Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

jaidedctrl wrote

The whole "mindfulness == less depression, anxiety, etc." is kind of bullocks. Mindfulness means "focusing on the task at hand completely," and not letting your mind wander.
If you don't think about your problems except when necessary, no shit you'll be happier! If you focus completely even on menial tasks, of course life will seem longer!
I've got to admit, I've meditated in the past, and worked toward mindfulness in daily life. Meditation is rather nice, but It's not like it changed my life or anything. MIndfulness is fine and I was a little happier, but I had a lot less time to think, and I beat myself up when I did let my mind wander. Don't most people's best ideas happen when their minds wander? Is that something to be sacrificed for a slight increase in happiness...?

4

squirrels wrote

Agreed.

I've practiced it in the past and meditated, and probably still will in the future, but I realized that what actually pisses me off is the Industry of Mindfulness. The concept is really as simple as you say, and it deserves critique. It's not going to magically transform your life singlehandedly, it's just a tactic about focusing on the moment. And yet now it's become an entire area of self-help psuedopsychology that has spawned paid classes, gurus, books, videos, and other charlatans making a quick buck off of what comes down to "focus on what you're doing right now." That's not even touching on the problematic cultural appropriation that is often shoved into this commercialization. Ugh.

2