Week 11 Individual and the state

Classical liberals like Mill usually argue that so long as you aren't being coerced or forced to do something by the state, then you are free. People sympathetic to Marx are likely to argue that freedom requires that we are protected from forms of coercion that stem from economic disparities, and that this perhaps requires some kind of active state intervention to make sure that we are free to make our own economic choices.

What are your thoughts on this? Do you agree with Mill or Marx? Or perhaps a little with  both? 

  According to Mill, we are free If we are not forced to do something by the state and also anything can't restrict someone's freedom unless It prevent other people's freedom and He emphasizes the importance of free speech and says that It doesn't matter It's right or wrong, the fact that people share their opinion freely is the most important thing. However, It has some weak points such as moral concerns, for example, many people argue about Euthanasia whether It should be allowed or not...

  On the other hand, Marx... the one who shared the idea of communism. His first concern was perhaps economic system that endangers human freedom and the second would be the government that has power to break the pyramid of capitalist system and also has total control and maintain the changes because we all know the system, it is very unfair in many situations and the workers labor the most but gain the least and some people never even had a chance to get a good education and have the same opportunity with others to be fair so workers give a birth to a worker and It goes on and on and on. In other words, once you're proletariat, you're most likely gonna end up proletariat. According to Marx, these thoughts is the origin of communism. However, no government has kept the ultimate idea of Marx and truly cared about freedom of individuals. Its history shows the failure of the ideas of Marx and I know how it is like.... because of the country next to mine, North Korea. Therefore, so called Utopia that is totally fair to everyone and everyone's equally happy simply cannot be exist because of human nature.  

So in my opinion, I agree with a little bit of both, nothing is ultimate, perfect freedom can't / won't exist. 

Week 9 Buddhism

According to Buddhism, the main source of our suffering is our preoccupation with our own desires. Suffering is said to be caused by selfish cravings and desires. The way to enlightenment, for Buddhism, therefore involves detaching from our narrow concern with ourselves, escaping the prison of our own desires and illusions.

Do you think it is possible to live according to this teaching in the contemporary United States? Is there a conflict between what Buddhism teaches, and how we are encouraged to think and act in our society? What are your thoughts on this?

   Buddhism rejects materialism as the goal of life and living for things that will perish someday is no point and It brings only suffering to people. In addition, It results in greed, envy, resentment and so on. Despite the fact that in life, sometimes It brings pleasure to us. For example, I really wanted to buy a TV because I really like watching TV before I go to bed. and I expect that will reduce my stress level so I worked really hard and saved money and finally got it and what if it was on sale! how much pleasure It must bring at that moment! However, Buddhism says this kind of pleasure is always transitory. It will disappear as time goes by and leave people felling empty in the end. 

   As I look at the Americans, I'm only foreigner and I might be able to look on the outside and also I'm not judging anybody but I don't think It will be possible to live a life completely following the ultimate goal of Buddhism in U.S. 

   I've been living in U.S. for few years now and I know how the people are and also what every media always try to show and tell us and that's been dominating our minds. Especially New York, when I think about people in the streets of soho, most of the people looks so glamorous head to toe and there are countless stores in every streets around that area and there's always so many tourists who's ready to shop! basically this world seems like people who has money, they get the power and they simply rule the society in most of countries. 

   There is one more reason.. I watched a movie called 'Into the wild', it is based on true story about a guy who gave up everything and left everything behind even family and try to go back to the nature and find a meaning of his life. He graduated a university and was very smart and has a lot of potential for the future. Yet, in his mind, he always searched for something more than just 'things' that he can get or achieve so he burnt all the money and social security and just left house without telling his family as he travels It show how hard it is to go back to the nature completely... people will barely survive without 'things' that makes life easier and convenience. 

   Therefore, people are set to seek all this these money and goods and also desires that will eventually make them restless and empty that leads people to be controlled by all the narrow concerns.