Critical Hedonism(s): Escaping McMindfulness - On the commodification of cravings and their cures

​In this discussion, Lydia Williamson-Sawyer will lead an exploration of the relationship between Buddhism and consumer society’s dependence on perpetual craving and the promise of satisfaction. Drawing on the Buddhist teaching of samsara, the discussion will explore how cycles of suffering are sustained under capitalism, where satisfaction and fulfilment are sought after yet never fully realised. We’ll reflect on the commodification of Buddhist teachings, exploring how ‘McMindfulness’ and capitalist spiritualities promise to liberate our minds, whilst also increasing our efficiency and productivity. We will ask what an authentic approach to Buddhism can offer in a digital attention economy, where our states of mind are continuously captured and monetised, and whether it can help us reimagine our desires beyond capitalist logics.

​CFITICAL HEDONISM(S) is a free and open-to-the-public discussion space for exploring and interrogating topics, prompts, and questions pertaining to the politics of desire. The starting point of Critical Hedonism(s) is the realization that an essential part of changing the world is changing what we want, aspire for, and take pleasure in. Monthly discussions like this one offer a crucial method for understanding how desire is organized in our culture, and how it might be organized differently. We explore the injustices of desire, the ways in which it is used to manipulate, motivate and stratify, and how it is shaped by institutions. We also explore the inherent challenges of hedonism, and consider what kinds of frameworks could be used to mediate our relationship with it. For more about Critical Hedonism(s), see https://www.criticalhedonisms.com