Buddhism and mindfulness resonate particularly well with contemporary Western society because they shed light on the struggle between individualism and the human need for community and social interdependence. As Western modernity’s focus on individual identity is a stumbling block for addressing key social problems—climate and economic crises, gender and ethnic inequalities—a spiritual practice that promises liberation from the bonds of the self becomes especially appealing.
The aim of this project is to produce a series of short video essays as part of a more in-depth look at how Buddhist ideas and practices are transformed in new contexts but also how and whether the process of adaptation changes understandings and systems of meaning within Western knowledge paradigms. The aim of the videos is to incite reflection and debate on this tension between individual identity and social interdependence and how mindfulness ties into this.