34 - McMindfulness: The New Capitalist Spirituality with Ron Purser

It's no secret: "modern mindfulness" is in -- especially in the United States, and it is spreading rapidly also within Europe. We chat to Ron Purser, head of the Mindful Cranks Podcast and author of McMindfulness: How Mindfulness Became The New Capitalist Spirituality, on his critique of the Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) programme that may have gotten too big for its britches to become a trendy self-help business model and even harmful for people and society in the long run. How has "modern mindfulness" been severed from its true Buddhist roots? How have big companies like Google and Apple hijacked mindfulness programmes to keep workers docile and the wheel of good ol' capitalism spinning? Is the science backing mindfulness even that sound? We go over all these questions and more in this engaging interview. McMindfulness will be released in July, 2019. Catch Ron at Foyle's Bookstore in Charring Cross, London in early August at his book signing.