Author Archives: cttess09

The A-List “Buddhists”

There are many Buddhists among contemporary celebrities.  Tiger Woods, Keanu Reeves, Richard Gere, Uma Thurman, Orlando Bloom, Kate Hudson, and Tina Turner to name a few.  It is difficult to gauge the intensity of their observation, practice, and devotion.  There … Continue reading

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“Fat Buddha”

The iconography of Buddha has developed alongside the religion’s globalization; with each new territory it travels to, the vehicle is transformed and adapts to its new environment.  It’s culture has a habit for hitting home with a diverse population, getting … Continue reading

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“Pop Buddhism”: How Star Wars Commercializes Buddhism

There are varied manifestations of “Pop Buddhism”, in the contemporary scenario, be it in spheres spheres of music, films or literature. A few years back, a recording of the chanting of the Mahakala verses by the chosen head of Tibetan Buddhism, the 17th Gyalwa Karmapa, was made and commercially sold, with great success. Yet another album … Continue reading

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Understanding “Om”

We’ve all seen it. Whether it’s a tattoo your friend chose to get, or a focal point of your roommate’s tapestry, the “Om” symbol has become a part of the West’s popular culture.  In my last post I gave a … Continue reading

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The Myth of Wine

The concept of semiotics and semiology is a difficult concept to grasp even without the input of myth as analyzed by Barthes.  However, we have attempted a simpler explanation of the signifier, signified, sign concept to better explain what Barthes … Continue reading

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Korean Punk Rock Discussion

The Korean punks in the video resemble punks found in other parts of the world. Bleached spiky hair, dog collars around the neck, studded wristbands, thrash-boots, ripped jeans, anthemic T-shirts, and other forms of punk rock style are very similar … Continue reading

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Introduction: The Globalization of Buddhism

For my SYE, I am examining the globalization of Buddhism and its expansion into Western culture.  Given that it is a broad topic, for my Independent Research Journal, I have decided to focus on the impact and commoditization of Buddhism … Continue reading

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