I was thinking about some of the different ideas I have particularly strong identifications with, or disagreements with. In other words, all the shit I’m polarized on. Believe me there’s a lot! As I was thinking about many of these things (particularly meditation and blogging), it occurred to me that it might be helpful to argue against some of my assumptions. With meditation, I often argue for its value or take some sort of synthesis position, where I try to acknowledge both its value and its downsides. But why don’t I ever simply argue for its downsides??? Well, I decided I would do all three together. As I was sitting in Folsom St. coffee shop, jotting in my little Staples notebook here’s what came:
Arguments for Meditation
- Meditation is an ancient & cross-cultural technique. Anything this old and widely accepted must be valuable.
- Meditation can lead to a direct and profound knowledge concerning Reality.
- This aforementioned knowledge can utterly transform ones relationship to Reality and to oneself.
- Meditation often gives many other empirically verified benefits, both physiological and psychological in nature.
- Beyond these empirically verified benefits there may be many other benefits for the meditator.
- Meditation, like any other endeavor, can help create meaning and purpose in ones life and connect one to others who share in this meaning.
Argument against Meditation
- Meditation in all of its guises are simply the remnants of pre-modern, antiquated, and sadly uninformed cultures and religions, many of which were the cause of great harm in the world.
- Meditation can lead to reclusivity and disengagement with the world, sapping the world of precious human resources.
- There are many ways of living a meaningful and healthy life without engaging in meditation techniques
per sayper se. - Meditation can lead to profound confusion and dissociation just as easily as it can lead to a “profound realization,” and who’s to say they aren’t the same thing?
- If there is some profound truth about Reality that people are capable of realizing, why would they have to meditate to do so? If it’s true, then it’s true whether or not someone “meditates.”
- The very act of becoming a “meditator” can become yet another obstacle and block to the realization which many meditators pursue.
Argument for Synthesis
Clearly both of these perspectives have truth to them. Holding on to the extreme versions of either (or the synthesis of both!) leads one to not being able to recognize their respective counter-truths. If we ignore or are ignorant of truth, then we will very quickly fall into a defensive and contracted position which limits our overall flexibility as human beings.
Homeboy,
Glad ur retreat went well. Good balance on this post. Just one (very minor) flub up: per say should be per se (Latin: by itself/themselves).
Although per say I guess could flip that and be a bastardized English-Latin hybrid. Like per say meaning “just because (per) somebody says so (say).” Maybe u were intending that all along–very brilliant then.
Great post, Vince. I especially like your argument for synthesis, the avoiding of extremes, yet holding all arguments equally.
and what’s this? You went to Folsom and didn’t invite me?! “Screw you guys, I’m staying home.”
Nice! Vince is going Philosophical!
I had a Philosophy professor in college who structured every single paper he gave us by having us give pro and con arguments. It was an outstanding practice to break up attachment to any particular philosophic idea.
However recently I’ve come to the conclusion that one shouldn’t do this kind of practice too often or they’ll end up with no foundational identity at all, which can lead to serious postmodern malaise.
Chris, I wish I could claim that “per say” was some brilliant stroke of genius. But alass.
Ryan, Screw You I’m already home!
Duff, did your professor ever weigh the pros and cons of structuring everything in pros and cons? Post-modern malaise is right…
hmmm. as for me. i’d say that those who argue against the benefits of meditation should just shut the hell up if they are not practicing meditation in the first place. i say to those critics: leave those people alone who meditate since meditation is generally safe and make people even better persons.
for the record: i don’t meditate. but i’m not gonna pick on meditation like it’s some ancient pre-rational tool. if you don’t think it’s cool, then just don’t do it fer Chrissakes! or just watch this Ninja video coz it’s funny.
~C (for Cranky)
Whats wrong with meditation? All it is is living the world you are living in now taking everything in as much as possible living true to what you want.
I totally disagree that meditation leads to disengagement of the world. Acutally it leads to more engagement of the world.
All I can say is you got to try it before you can talk about it. I meditate to try to find balance in life and be happier.