A well-considered question in response to Michael’s thought piece, followed by an equally thoughtful rejoinder by the writer.
Sandy Paul’s question and thought process mirrors my own, for the questions s/he asked have often occurred in my mind too.
The overarching question that often occurs in my mind is, “Why are so many human beings so deeply cruel and callous?” This tendency puzzles me greatly because I cannot imagine harming someone else, but I seem to be in the minority in this respect. How sad.
I hear what you are saying - sounds very much like the basic Buddhist notion that suffering arises from attachment. But I disagree that suffering does not or cannot arise from external circumstances, imposed upon us by others or events beyond our control. I look at the inhumane and relentless death, mutilation and starvation being imposed upon the people of Gaza - a horrific genocide. How can anyone in that situation of extreme and endless suffering be "philosophical" about their cruel and unnecessary fate? And what about the inhumane external conditions that global capitalism imposes upon the majority of human and other beings? What does "attachment to ego" have to do with the very real and material suffering experienced by those who are being intentionally oppressed and exploited by others? I would genuinely like to know.☮️
That's a heartfelt and important question. Thank you for asking it with such sincerity.
You're absolutely right to point out that many forms of suffering are brutally imposed by external forces, such as war, systemic injustice, poverty, and cruelty. No spiritual teaching worth anything should deny that this kind of suffering is real, devastating, and unjust. The suffering of those in Gaza, or of anyone caught in the machinery of violence and exploitation, is not imagined or self-created. It demands compassion, action, and solidarity.
When we speak about suffering arising from attachment or ego, it is not to excuse oppression or to suggest that victims are somehow to blame. It is more about where we still have some agency, even in impossible situations. The insight is that while pain is inevitable, some part of suffering, like inner turmoil, hatred, or despair, can sometimes be deepened or prolonged by the mind’s identification with a fixed story of “me” and “mine.”
But this is not a call to be passive or detached. On the contrary, when we become less entangled in ego, we often act with more courage and clarity on behalf of others. True presence does not turn away from suffering. It leans into it with love.
A well-considered question in response to Michael’s thought piece, followed by an equally thoughtful rejoinder by the writer.
Sandy Paul’s question and thought process mirrors my own, for the questions s/he asked have often occurred in my mind too.
The overarching question that often occurs in my mind is, “Why are so many human beings so deeply cruel and callous?” This tendency puzzles me greatly because I cannot imagine harming someone else, but I seem to be in the minority in this respect. How sad.
I hear what you are saying - sounds very much like the basic Buddhist notion that suffering arises from attachment. But I disagree that suffering does not or cannot arise from external circumstances, imposed upon us by others or events beyond our control. I look at the inhumane and relentless death, mutilation and starvation being imposed upon the people of Gaza - a horrific genocide. How can anyone in that situation of extreme and endless suffering be "philosophical" about their cruel and unnecessary fate? And what about the inhumane external conditions that global capitalism imposes upon the majority of human and other beings? What does "attachment to ego" have to do with the very real and material suffering experienced by those who are being intentionally oppressed and exploited by others? I would genuinely like to know.☮️
That's a heartfelt and important question. Thank you for asking it with such sincerity.
You're absolutely right to point out that many forms of suffering are brutally imposed by external forces, such as war, systemic injustice, poverty, and cruelty. No spiritual teaching worth anything should deny that this kind of suffering is real, devastating, and unjust. The suffering of those in Gaza, or of anyone caught in the machinery of violence and exploitation, is not imagined or self-created. It demands compassion, action, and solidarity.
When we speak about suffering arising from attachment or ego, it is not to excuse oppression or to suggest that victims are somehow to blame. It is more about where we still have some agency, even in impossible situations. The insight is that while pain is inevitable, some part of suffering, like inner turmoil, hatred, or despair, can sometimes be deepened or prolonged by the mind’s identification with a fixed story of “me” and “mine.”
But this is not a call to be passive or detached. On the contrary, when we become less entangled in ego, we often act with more courage and clarity on behalf of others. True presence does not turn away from suffering. It leans into it with love.