Comments on: I Am Not A Gadget: A Buddhist’s iPad Dilemma

By: Kenley Neufeld

Kenley Neufeld — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 03:05:00 +0000

Thank you Kyn for writing. You are correct, it is a marketing technique for sure. Still contemplating though.

By: Kyn Nuar

Kyn Nuar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 02:39:00 +0000

DOn’t buy the ipad its a desire not a need.. Part of apple’s marketting technique.. its caters to make u feel desired to it.. not because you need it. trust me life will still go on without it… Its the latest trend not the latest technology.

By: Kenley Neufeld

Kenley Neufeld — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 01:05:59 +0000

Thank you Kyn for writing. You are correct, it is a marketing technique for sure. Still contemplating though.

By: Kyn Nuar

Kyn Nuar — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:39:42 +0000

DOn't buy the ipad its a desire not a need.. Part of apple's marketting technique.. its caters to make u feel desired to it.. not because you need it. trust me life will still go on without it… Its the latest trend not the latest technology.

By: karen hilsberg

karen hilsberg — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 08:59:45 +0000

thank you for your honest and thoughtful reflections. i agree that this is a challenging topic, and i like everyone's reflections below. as soon as i heard about the ipad, i wanted one too, and i too am a pc user who really doesn't want an0ther piece of technology and shudders everytime my cell phone rings. i am trying to spend less time with technology. but the hype around the ipad alone just watered my seeds of craving….especially all the talk of reading books on it. however when i thought seriously about it, i realized that the books i tend to read probably would not be available in digital format for the ipad or the kindle for that matter. and what's wrong with a good ole book anyway?? (says the middle age parent.)
a very similar issue came up for me recently. i have been taking african drumming classes with a nigerian master drummer and priest. i borrowed a friend's small drum to practice on. after a while, i wanted to purchase my own drum and went through a lot of similar questions that you mention above and reached many similar conclusions. yesterday, after researching, getting advice from my teacher and looking at a lot of drums, i made my purchase.
i am very happy and spent a lot of time yesterday playing it. it was very enjoyable. as someone with little musical background, it is a great joy to be learning to play an instrument. i hope i stick with it. so what mitchell posted below seems to ring true…..wholesome enjoyment involving material items that nourish our souls seem as though they would support us in our practice.
bowing in sisterhood,
karen

By: Kenley Neufeld

Kenley Neufeld — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:25:39 +0000

It could be your first foray into Macdom; well worth it.

By: Kenley Neufeld

Kenley Neufeld — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 02:25:01 +0000

I love how you like to stir things up Mitchell. Thanks! And, as for Gandhi, based on my studies I'm not sure if he actually put this wisdom into practice himself.

Considering Joy.

By: Mitchell

Mitchell — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:33:37 +0000

Kenley,

Does it bring you joy?

I thought you might enjoy this 1930s conversation between Gandhi and Richard Gregg:

A Caution

If simplicity of living is a valid principle, there is one
important precaution and condition of its application. I can
explain it best by something which Mahatma Gandhi said
to me. We were talking about simple living and I said that it
was easy for me to give up most things but that I had a
greedy mind and wanted to keep my many books. He said,
“Then don’t give them up. As long as you derive inner help
and comfort from anything, you should keep it. If you were
to give it up in a mood of self-sacrifice or out of a stern
sense of duty, you would continue to want it back, and that
unsatisfied want would make trouble for you. Only give up
a thing when you want some other condition so much that
the thing no longer has any attraction for you, or when it
seems to interfere with that which is more greatly desired.”
It is interesting to note that this advice agrees with modern
Western psychology of wishes and suppressed desires. This
also substantiates what we said near the beginning of our
discussion, that the application of the principle of simplicity
is for each person or each family to work out sincerely for
themselves.

From: RICHARD B. GREGG, The Value Of Voluntary Simplicity

Warm wishes, Mitchell

By: Brandy

Brandy — Tue, 23 Feb 2010 01:11:07 +0000

Wonderful Kenley! Thanks for you thoughtful consideration. It is often tough to balance.

I want an ipad. However, since I am a PC user (at home and at work) I can't justify purchasing one. Bummer!