Disrupting Wisdom 2.0: The Quest for “Mindfulness” in Silicon Valley and Beyond
Journal of Religion, Media and Digital Culture May 14, 2015 DOI: 10.1163/21659214-90000101 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Citations | 11 |
| Key points | Argues that market imperatives have favored a corporate-friendly understanding of mindfulness that perpetuates structural injustice, and proposes Contemplative Media Studies as an approach that integrates critical media studies with Contemplative Studies. Concludes that an expanded notion of civic mindfulness must include the revitalization of journalism and the development of non-commercial media systems. |
Abstract
In early 2014 activist Amanda Ream and members of Eviction Free San Francisco disrupted the fifth annual Wisdom 2.0 conference, at which Silicon Valley leaders discuss the benefits of ‘mindfulness’ practices. It was another confrontation between working-class residents of San Francisco and the technology employees who have gentrified their neighborhoods. A member of the East Bay Meditation Center in Oakland, Ream’s actions garnered support from other ‘socially engaged’ Buddhists from Berkeley and elsewhere. Secular critics have likewise questioned the appropriation of Buddhist practices by corporations whose business practices and products arguably undermine the cultivation of mindfulness. This article intervenes in these debates by outlining an approach called Contemplative Media Studies, which integrates critical media studies with the emerging field of Contemplative Studies. I argue that market imperatives have favored a corporate-friendly understanding of mindfulness that perpetuates structural injustice, and conclude that an expanded notion of civic mindfulness must include the revitalization of journalism and the development of non-commercial media systems.
Comparable studies
Other theoretical and historical papers on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. | 2004 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mechanisms of mindfulness | 2005 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| How Does Mindfulness Meditation Work? Proposing Mechanisms of Action From a Conceptual and Neural Perspective | 2011 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for depression | 2006 | Theoretical or philosophical paper | |
| Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness | 2012 | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Contemplative Media Studies Religions August 26, 2015
- Contemplative Practices in a Teamwork Setting: A Preliminary Study on Mindfulness Meditations and Interpersonal Skills Mindfulness February 24, 2025
- Becoming Fully Present in Your Body: Analysing Mindfulness as an Affective Investment in Tech Culture Somatechnics November 20, 2019
Cites 6
- Mindfulness: A proposed operational definition. Clinical Psychology Science and Practice 2004
- Mindfulness, by any other name…: trials and tribulations of sati in western psychology and science Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
- On some definitions of mindfulness Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
- Mindfulness: diverse perspectives on its meaning, origins, and multiple applications at the intersection of science and dharma Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
- Mindfulness in higher education Contemporary Buddhism May 1, 2011
and 1 more in the library