The Future Could Be Buddhist

This year, for the first time ever, I had that week off between Christmas and New Year's. So, I thought, why not make the most of December and travel a bit? I hit up a handful of cities on both sides of the Atlantic, staying at various Airbnb spots along the way.

In every single one of those Airbnbs I stayed at there was Buddha aesthetics. There also was the conspicuous absence of other religious iconography. No crosses, no Bibles, no Qurans, no Bhagavad Gitas. Turns out, I'm not the only one catching onto this peculiar Airbnb spiritual decor trend.

I find it a bit amusing. Buddhism is a real religion and it has sacred texts (such as the Tripitaka or Pali Canon and the Mahayana sutras), and includes beliefs in supernatural concepts like karma, rebirth, and different realms of existence. However, Buddhist iconography and quotes are widely accepted in public but other religions are not. Why? I think maybe for a few reasons:

1) The Least Objectionable Choice. If you throw a party, and you need to order food you’ll probably just get Pizza because that is the one food that people won’t hate. No one really dislikes pizza. It’s just sauce, cheese and bread. Alternatively, once you invite women to a party, you cannot serve only beer. But most men will drink wine. So you serve only wine and everyone will drink it. Buddhism is a lot like this in the marketplace of ideologies. You’ll get people angry about Christianity, Islam or Judaism. But no one will get angry about Buddhism in the west.

2) Lack of Perceived Historical Baggage. Buddhism's appeal often stems from its perceived lack of historical baggage compared to religions like Christianity, Islam, and Judaism, events that include oppression, genocides, slavery, killing, etc. We somehow don’t attribute those things to Buddhists in the West.

3) Merging with Self-Help Culture. Buddhism in the west has mostly merged with self-help culture and other strains of contemporary wellness thought. It has embraced being part of research studies. The Sopranos actor Michael Imperioli summed it up well:

Future anthropologists would speculate that Buddhism was the religion of the cosmopolitan class in Western societies. And I think they would be right in that speculation.

Mindfulness in Public School

Who will be these new Buddhists? Today, a large percentage of American Buddhists are highly educated—among the subscribers of one of the most prominent Buddhist magazines, 42 percent have master’s degrees and 15 percent have doctorates; 77 percent have at least a bachelor’s degree.

NYC Mayor Eric Adams is emblematic of this new Buddhist wave happening. He “has some spiritual beliefs that are mystical and fall outside of conventional Christianity. He talks about how New York City rests on rock formations, and he wears a bracelet of stone. He says he has collected Buddha statues, and he meditates in the morning.” He is even implementing Buddhist practices in schools in New York City. Kindergartners to high school seniors are required to do meditation and mindfulness exercises two to five minutes of mindful breathing work each day.

And he’s right. There are studies that show the benefits of controlled breathing and meditation. That’s no surprise, culture (religion) is a vehicle that transports many healthy behaviors across time. But this can apply to most religious practices like prayer or fasting.

However, promoting explicitly religious practices in public schools would breach the separation of church and state. Buddhism's success lies in its public perception as this middle ground between religion and science. It’s this position other religions do not get to have. It’s also why I think Buddhism will be successful in the West, which is critical of traditional religion.

There is a large pool of people who aren’t religious at all that is growing every year. There is also the paradoxical truth that economic growth, increased personal income, better education, a wider choice of consumer products, and larger homes do not necessarily lead to happier societies or individuals.

This is a new market.

In This Newsletter

1) The Solo Journey of Western Buddhism

What sets Western Buddhism apart and appeals to many today is its pronounced focus on individuality and freedom, a characteristic that resonates with our contemporary society. In contrast, most other religions emphasize communal aspects, such as group prayer or congregational worship and the sense of belonging and responsibility to a religious community.

In Western Buddhism, you won't find the whole communal worship gig. It's more of a solo journey. That solo journey is about freeing yourself from attachment, ego suffering, and the outside world. Freedom is something we are all after here in America.

2) Nihilism and Buddhism 

There is an argument that Buddhism is akin to nihilism. Let’s examine the arguments.

3) The Buddhist Origin Story 

It’s easy to see how Buddha's life story resonates with contemporary individuals than the stories of Jesus, Muhammad, or Abraham. His journey, from a life of luxury to self-discovery and asceticism, mirrors the quest for personal growth and inner awakening sought by many in today's affluent and fast-paced world.

The Solo Journey of Western Buddhism

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