Pleasure, Nihilism, and Identity in 'The White Lotus'

Dan deconstructs the Dharmic elements of the popular HBO show, with the co-host of The White Lotus Official Season 3 companion podcast.

Joshuah Bearman is a writer and film producer in Los Angeles. He has written for Wired, GQ, Harper’s, Rolling Stone, and contributed to This American Life. Along with Jia Tolentino, Josh is the co-host of the The White Lotus Official Podcast.

In this episode we talk about:

• How Josh became interested in Buddhism 

• How Mike White, the writer and creator of The White Lotus, became interested in Buddhism 

• Buddhist concepts and themes all three seasons of The White Lotus

• Buddhist notions of self and identity

• Some paradoxes and pitfalls of Buddhism

• The perils of pleasure seeking

• Craving certainty as a bulwark against anxiety 

• The importance of repetition  of simple Buddhist ideas that we are programmed to forget 

• The Buddhist concept of attachment

• The three jewels of Buddhism and the importance of relationships

Related Episodes:

• Natasha Rothwell (White Lotus, How To Die Alone) On: Loneliness, Envy, People Pleasing, And Finding Your “Hell Yes”

• Michael Imperioli (From The Sopranos and White Lotus) Knows a Shitload About Buddhist Meditation 

• Holding it Together When Things Fall Apart | Pema Chödrön

• Pema Chödrön, Renowned Buddhist Nun, On Her One Non-Negotiable Happiness Strategy

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Additional Resources: 

• The White Lotus Official Podcast