29.08.09

Two comments from James

Posted in Uncategorized at 11:44 am by nemo

Two comments from James on James, Bennett, and Pali Buddhism

Perhaps it is my paranoia. Actually, the question of Bennett is a lost cause, but I think that his basic model is transparent and ought to be rewritten for the public domain, free from the Gurdjieff angle. That may prove impossible, but as you observe the fate of Samkhya has ot been good.
All it was was an attempt to explain to people their plain psychology.

James said,
28.08.09 at 5:15 pm
“I was amused, and pleased in fact, that in trying to discuss Bennett’s thinking in The Dramatic Universe, James appears to have ‘counterattacked’ with some material on Pali Buddhism. An apt rejoinder, and welcome here.”

Hey, no nothing like that. I think Bennett’s book is fascinating and the man obviously had a genius level intellect (unfortunately, I guess he went off the rails).
Actually, my criticisms were levelled more against the Western “spiritual” scene than anything. I’m just tired of the kneejerk dogmatic postmodern ecumenicalism that has infected every level of discourse here (in every aspect of modern life for that matter). It is certainly welcome as a dialectical possibility, but this is seen as the most “enlightened” and only approach nowadays. Consequently, it is almost impossible to establish any sort of ethical or intellectual standards and the result is that a lot of people end up getting hurt. Postmodernism had its chance and it has been a failure (we should be thankful that it opened up people’s minds to new possibilities, but there are better ways to do that). We need people to speak out and not just kowtow to these absurd and childish New Age cliches (i.e. critical thinking abilities are a sign of the “dualistic mind”).
=========================================
James said,

28.08.09 at 5:20 pm

“There is something depressing about this failed project: we could have had a clarification of a Samkhya spirituality for modern man:”

While I’m at it, I’m also tired of these stupid Vedantists coopting Samkhya and Patanjali. Patanjali was not a monist, so someone should inform them that they should abandon the Yoga Sutra.

Permalink