Please join us on Saturday September 12th, 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. (Pacific Time), for an online Buddhism in Society Community Talk  on “Wealth and Income Inequality in our Society, Community, and Zen Practice” with Peter Dolan, one of our Sangha members at Kannon Do.

During the discussion, Peter will talk about how wealth and income inequality are a significant and rising challenge in our society and immediate community, and are inextricably connected to racial inequality and social justice.

Peter would like to explore how to understand the causes and effects of economic inequality, and what does our practice ask of us as Zen practitioners and members of our society and community.

Peter has practiced Zen for 20 years, and first attended services at Kannon Do five years ago before becoming a member of the Sangha last year. He has studied the history of peace and conflict at U.C. Berkeley, and is concerned with social and economic justice particularly among homeless communities in the SF Bay Area.

“Buddhism in Society” aims to explore and understand how to bring the principles of awareness, mindfulness and creative responses to difficult problems present in our communities.

Some suggested readings ahead of the talk:

Articles and information:

 * “Buddhism and Poverty” by David Loy: http://www.zen-occidental.net/articles1/loy1.html

 * “Extreme Wealth is Bad for Everyone – Especially the Wealthy” by Michael Lewis: https://newrepublic.com/article/120092/billionaires-book-review-money-cant-buy-happiness

 * “Research Brief: Income Inequality in the San Francisco Bay Area” by the Silicon Valley Institute for Regional Studies: https://siliconvalleyindicators.org/pdf/income-inequality-2015-06.pdf

Organizations:

 * Inequality.org, a project of the Institute for Policy Studies, an economic, racial, and climate justice policy think tank: https://inequality.org

 * Move MV, a homeless alliance in Mountain View: https://movemv.org

 * Mountain View City’s resources for homeless and unstably housed: https://www.mountainview.gov/depts/comdev/preservation/living_in_vehicles_and_homeless_information.asp

Books:

 * “Evicted” by Matthew Desmond

 * “Capitalism and Justice: Envisioning Social and Economic Fairness” by John Isbister

Please Join us via Zoom:

https://zoom.us/j/807694090

During the discussion please mute yourself if you are in a noisy area, and remember to unmute yourself if you are speaking.