Twitter, Jainism, and Wisdom 3.0
A short quote from a commentary by Nick Jankel, which discusses the spiritual potential of Twitter in terms of what becomes possible through mass connectivity:
“It is therefore conceivable that (with some smart content and designed-to-fit experiences), social media platforms like Twitter could help individuals bring to life a concrete form of what the Jains call ‘Parasparopagraho Jivanam‘ – the mutual assistance and support that beings (’souls’ to be more precise) provide without limitation when feeling utterly connect to each other – but on a scale never seen before. This Jainist motto of ecological and social harmony echoes the work of people like eco-psychologist Joanna Macy, who runs workshops encouraging people to widen their consciousness to encompass the feelings of people, species and natural objects that appear to be different to them. In doing so they hope that people will sense their interconnected nature more acutely and more sincerely – and therefore behave different in everyday life because of it. So can technology help us all become Jain-like – helping us give of ourselves freely with a profound commitment to universal reciprocity?”