I am a bit confused by this claim, because cities are excellent for social, emotional, and intellectual life. They put you close to museums, theaters, and other art and entertainment; to libraries, bookstores, and music stores; to workshops where you can try crafts; to tutors and classes where you can learn singing, yoga, tennis, ballet, or anything you like. By putting you in more contact with more people, they make it more likely for you to find people who share your hobbies, interests, and values—your niche, your community, your people—the perfect friend, business partner, comrade, or soulmate.
Is there such thing as the perfect friend, business partner, or soulmate?
If you lived in a small rural with a few close relationships, you of course don’t hope for such a thing (And even less so in a pre-agrarian tribe). You practice acceptance, forgiveness, and sacrifice for the people you do know.
Certainly progress has been better at meeting our desires… But from a spiritual perspective, is it meeting desires that leads to spiritual growth and fulfillment
From a Buddhist perspective the worst thing you could do is satisfy every desire, give people more options and the illusion that you can remove suffering by satisfying craving (this just gives you more craving and suffering).
My sense is you in practice disagree with most of traditional spiritual tradition. In which case the post should be actually called ” spiritual benefit doesn’t matter” or “redefining spiritual benefit.”
Is there such thing as the perfect friend, business partner, or soulmate?
If you lived in a small rural with a few close relationships, you of course don’t hope for such a thing (And even less so in a pre-agrarian tribe). You practice acceptance, forgiveness, and sacrifice for the people you do know.
Certainly progress has been better at meeting our desires… But from a spiritual perspective, is it meeting desires that leads to spiritual growth and fulfillment
From a Buddhist perspective the worst thing you could do is satisfy every desire, give people more options and the illusion that you can remove suffering by satisfying craving (this just gives you more craving and suffering).
I disagree with the Buddhist perspective.
My sense is you in practice disagree with most of traditional spiritual tradition. In which case the post should be actually called ” spiritual benefit doesn’t matter” or “redefining spiritual benefit.”