Liberalism, Buddhism, and the Politics of Impermanence

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I am a liberal. I’m also a Buddhist. In a recent essay at The UnPopulist, I wrote about the intersection of the two, which I see as more than compatible, and in fact mutually reinforcing. Buddhist ethics gives us not just the best way to live happy and harmless lives, but also a strong foundation for a genuinely liberal society.

While Buddhist philosophy informs much of the perspective I bring to conversations at ReImagining Liberty, I haven’t yet done an episode specifically on it, and on how it relates to the kind of liberalism this show is all about. Today I’m correcting that gap.

And rather than just monolog at you, I’m delighted to have my friend, and frequent ReImagining Liberty guest, Cory Massimino step in as host to interview me. Cory is a philosophy student and a fellow at the Center for a Stateless Society, and, through many conversations over the years, he’s played a significant role in shaping my intellectual perspective.

Produced by Landry Ayres. Podcast art by Sergio R. M. Duarte. Music by Kevin MacLeod.