Wisdom 2.0

Naropa University is a Buddhist Inspired, "private, nonprofit, nonsectarian liberal arts institution dedicated to advancing contemplative education." When I visited the website today, I stumbled upon the Wisdom 2.0 Conference. Created by Soren Gordhamer, the conference brings together leaders from the technology industry and leaders from wisdom traditions to discuss how to live mindfully in a technologically connected era. Soren introduces the conference:



Here are some clips from the April, 2010 conference in Silicon Valley:



When I first found out about the conference, I was excited because the topic addressed here is the topic at the heart of this blog and a topic which has gained increasing relevance for me. When I returned my attention to the conference later in the day, I was skeptical. Is this conference created to manufacture the illusion that it is possible for Google and Twitter can exist along-side with mindfulness? Something about the New-Agey tone of the discussions in the video clips and the cast of American tech and spirituality leaders seems suspicious. Do these industries really have any vested interest in creating a true culture of mindfulness?

Perhaps these tech giants are genuinely interested in developing a simultaneously wired and holistic society. If they become maligned for engendering constant distraction and mental clutter, their brand names take a hit. If they become associated with quiescent contemplation, that could be a big boost.

One reason I'm skeptical of the conference's intentions is that the leaders from the assembled wisdom traditions seem to be, almost exclusively, American "converts" to Eastern traditions. There may be a few exceptions in the upcoming conference, such as John Kabat-Zinn, but I'm wondering where Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders are in this discussion? I'm worried that the conference capitalizes on "the cool" of Buddhism and Yoga without including and acknowledging other mindfulness or wisdom traditions, such as centering prayer or Sufi music.

Despite these criticisms, the underlying goal of the conference is earnest and important. Embracing both a fully technologically connected and a fully spiritually awakened life is certainly not an easy task, but undoubtedly a worthwhile goal. And many of the speakers and participants have helpful suggestions about how this might be done. Moreover, they have the power and influence to make decisions that will affect how this is done. Regardless of their answers, merely asking the question about wisdom and technology is a good start.

A great continuation is the partnership between wisdom traditions, technology industries and social justice. This is exemplified by the work of Seane Corn, "yoga teacher and spiritual activist" who co-founded the "Off the Mat, Into the World" initiative. Wisdom and technology can both be great, but ultimately they are meaningless if they are only accessible in the realm of privilege. If done with mindfulness, bringing the benefits of these forces together in service of economic, social, and environmental change is the ultimate expression of wisdom, compassion and awareness.