Drawn by Dave Coverly
I found this image actually laugh out loudable (I know loudable isn't a word, but it gets my point across). There are many stereotypes I get from the single image. First of which being the image of the Buddhist itself, wearing the typical robe and having a shaved head, which is the typical image any person (at least I know I do) would have of a Buddhist Monk. The main stereotype I received from this was the idea that all Monk's speak merely riddle-like passages. Never giving a straight answer, never making things too easy.
The image stereotype of a Buddhist is far from accurate. It may get the point across but it is not as true to life as we most often think. Especially in the Western Hemisphere. There are plenty of people you can see walking down the street who look nothing like Buddhist, one in particular is actually in one of my classes here at VCU, he is a Buddhist (apparently) and he looks like a straight punk (long hair, beanie, hoodie, jeans, and etc). One example from the book of Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate, by Brad Warner is when he was on the lookout in the LA Buddhist scene. Brad describes an apparent Zen Master named Frederick Lenz saying he was "a skinny white man who liked to be photographed in a sexy leather jacket with a bright light behind his giant fro' to make it look like a halo." That is one very un-stereotypical Buddhist (as well as his apparent teachings, we find out later from Brad).
The stereotype concerning the mythical and enigmatic speeches, questions, and apparent answers however had not necessarily been touched upon to the point of my reading. I can only imagine with the speech of the writer that this stereotype can also be falsified. A Buddhist can not be made similar to the likes of Yoda. Although some questions must be answered in a way that will make the practitioner think deeper than what is being told on the surface.
With all that said... that little comic is still hilarious. Just sayin'.
-Greyson
I also found this cartoon to be quite comical. For one thing, I find it amusing that they have juxtaposed what appears to be quite a traditional Buddhist monk with high-tech modern technology, in the form of a car and a GPS. I just think it's amusing that they would endorse the stereotype that not only do all monks go around in robes and shaved heads, but that they also make use of modern technology in society and look absurdly out of place. I also thought it was interesting that the GPS didn't give any straight answers. It reminds me of the part in Warner's book where the student asks his teacher a question, but his teacher doesn't tell him. The teacher dies, and the student gets a new teacher, and asks the same question. The teacher still doesn't tell him the answer, but something within the student has changed, and he finally understands. The focus is on Buddhism as an internal means to reach enlightenment. You have to kind of figure it out yourself, rather than have a teacher give you answers to memorize (or a GPS give you exact directions).
ReplyDeleteI found this comic to be funny as well. I like how they have the monk speaking in a riddle signifying the stereotype that Buddhists are complicated, and complex, that they're not easily understood.
ReplyDeleteFavorite cartoon so far! This is pretty funny, and I like the way if infuses modern technology with Buddhism beliefs. It could also possibly be poking fun at something literal such as the Eightfold Path. I enjoyed your comparison of how people assume a typical Buddhist may appear versus the Buddhist student in your class who's appearance does not match that of a stereotypical Buddhist.
ReplyDeleteI saw this cartoon when I was searching for an image and did the same thing as you....I literally laughed out loud. I like how the cartoon portrays that Buddhists follow a GPS in order to reach enlightenment. I guess, in a way, Buddhists really do follow an internal GPS to help them reach their goal of Enlightenment. Where can I get one of these?!
ReplyDeleteI think you've kind of taken things the opposite way with this entry, I don't think it's so much that we should say, "the stereotype is entirely wrong and the opposite is entirely true." I think instead we should have the ability to say, "the stereotype and the opposite are both possibilities." So the Yoda-like Buddhist becomes a possibility, as well as the plain clothes practitioner.
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