Breht O’Shea, a Buddhist practitioner and Marxist educator, teams up with Della Duncan to explore the surprising intersections of Buddhism and Marxism. They discuss how both philosophies critique capitalism and advocate for liberation, highlighting the importance of personal transformation alongside systemic change. The conversation delves into class struggles, the 'three poisons' of greed, ill will, and delusion, and presents the Bodhisattva revolutionary concept, merging compassion with activism for a world free from suffering.
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insights INSIGHT
Shared Dialectical Worldviews
Buddhism and Marxism both embrace a dialectical worldview emphasizing interconnectedness and constant change.
Concepts like dependent origination in Buddhism parallel Marxist ideas on structural relationships and social causes.
insights INSIGHT
Inner vs Outer Liberation
Buddhism seeks inner liberation from mental delusions and unnecessary suffering caused by craving and ego.
Marxism seeks outer liberation from exploitation and class division, aiming for a just and equal society.
insights INSIGHT
Pain vs Suffering Distinction
Buddhism distinguishes between unavoidable pain (first arrow) and suffering caused by mental reactions (second arrow).
Marxism highlights societal causes of avoidable suffering tied to capitalist exploitation and alienation.
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This classic novel by Robert M. Pirsig is a personal and philosophical odyssey that delves into the author's search for meaning. The narrative follows a father and his son on a summer motorcycle trip from the Midwest to California, intertwining a travelogue with deep philosophical discussions. The book explores the concept of 'quality' and how it informs a well-lived life, reconciling science, religion, and humanism. It also touches on the author's own struggles with his past and his philosophical quest, making it a touching and transcendent exploration of human experience and endeavor.
The spirit level
Richard Wilkinson
Kate Pickett
The Spirit Level, based on thirty years of research, demonstrates that more equal societies have better health outcomes, lower levels of violence, fewer teenage pregnancies, and higher education and well-being. The authors show that income inequality is detrimental to everyone in society, not just the poor, and that it erodes trust, increases anxiety and illness, and encourages excessive consumption. The book presents comprehensive data and analyses to support the argument that greater equality leads to a more sustainable and friendlier society[2][4][5].
ORIGINALLY RELEASED Aug 1, 2023
When you think about the philosophies and practices of Buddhism and Marxism, you might not immediately think that they have much in common. However, you might be surprised at how much overlap and complementary resonance there actually is between these two rich and beautiful traditions.
In this conversation, we explore how both Buddhism & Marxism offer helpful pathways to liberation and provide a spot-on analysis of the root causes of suffering. We also explore some of the potential tensions between Buddhism and Marxism, as well as what each tradition can learn from the other. And we end with a powerful invitation to embark on the path of the Bodhisattva Revolutionary to both end the internal and structural causes and conditions of suffering and to bring forth the systemic changes necessary for the transition to a socialist and eventually communist economy based on liberation, equity, and justice for all.
This interview was inspired by an episode of Revolutionary Left Radio titled Dialectics & Liberation: Insights from Buddhism and Marxism where Breht read a speech he gave at Arizona State University on the topic of dialectical materialism, Buddhism, and Marxism. Definitely check that episode out when you’re done listening to this — it’s a great complement to this conversation.
Thank you to Carolyn Raider for this episode’s cover art and to Mount Eerie for the intermission music. Upstream theme music was composed by Robert Raymond/Lanterns.
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