Walking Pilgrim 10: Violence

I was just watching Michael Moore's documentary, "Bowling for Columbine." He's seeking to understand why the U.S. is such a violent country. He examines various reasons that people often gives: video games, violent movies, music lyrics, guns, etc. The most intriguing part is when he interviews various Canadians. Any reason for America's violence that you give, it seems, doesn't make sense when compared with Canada. For example, Canadians play video games, watch violent movies, listen to the same kind of music, and own lots and lots of guns, but very few people get murdered by guns in a year. The clips imply that America's culture of fear is at least partly to blame. For example, Canadians are so relaxed, don't lock their doors, yet have less violent crime (although the people he interviewed did admit that burglars have broken into their homes to steal things). I wonder what sociologists have to say about all this.

Walking Pilgrim 9: Obssessions

Do you have an obsessive-compulsive personality? I like to think I don't. When I was younger I sometimes got hooked on video games, wasting huge amounts of time and money. It's like candy for the mind. I've seen obsessions in others however. For example, cleanliness obsessions. Cleanliness is of course a very good thing, but not when it becomes an obsession. Some people can no longer travel for fear of germs (viruses, bacteria...). Some can't stop washing their hands because of the same fear. Sleep is a great remedy if you're spending too much time thinking about something.

Walking Pilgrim 8: Fear

There's not much to be afraid of in everyday life in Japan. Consider our ancestors, who had to survive animal attacks, disease, and the day to day struggle for food. On some level such fears remain, however, in our subconscious. These fears mostly make us feel like we need more money. Money is insurance against disease and lack of food (but wouldn't be able to help us in the case of an animal attack!).
Fear nowadays can be entertainment, as is the case with horror movies. It's a bit of a rush, perhaps a mental connection to our ancestral past that makes us enjoy horror movies. Well, I don't really enjoy them, but can in some cases, like The Silence of the Lambs. Real fear, however, is not pleasant. There's a very narrow stretch of road leading the AIU, where I teach. There's barely enough room for two cars, let alone my car and a truck. Everyday as I drive to work I wonder if I'm going to get crushed by an oversized truck. On some level there is fear, and the deepest reason is, I don't wanna die!

Walking Pilgrim 7: Compassion

What moves us? Walking Pilgrim asks, moved because the old woman gave him money. One person sees a homeless person and sees "social garbage"; another sees the same person and feels sympathy or compassion. It's hard to say why. It's just the affects of a lifetime of experiences, a lifetime of thinking, and patterns of thinking, that affect us in numerous ways we can't see. Oh, and me? I guess the suffering of people moves me. Knowing that there are starving people in the world moves me, and motivates me. I try to look at the big picture, however. Tossing a few coins at a homeless person may not solve anything; in fact, it might make the problem worse.

Walking Pilgrim 6: Happiness

What do you need to be happy?

Now that I have a son, I think I need to know that he's healthy to be happy. Of course, I personally need to have enough food, water, a warm shelter, and friends to be happy. There are certainly many other things that make life rich: spending time in nature, listening to good music, etc. I can go without these things for awhile, but stress often builds up if I don't enjoy nature or listen to music for too long. I have to say, that given how lucky I am, I am almost always happy. I'm happy to be alive, and want to enjoy every day fully. So, most of all, I need to be alive to be happy! (I'm not sure if dead people can feel happy...)

Walking Pilgrim 5: Desire

This is perhaps the deepest topic yet! I'm interested in Buddhism, and the Buddha taught extensively about the nature of desire. He called it the root of all suffering! Some people say life would be boring without desire. It can certainly seem that way. But, perhaps it seems that way because the main aims of our lives is seeking pleasure and avoiding pain.
I'm interested in evolutionary psychology. I believe desire is a patterned way of think built into our brains. DNA has created many patterns of living, growing, and in animals, thinking. Eating, drinking, sex are all key to survival--of ourselves and of humans in general. So desire has served a very important purpose. But perhaps we don't see how deeply desire controls us. And perhaps we can't imagine the freedom and joy that would come if we overcame desire.

Walking Pilgrim 4: Money

Walking Pilgrim is, to me, very impressive. He was almost penniless but refused money. The thing about money is, it's never enough. We always want more. Isn't it the truth? Of course, everyone wants security, and in modern societies money provides, in a sense, security. In ancient times you had family and community to rely on. I try to overcome the feeling of always needing more money. As a professor at AIU I'm satisfied with my salary. At the same time, I think about saving for my 7 month old son's future, about plane tickets to visit my parents in America, about supporting my wife, etc. I can't say it's a worry, but it could be if I had a low paying job. Anyway, in my view, money is not bad or evil, but it can be like a poison if you're not careful.

Walking Pilgrim 3: Generosity

Are you generous?

It's a little embarrassing to try to answer this question directly. However, I try to practice generosity. I believe it doesn't come naturally to humans. After all, throughout history, and throughout the natural world, animals strive to survive. It's not always easy. Our ancestors had to look after themselves to survive. The modern world is quite different. Of course I have to take care of myself, but surviving is not a day to day struggle. I can afford to think about the welfare of other people, and of animals. Focus on ourselves and our own problems and our own desires leads to suffering, I think. I believe trying to help others makes our own lives more joyful. What do you think?

Walking Pilgrim 2: Needs

What do you need in regard to food?

I really only need one meal a day--but after awhile I'd need two. I never eat three meals in a day. Perhaps because my habit is to eat large meals. I don't need snacks. In fact, I don't need any particular foods, but if certain foods are in the house I can't resist eating it. I love butter for example. Or figs. I'm relatively free in regard to drinks too. I could just live on water, but in the winter especially really enjoy some sort of herb drink. My body is very sensitive so I stay away from caffeinated drinks. I don't drink juices, generally, or sodas.

What do humans need in regard to food? is an interesting question. Most of us need food--but does everyone? I know an Indian yogi who says he went 8 years without eating solid food. During that time he only drank milk! He told me this personally, and that he was strong during that time and worked hard. Hmmmm... Some don't believe it, but do we really know the potential of a human? Most of us think we need much more than we actually need, perhaps.

Walking Pilgrim1: Freedom

What does freedom mean to you? is a very broad question with no easy answer. Walking Pilgrim, the writer of the story, sets out on a journey to inquire into this and other important questions. He accepts the challenge of the question, and the challenge of finding answers despite the enormous difficulty involved with giving up all money and possessions. His is an act of trust, a brave act of trust that he can survive, and that his needs will be met. Few people have the mental or physical strength to attempt this.

And my answer? I can't give just one answer. Of course I want the freedom to speak my mind, to think freely, and to generally act freely--as long as my actions don't harm others or the earth. More importantly, perhaps, is psychological freedom. When I ate lots of sweets I was, in a sense, addicted. After dinner I always wanted dessert. If I saw chocolate, I desired it. If I ate some, I wanted more. Then, for several years, I ate no sugar; I completely gave it up. I felt much freer. In this sense, freedom was a lack of desire. It was very relaxing. This sort of freedom is very profound and worth seeking.