Robert Thurman Speaks at Occupy Wall Street

[louiscfc93]

hey sound brainwashedT

[fiercelightfilms]

@tyler44237 I don't think your comment is necessarily racist, it's just not accurate. My Occupy videos have featured Angela Davis, Starhawk, Rebecca Solnit, and Asmaa Mahfouz, and the film itself, as all my work, will be noteable for it's diversity, gender and cultural. I agree, diversity is important, and to be celebrated. BTW using the capital letters is akin to shouting on-line.

[tyler44237]

THE ONLY THING I DISLIKE ABOUT VELCROW RIPPER'S SHORT OCCUPY FILMS IS THAT THEY CONSIST OF MIDDLE-AGED WHITE MALES.

[Dzumdang]

@tyler44237 Your comment is racist. Stop the hate on white males.

[HydrogenDominion]

May The “Mu” B in U All..... and May U All B Truly Free!

[Composer19691]

I love Bob Thurman the Buddhist scholar/teacher. However, Bob Thurman the dinosaur/ hippie saddens me.

[iamrootman]

Bob is great but overpopulation is a myth and global warming is a scam.

[powergirl901]

He's the father of some, famous, Hollywood actress, who's name escapes me for the moment.

[erosamuk]

zzzzzzzzzzzz

[oaim50]

You had just been thinking how modern American Buddhism suffers from a paucity of prophetic voices. But then Prof. Bob Thurman comes along and spoils that whole theory. Thanks Bob! Repeating the words of the teacher is a very old Buddhist practice, btw.

[shantideva17]

Love the message from Robert Thurman, whose sharp mind and humor always seems to strike the right balance. "Cool heroes!" Isn't that a great description of those in Liberty Square et al who are protesting non-violently? He gets the mindset of those who work on WS; how can you have anything other than compassion for their sad lives?

[Starwheel6]

NYPD needs to study the Chief of Police of Hamburg, Germany

during the early 1940's. He disliked Hitler & disagreed with his

policies. However, when he was asked @ Nuremburg why

he herded Jews into boxcars destined for Auschwitz he replied,

"Because it was my job to follow the law."

[tjw3999]

and they are printing the money that is the debt problem we just need debt free money.. we need to print our own money instead of buying it....END THE FED RESERVE

[rob22uk]

Who is the dude with long hair and the bright, multi-coloured hat?

He is in almost every OWS video, and almost always in the background on the Livestream :/

[sonamjt]

Loved it! Such a great speech, sweetly encouraging to keep peaceful yet still to have insight into what's happening and to approach it with strong, yet non-violent methods. Very funny and very cool!

[quantazelle]

I wish Youtube had a "heart" button.

[PenDanger2]

hold on. Why are they repeating everything he says? It's fucking creepy.

[Mangina9000]

@PenDanger2 Many places have banned megaphones. It is called the human megaphone. You get used to it. It's actually thousands of years old. It dates back to the Greek sophists.

[PenDanger2]

@Mangina9000 Thanks!

[Khrystene]

Couldn't it just be that Robert Thurman is a great teacher with his own style that society has turned into a cult of personality because that's what we like to do (see any celebrity)?!

Be careful of throwing the baby out with the bath water.

[basajj]

@Khrystene could be. But this way oversimplifies the truth. BTW celebrities are mostly not created by 'society' but, like any product, sold from the top down. Cults of personality are also rarely spontaneous creations. The baby that is Dharma is not dependent on the dirty bathwater of celebrity or of cults. It lasted through the centuries because of the truth it carries. It will continue to do so without charismatics or their cults. We hope the same is true for our OWS movement. Peace.

[nayanmalig]

overpopulation comes from sex & the catholic church & muslims. They think condoms are produced by satan.

[kneal37]

@nayanmalig I think that is a vast oversimplification.

[nayanmalig]

@kneal37 It's that simple. catholic priests even prevent AIDS ridden african people from using condoms. it's either a planned genocide of blacks or unplanned fundamentalist / inasanity.

[kneal37]

@nayanmalig Actually the Vatican has given African Bishops dispensation to allow the use of condoms among Catholics in Africa. They finally saw their use as simple effective hygiene rather than as birth control. I'm no longer a practicing Catholic, so I'm not up for defending the Roman Church, but I've never heard anyone in the Catholic Church say that condoms are produced by satan.

[nayanmalig]

@kneal37 no longer catholic? Then why the freaking hell do you have to bare face freaking lie about everything to cover up insane high priests asses when millions of lives are at stake? when will the viscous disinformation & lies stop being spat?

FROM - catholic.net

Contraceptives are responsible for an increase in HIV cases in Africa, harming the environment, and bankrupting the worldwide economy.

contraception has led to increases in illegitimacy, abortion, broken families.

[pauweur]

its a little bit hard to "vote out" corruption when the corruption itself runs the voting system! yes, we need to continue meditation to cultivate insight. xo. sarah

[thewiffenpoof]

this guy is a cliche machine just like his godking the dalai lama. 

[basajj]

Great question dreck34. If the Pope, Rick Warren, etc. spoke on loving teachings of Jesus at OWS, would it be venomous to question the appropriateness? In Dharma we suspend judgmentalism; a result of attachment. But we also think of critical thinking as crucial. In any movement co-optation is a concern. With so many great Buddhist teachers in NYC, why give a forum to a celebrity whose actions in the Buddhist community often express the opposite of what he preaches? Asking this is not venomous.

[Composer19691]

@basajj Great comments. Myself, I don't like how Bob ( or any spiritual teacher) superimpose a teaching or philosophy over a given political event.

Bob doesn't like capitalism evidently. Yet capitalism is part of the great equation that spawned a nation that offered the greatest amount of liberty and freedom to the greatest number of people in history. I'd say that is a pretty positive outcome. All things are flawed of course. Peace.

[dreck34]

Why all of the venom toward Thurman? If you guys are claiming to be Buddhists too, then it is you that needs to look at the source of your own reactions. Regardless of what one may think of Robert Thurman, just listen to the message here as that is all that matters. Trashing him in this manner, in this context, serves nothing fruitful. It is WE that have to wake up, it is always US.... not "them". Only when WE wake up and we include "them" with "us" will we see the transformation we wish for.

[tasinoif]

Funny!!! Thanks for posting this, it is such a good laugh!!!!

[Chubigans]

Listen to them repeating his every word without digesting it.

[bengjie]

@Chubigans . ..apparantly this is because speakers are not allowed to use megaphones or anything of the sort, so this allows the other Occupiers to hear the person speaking.

[basajj]

A movement inspired by Adbusters should do better. True, Thurman's celebrity brand is 'BFF of the Dalai Lama,' in truth he is an aggressive & greedy dissembler whose career is based on a pursuit of the largess of the top 5%. Like all media creations his facade is appealing & slick, but the reality is not in sync with the teachings of HHDL or Buddhism. If OWS wants a Tibetan Buddhist to address us, there are plenty of great ones! Thurman may be charismatic but his substance opposes to OWS' goals.

[utinaeniduin]

@basajj Why should we believe your source-less propaganda over his? Perhaps for the fact that conspiracy theories are in vogue at the moment? Regardless of what you say about him, he is largely responsible for spreading the teachings of HHDL to the West. When people speak of compassion and karma in colloquial English, it is largely due to this transmission of which Thurman is due credit. Despite the fact that the use of these terms is rarely accurate, it has started an awakening of altruism.

[basajj]

@utinaeniduin I agree with no propaganda. Including that which Thurman's cult of personality is based upon. You falsely claim that Buddhism & HHDL's teachings spread in the West largely due to this one man. In truth, very many lamas, scholars & practitioners accomplished this. Buddhism is not a cult & Thurman is not its leader. A true leader, HHDL opposes your seeming sectarianism. OWS also opposes such elitist ideologies. Turn your mind away from these & conspiracy theories & toward altruism

[sugatagarbha84000]

It's kind of sad to see everyone repeating Thurman's words. I don't mean to spit venom, because basically the message here is very good. But the "Thurmanist" view has done a lot of damage in the worlds of Tibetans, Tibetan Buddhism, and Buddhist studies, and it's better that his influence comes to a close sooner than later.

[bengjie]

@sugatagarbha84000 . .. i will look up more on this..but on the issue of them repeating his words, this is because they are not allowed the use of megaphones or speakers. ..so they have figured out that by the group repeating the words, other's farther away can hear.

[sugatagarbha84000]

Thurman is an egomaniac and an unprofessional scholar with twisted unrealistic fantasy ideas about Tibetan culture. He has probably done just as much damage as he has benefited, with his fairy tale notions of Tibetan culture and Buddhist societies.

[CrottyFarmReport]

Bob is about Bob. Russell Simmons is about Russell Simmons. Liberate yourselves from this tired idea of celebrity and fame and spokespersons. The true spokesperson does not his status as such.

[CrottyFarmReport]

The so-called Buddhist lost me near the start when he said OWS is an of what "I have been pushing for..." Remove the "I" ego man.

[dreck34]

@CrottyFarmReport He said "wishing", not "pushing". There is nothing non-Buddhist or egotistical about what he said if you hear it correctly. Too bad you lost him due to an error in your hearing.

[Julien09348]

If you don't have an aspiration to acquire universal compassion, bodhicitta, and if you don't make the effort to develop it, then you'll never want others to have real love and real peace. Bodhicitta is the greatest treasure and the greatest wealth you can possibly have! It is peace and supports your rightful pursuit of material well-being. You will not want to harm others who deserve happiness just by being alive--even your own enemy. We should stop evil-doers without anger and hatred for them.

[DieRepublicanPigs]

I truly love the Buddha's wisdom, but love and peace is NOT the way to go ... even Gandhi said that nonviolence wouldn't have worked with the Nazis. Folks, the rich and otherwise powerful don't give a DAMN for anyone, and they will fight tooth and nail to protect their mammon. In the end, it will take violence. Mark my words.

[cfaggioni]

This is what I'm tailing about! This is exactly what you wonderful people are all about!!! I send you ALL GIANT HUGS AND LOVE!

[Atomasetti123]

HOpe the news picks this up. This is truly news worthy.. COMPASSION

[Atomasetti123]

Bob gives great Teachings no matter what time place, problem or era. Wonderful!

Thank u Bob!

[CBinthesangha]

Dr. Thurman speaks the truth, from the street, without the glare of studio lighting, amongst everyday human beings. We gain a glimpse of actual reality. Yes!

[EllisW1]

Uma Thurman's father, no?

[giantrvclientcare]

Thank you Robert Thurman!!

[TheRivergal]

Go Bob - wise! You tell it straight!

[myselfsil]

The voice of reason!!! Really Wonderful!!!!!!

[thesexyskulls]

Classic TRueth !!!

[SaniyaCanada]

Absolutely BRILLIANT!! EVERY single Action centre, participants & organizers EVERYWHERE should watch this & integrate the message. Thank you, Velcrow, for posting!