Hi Everybody
I happen to think that this bit we're coming to is a particularly interesting bit of the book. Why do I say that? Well because I spent a long time looking at all kinds of studies in sociology and psychology particularly, as well as one or two other fields, and in many ways that was one of the main triggers for writing the book, when these social scientists set out to describe the kinds of values and behaviour that they have identified as the source of a profound sense of well-being and confidence and stability in people; the sorts of qualities that enable people, and indeed societies, to live and work harmoniously and productively, it is staggering just how closely the things they write and talk about echo and mirror the kinds of values and behaviour that that lie at the very heart of Buddhist teachings. The kind of values and behaviour that that a Buddhist practice indeed seeks to encourage and nurture. The similarities as I've said are remarkable.
So over the next few episodes I will be writing specifically about this clutch of values and behaviours that are so important to us if we're trying to build the nmost satisfying and fulfilling and value-creating life of which we are capable. And we start with the altruism
Altruism
They write about the powerful happiness-effect of a compassionate and altruistic approach to life; developing a fundamentally contributing and giving approach, rather than a taking and consuming one. So many studies show that even quite small altruistic gestures, simply offering a smile for example, or a helping hand, or a word of encouragement on the spur of the moment, they all bring a sense of warmth and connectedness that has been shown to last well beyond the fleeting moment of the event itself. Everybody benefits. When we go further and give freely of our time and energy in concerning ourselves more deeply with the needs and anxieties of others, rather than concentrating, as we so easily tend to do, on our own current problems, it's been shown repeatedly that this level of altruism can change fundamentally the way we feel about our own lives. It delivers a huge boost to our own sense of self-worth and the ultimate value of our lives.
Buddhism of course has always taught that exerting ourselves in this way, focusing outwards, rather than inwards, on other people's needs rather than our own, can lead to the most rapid growth in our own inner strength and resourcefulness. Now, as the sociologists describe it, such an outward-looking, contributing approach to life, triggers a cascade of positive effects.
So even though evolutionary biologists have a really hard time of it, trying to put together a meaningful evolutionary explanation for the operation of altruism among human beings, today's psychologists don't have the slightest doubt about the powerfully enriching, harmonising,value-creating contribution it can make to all ourlives.
And an immensely valuable aspect of altruism is of course giving up our need to criticise, criticising people, things, events, anything that we just don't happen to like, or that is in some way different from our view of the world. Just giving up the need to criticise, to devalue, to run down has an immensely positive and liberating effect. We immediately become more contributing, more valuable members of our family, or office, or our community. Try it! An apparently small change has an immensely powerful life-changing effect. '
Right so thats altruism. In the next few episodes we look at the powerful life-enhancing effects of qualities such as gratitude, or learning to focus on our strengths rather than our weaknesses, or focusing fully on this moment we are in, rather than being tied up in knots over past events or anxious about future ones.
Hope you'e enjoying the read. as I've said several times already, if you can think of anyone who might just be interested in reading bits of The Case for Buddhism it would really make my day if you were to bounce the address on to them. That's the whole point really of doing the blog, to reach a wider audience.
Best wishes,
William
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