consumerist, selfish ways - far from it - I think everyone has the ability (and the responsibility) to control that side of themselves. But completely detaching from our desires and cravings? I don't think so. Well, maybe I should say... it's possible, but it would be a huge challenge. Here in New York City, there are so many advertisements, so many shop windows, so many people sitting in cafes and bars, wearing great clothes, carrying shopping bags, so many good looking people walking around, so many amazing apartments, so many fabulous looking dogs being taken for walks, so many shows and exhibitions on ... How are we supposed to feel satisfied with what we have? Buddha would be turning in his grave if he knew how unenlightened I feel most days as I walk home from school along West Broadway, and through Soho. By the time I'm climbing up the stairs of this six floor walk-up in the East Village, I'm just about as unenlightened as you can get. However, I do appreciate what I've got. The sun shines in through my bedroom window, the flowers on my windowsill are coming on lovely, and the cat purrs whenever he sees me. It's all a matter of balance. We can admire things and imagine having them, but we don't have to let the desire to have them take over and become obsessions. When I'm home I don't think there's anything else I need or want. So I'm getting there, Buddha ...