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Mindfulness (what you’re basically describing) does not conflict with memento mori. When you realize that this tomato could be the last tomato you’ll be eating,

Mindfulness (what you’re basically describing) does not conflict with memento mori. When you realize that this tomato could be the last tomato you’ll be eating, having the conversation with your kid be the last conversation you’ll be having etc etc you’ll fully appreciate each moment in life as if it could be your last.

krageon 5y ago
> Mindfulness Mindfulness is a product of an industry seeking to capitalise on the yoga pants (and later suits) demographic, to great success. Let's not legitimise it by using it as an example of healthy thinking, because it's not.
- wobblybubble 5y ago
  Mindfulness is an English translation of the Buddhist word “sati” which Buddhists use to describe one particular quality of meditation. To dismiss it because some people have coopted it would be like, well, to dismiss the yoga tradition because of “yoga pants”.
  - Graffur 5y ago
    Can we dismiss yoga for silliness anyway?
- SamBam 5y ago
  Just because something valuable can also be exploited by greedy capitalists does not stop it from being valuable. There are some legitimate reasons to be wary of the push for mindfulness -- for example, when it is pushed by employers to try and increase employee satisfaction and retention, in lieu of actually improving their quality of life -- but that certainly doesn't mean the practice itself is bad.
javert 5y ago
I think a death-centric way of thinking about life is unhealthy. The fact of death isn't what makes things valuable or meaningful. The fact that our time span to enjoy things is limited also isn't what makes them valuable or meaningful. The quote is describing much more than mindfulness. It's saying that values and meaning are right in front of us. To reduce that to mindfulness misses the value in what it's saying.
- bobthechef 5y ago
shantnutiwari 5y ago
The OP is talking about enjoying the small things in life, which is clearly not mindfulness. >> When you realize that this tomato could be the last tomato you’ll be eating You're confusing Stoicism with Mindfulness.
- SamBam 5y ago
  There is some overlap. There is the Buddhist practice of Maraṇasati (mindfulness of death, death awareness), which is very similar to the Stoic practice of remembering that death or loss can strike at any time. Similarly, Vipassana, or Insight Meditation, which is one of the forerunners to the westernized mindfulness meditation, includes a focus on impermanence.

krageon 5y ago

> Mindfulness Mindfulness is a product of an industry seeking to capitalise on the yoga pants (and later suits) demographic, to great success. Let's not legitimise it by using it as an example of healthy thinking, because it's not.

wobblybubble 5y ago
Mindfulness is an English translation of the Buddhist word “sati” which Buddhists use to describe one particular quality of meditation. To dismiss it because some people have coopted it would be like, well, to dismiss the yoga tradition because of “yoga pants”.
- Graffur 5y ago
  Can we dismiss yoga for silliness anyway?
SamBam 5y ago
Just because something valuable can also be exploited by greedy capitalists does not stop it from being valuable. There are some legitimate reasons to be wary of the push for mindfulness -- for example, when it is pushed by employers to try and increase employee satisfaction and retention, in lieu of actually improving their quality of life -- but that certainly doesn't mean the practice itself is bad.

javert 5y ago

I think a death-centric way of thinking about life is unhealthy. The fact of death isn't what makes things valuable or meaningful. The fact that our time span to enjoy things is limited also isn't what makes them valuable or meaningful. The quote is describing much more than mindfulness. It's saying that values and meaning are right in front of us. To reduce that to mindfulness misses the value in what it's saying.

bobthechef 5y ago

shantnutiwari 5y ago

The OP is talking about enjoying the small things in life, which is clearly not mindfulness. >> When you realize that this tomato could be the last tomato you’ll be eating You're confusing Stoicism with Mindfulness.

SamBam 5y ago
There is some overlap. There is the Buddhist practice of Maraṇasati (mindfulness of death, death awareness), which is very similar to the Stoic practice of remembering that death or loss can strike at any time. Similarly, Vipassana, or Insight Meditation, which is one of the forerunners to the westernized mindfulness meditation, includes a focus on impermanence.