Dalai Lama: I’m totally a Marxist
posted at 8:07 pm on May 21, 2010 by Allahpundit
So he’s the Marxist, and … the ChiComs are increasingly capitalist. Dude — we’ve been backing the wrong horse.
Actually, his view of capitalism seems pretty sympatico with Beijing’s:
“Still I am a Marxist,” the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader said in New York, where he arrived today with an entourage of robed monks and a heavy security detail to give a series of paid public lectures.
“(Marxism has) moral ethics, whereas capitalism is only how to make profits,” the Dalai Lama, 74, said.
However, he credited China’s embrace of market economics for breaking communism’s grip over the world’s most populous country and forcing the ruling Communist Party to “represent all sorts of classes”.
“(Capitalism) brought a lot of positive to China. Millions of people’s living standards improved,” he said.
Marxism is ethical but capitalism puts food on the table; that does seem to be the conclusion that the Chinese leadership has drawn. Leaving aside the very special brand of “ethics” for which Marxist societies are known, isn’t there an ethical component to the fact that capitalism does raise living standards? I know he’s an officially recognized international Wise Man or whatever, but his reasoning sounds like a conservative parody of the left: Sure, free markets make people better off, but communism has better intentions. Does the behavior of the Chinese and Soviets in his own backyard suggest nothing to him about Marxist ethics in theory versus in practice? Or should we not be surprised that a religious man has a religious faith in the idea that Marxism can be moral in practice if we just “get it right”?
I forget who, but someone on Twitter joked this morning that if only The One had known this sooner he would have treated him better during that White House visit. Exit question: Who’s the wiser international Wise Man, the DL or Michael Caine?
Blowback
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Guess it’s in vogue now, huh ???
cableguy615 on May 21, 2010 at 8:09 PM
And if he ever gets power back, he’ll be a slave owner as well.
Blarg the Destroyer on May 21, 2010 at 8:10 PM
He’s always been an empty suit. Or, toga-thingy.
exception on May 21, 2010 at 8:11 PM
Is there any chance he’s saying this to avoid placing even more strain on his people from China? It seems odd he’s taking the same line as the people oppressing him.
Besides, this is contradictory:
Marxism is obviously superior, but capitalism has increased living standards, made life better for the Chinese, opened the Communist Party to representing more people, and has broken an oppressive grip. Okay then.
amerpundit on May 21, 2010 at 8:12 PM
Sure, commie living means we will all be living on bread and water.
But, we will all have the same amount of bread and water. That’s fair.
Moesart on May 21, 2010 at 8:13 PM
What? WHAT???!!!
OldEnglish on May 21, 2010 at 8:13 PM
Wait so how is it moral for the state to forcibly take everything from everyone?
Riposte on May 21, 2010 at 8:13 PM
He’s always been a two bit hustler with a good agent.
Wyatt Wingfoot on May 21, 2010 at 8:14 PM
Winner!
thomasaur on May 21, 2010 at 8:15 PM
Yeah, how’s that working out for ya, Dalai?
greggriffith on May 21, 2010 at 8:16 PM
Neither Marxism nor Capitalism is ideal in a pure form. However, capitalism is much more amenable to allowing people to freely purchase goods & services in the context of a society built upon moral institutions of freely chosen faith communities and familial relationships.
Marxism essentially requires a dictatorial leadership regime to enforce it’s “moral” principles.
cs89 on May 21, 2010 at 8:16 PM
Wow-pretty simplistic. Funny though that many companies actually teach and expect the golden rule. In the long run in business if you treat people right you will gain much more loyalty and sales. Now go get served by your government run business such as the police department or the bmv/dmv— good friggin luck.
CWforFreedom on May 21, 2010 at 8:17 PM
Why is this a surprise? He’s a monk that is against ownership of personal property, and lives off of the charity of others. Marxism is the closest thing to his lifestyle — just replace charity with state coercion.
stefanite on May 21, 2010 at 8:18 PM
It’s good to a read an article where you just know that the reporter knows bullsh!t when he sees it.
How’s that Marxist religious freedom working out for you, Junior?
They don’t make Buddhas like they used to.
pedestrian on May 21, 2010 at 8:19 PM
Not that I’m really interested…but is he “swingin’ free” or, um, wrapped?
Kinda like that old kilt question.
Cheese! Mr. Chewy needs to take me out more on Fridays!
Chewy the Lab on May 21, 2010 at 8:20 PM
Oh so capitalism is good as long as he defines it and sets the rules. Gotcha /
CWforFreedom on May 21, 2010 at 8:20 PM
So how would he feel about the redistribution of Karma?
trubble on May 21, 2010 at 8:22 PM
This is called trying to kiss up to the ChiComs.
Trouble is the ChiComs don’t give a rat’s butt for Marx, they do not give a rat’s butt for Tibet either. They just care about what it means on getting Taiwan.
Oh btw, Tibet sucked before the ChiComs took over too. A fedual state of poor pesants working for the monks. Now those poor pesants work for party hacks in Beijing.
Mr. Joe on May 21, 2010 at 8:22 PM
Uh.. sir… sorry to inform you but… that idea doesn’t work anymore… last time it did, was 2+ months ago, and then you would’ve gotten a chance to have the President bow to you…..
The new trick is to be an absolute hypocrite when it comes to human rights and immigration laws. while criticizing Arizona for wanting to enforce the U.S. own laws… that’ll get you a joint session of Congress, meeting with Obama, and the Mayor of LA, AND a standing ovation from the democrats and Grahamnesty (who will be filling in for pandering to illegal immigrants, while McCain is busy tricking the Republican party again into thinking he’s conservative)
Unfortunately, because you are fighting against one of those fine upstanding, not at all hypocrite countries/nations when it comes to Human rights… I’m afraid you won’t be getting to enjoy any of those benefits. Because let’s face it, all the liberals know in reality you are just a racist “tea partier” trying to sneak in to an Obama town hall to disrupt it.
/sarcasm off
Razgriez on May 21, 2010 at 8:23 PM
I know lots of religious men who know Marxism is pure crap.
Emily M. on May 21, 2010 at 8:24 PM
So, basically the Dali Lama’s battle with the Chinese turns out to be sort of like those fights back in the 1960s between Mao and the Soviets — a dispute between two diverging paths of Marxism? OK by me.
jon1979 on May 21, 2010 at 8:24 PM
LOL ethics.
Yes, Marxism is quite ethical. Putting all means of production into the hands of a few, letting that few make the decisions for the rest. So ethical, squashing the individual imperative of the human condition.
As a result of this, the inefficient (i.e. unhealthy and disabled) ones are exterminated. Don’t wanna’ waste perfectly good resources, right? This is lock step with the Nazi purity ideology.
People like this are incredibly delusional.
blatantblue on May 21, 2010 at 8:24 PM
His brother is a capitalist. He owns a restaurant (The Snow Lion) in Bloomington, IN.
“Try the Momo’s, it’s the best in the city.”
aquaviva on May 21, 2010 at 8:25 PM
What a disappointment….
HBowmanMD on May 21, 2010 at 8:27 PM
You know what? Applied at the individual level (you know, to yourself and no one else), Marxism rules. If you CHOOSE to take your wealth and give some of it to those who are without, you’re a damn decent human being.
Red Cloud on May 21, 2010 at 8:28 PM
Ahh the age old tension between the ethics of responsibility and the ethics on intention…thank you Max Weber
ernesto on May 21, 2010 at 8:29 PM
Well, at least I no longer feel obligated to defend them.
Socmodfiscon on May 21, 2010 at 8:29 PM
I guess he’ll finally be let in the front door of the White House!
JeffVader on May 21, 2010 at 8:31 PM
Standing O from the congressional Democrats!
Jaibones on May 21, 2010 at 8:33 PM
Yup. And don’t forget Richard Gere is his BFF.
di butler on May 21, 2010 at 8:35 PM
Wow. After only one trip to the White House.
Ronnie on May 21, 2010 at 8:36 PM
Makes you wonder why the WH Marxists threw him out with the trash.
JammieWearingFool on May 21, 2010 at 8:36 PM
Yeah, he is trying to kiss up to Obama with these comments.
Mr. Joe on May 21, 2010 at 8:37 PM
Dalai Lama: I’m totally a Marxist … and … the ChiComs are increasingly capitalist … and the best golfer is a black guy, the best rapper is a white guy, the Germans DON’T want to go to war, the French think WE’RE arrogant, Cuba thinks our immigration laws are too strict …
Strange times we live in.
Tony737 on May 21, 2010 at 8:37 PM
Gunga gulunga…
JetBoy on May 21, 2010 at 8:38 PM
Is it wrong of me not to have ever cared 1 iota about this Dali guy?
docflash on May 21, 2010 at 8:39 PM
Skip that. How would he feel about the redistribution of the revenue from his speaking gig?
DL: I’m not that totally a Marxist!
Dusty on May 21, 2010 at 8:40 PM
“The bandit, in the forest in Burma, did you catch him?”
“Yes.”
“How?”
“We burned the forest down.”
Always trust Michael Caine.
justkevin on May 21, 2010 at 8:40 PM
Is it wrong of me not to have ever cared 1 iota about this Dali guy? – Doc
Nope, neither did I, and now even less. I don’t even care what the POPE thinks!
Tony737 on May 21, 2010 at 8:41 PM
Cut the guy a little slack, he’s practically a walking deity. I suspect his secluded-life concept of Marxism is considerably closer to the literary version than the Beijing version.
Tanya on May 21, 2010 at 8:42 PM
Hey, Dilly Dalai, maybe you’d better stick to the enigmatic utterances. Clarity is not your friend.
If nothing else, The Buddha himself was a deep thinker. When it comes to his current Tibetan representative, it appears that the fig fell quite a ways from the Bodhi tree, then rolled on downhill..
Byron on May 21, 2010 at 8:42 PM
Big hitter, the Lama.
Jaibones on May 21, 2010 at 8:42 PM
someone should drop a cherry slurpee on his head I think
happyfeet on May 21, 2010 at 8:43 PM
“We burned the forest down.” – Kevin
Great line from a great movie.
Another one: “I was gonna tell ‘em the whole thing was YOUR idea.”
Tony737 on May 21, 2010 at 8:43 PM
Fools rejoice!
Utopian idealists are indignant.
No one who’s ever lived in communism will agree to the “literary version”, whatever that means.
Notice how no sane Cubans, those from Cuba, ever wear Che attire…only idealistic nitwits do so.
Die again: Marx, Engels, Lenin, and all who follow you, even in spirit. May a slow plague get a hold of ALL of you, even those who contemplate the thought of communism, in any form.
Schadenfreude on May 21, 2010 at 8:46 PM
Never bet against Michael Caine.
Kensington on May 21, 2010 at 8:47 PM
Mercifully he’s that old.
Schadenfreude on May 21, 2010 at 8:48 PM
Bruce Wayne to Alfred from The Dark Knight, correct?
ThePrez on May 21, 2010 at 8:48 PM
If people were perfect Communism would work,thank God we aren’t,
Bob
Bobnormal on May 21, 2010 at 8:48 PM
Down with capitalism and up with Marxism…
right after I finish my “Load Up My Bank Account Tour”
with an entourage of robed monks and a heavy security detail to give a series of paid public lectures
PhilipJames on May 21, 2010 at 8:48 PM
Prez, that’s correct sir!
You get a free drink if you’re ever on my plane! :-)
Tony737 on May 21, 2010 at 8:49 PM
So it’s confirmed: he’s stupid.
rrpjr on May 21, 2010 at 8:50 PM
“Hey…Lama…how ’bout a little something for the effort?”
JetBoy on May 21, 2010 at 8:51 PM
There is no bigger class differentiation than in communism. It’s been tried, over and over.
Fools are that for a reason.
Schadenfreude on May 21, 2010 at 8:51 PM
Kind of explains why he has to wrap a sheet around himself for clothing.
TiminPhx on May 21, 2010 at 8:52 PM
The Dalai Lama needs to come to Christ.
Kjeil on May 21, 2010 at 8:52 PM
ThePrez on May 21, 2010 at 8:53 PM
Damn, used the quote button wrong.
ThePrez on May 21, 2010 at 8:54 PM
Does it come in black? – Prez
HAA! Awesome! Another great line!
No, it only comes in “Canyon Blue” (Southwest)
Tony737 on May 21, 2010 at 8:55 PM
Liberalism explained. Billionaires who don’t know what to do with their money should pull a different kind of “going gulching”. They should pay for forced stays of communism adherents in communist countries of their choice. That would cure a few.
Schadenfreude on May 21, 2010 at 8:55 PM
Well, I no longer feel so bad about the incident this past winter when Obummer shooed him out the back door, passing by the garbage.
/of course now, knowing this Erckel is going to have some ‘splainin’ to do to his Marxist overlords after that gaffe.
AZfederalist on May 21, 2010 at 8:56 PM
Doesn’t taking other people’s property violate ethics? That is the basis of Marxism — value is determined by the state (labor value) instead of the individual. Marxism and socialism is institutionalized coveting and theft. Coveting and theft are on the most well known list of laws ever — The Ten Commandments.
thule on May 21, 2010 at 8:57 PM
Look, a lot of lefties support the Dali Lama. That should be your first warning.
Blarg the Destroyer on May 21, 2010 at 8:59 PM
Nice hat.
Bishop on May 21, 2010 at 9:02 PM
Well, that explains the Hollywood fascination.
katy on May 21, 2010 at 9:03 PM
Marxism and the slave plantation have a lot in common. Really not much difference at all. Tell me where I am wrong?
None of the slaves on the plantation ever have to worry about their meals, they never have to worry about finding a place to sleep. Master provides all the meals and a bed at night. Master takes care of their health care, their education and their retirement. They never have to worry about any of the necessities and all the slaves are pretty much treated the same by the master. They all pretty much wear the same clothes and eat the same food and feel the crack of the same whip. All that is, except those few who get to work and eat in the master’s house. They might have it a little better, but they know they’re still slaves, and master provides pretty well for them too. Yep, just as long as all the slaves listen and do what they’re told to, master takes care of them and they never have to worry about taking care of themselves.
JellyToast on May 21, 2010 at 9:09 PM
I assume he’s busy building gulags somewhere. You can’t be a good communist without lots of concrete and barbed wire.
RBMN on May 21, 2010 at 9:10 PM
So, the leader of a religion that posits reincarnation and has neato demons and all sorts of theological goodies… is a follower of the founder of dialectical materialism?
We live in a strange world.
Oh, and if he says capitalism has no ethics, he’s never read Smith.
irishspy on May 21, 2010 at 9:14 PM
Exit question: Who’s the wiser international Wise Man, the DL or Michael Caine?
OneVision on May 21, 2010 at 9:20 PM
I don’t think machine-gunning monks is ethical.
But I’m not a Marxist.
profitsbeard on May 21, 2010 at 9:20 PM
Dude. You’re not a Marxist until you have Che Merchandise.
Jeez! I shouldn’t have to write this!
victor82 on May 21, 2010 at 9:22 PM
I’d be shocked if the Dalai Lama actually did anything approaching an honest day’s work in his life. I can see why he loves the Marxism.
Buddahpundit on May 21, 2010 at 9:24 PM
Well the dude lives in a palace built upon the sacrifices and blood of other people, never stays in one town for very long, plays god, and spends most of his time telling other people how to live, and sure likes jet-set travel at others’ expense. Of course he’s a Marxist. Put a slick suit and contacts on him and he could pass for Obambi.
viking01 on May 21, 2010 at 9:25 PM
There’s no fool like…
Dr. ZhivBlago on May 21, 2010 at 9:27 PM
I’m pretty comfortable assuming that.
exception on May 21, 2010 at 9:29 PM
We know.
Bee on May 21, 2010 at 9:29 PM
This is why John Galt doesn’t like the Mystics.
hadsil on May 21, 2010 at 9:35 PM
Now, what purpose does he serve, again?
pugwriter on May 21, 2010 at 9:36 PM
I’m waiting to see if he’ll enter rehab before I write him off completely.
whiskeytango on May 21, 2010 at 9:36 PM
Well hello Dalai
Oh hello Dalai
It’s so nice to know my son’s head’s full of crap
Coronagold on May 21, 2010 at 9:40 PM
I feel for the guy. He has what seems like millions of uninvited foreigners running around his country and they will not go home.
IlikedAUH2O on May 21, 2010 at 9:49 PM
It’s been known for a long time. And as a Jew, I want to defend Buddhism here. Tibetan Buddhism is pretty crazy, but it’s not mainstream Buddhism.
thuja on May 21, 2010 at 9:52 PM
Does this mean he is no longer a monarchist ?
borntoraisehogs on May 21, 2010 at 9:53 PM
I think we probably know what he thought he was saying. Will be interesting to see if his people decide they need to do some damage control.
CK MacLeod on May 21, 2010 at 10:05 PM
Back in 2008 he explained his theories on Socialism and Capitalism in depth.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3wHx4NLHzE
Dr B on May 21, 2010 at 10:08 PM
Dally Lammy need to stop chanting.
AshleyTKing on May 21, 2010 at 10:15 PM
What? He is a f*cking retard! You are remembering cold war propaganda talking points. He is a little brown retard symbolically representing a backward group of hill folk. His wisdom is the same crap Depak Chopra hawks. Respect him for what? Being all screwed up in the head?
BL@KBIRD on May 21, 2010 at 10:17 PM
Is neither irony nor hypocrisy recognizable concepts in Dali-world?
Guardian on May 21, 2010 at 10:20 PM
Here’s your ZenDraken morality syllogism as applied to Marxism, Mr. Your Holiness The Dalai Lama:
1. Creating increased suffering is unethical.
2. Marxism creates increased suffering.
3. Therefore, Marxism is unethical.
On the other hand, Capitalism has a long history of reducing overall suffering, by lifting up all who are willing to persistently participate in it.
Now, Mr. Your Holiness The Dalai Lama, please go forth and act so as to reduce overall suffering.
Thanks!
-ZenDraken
————
Here’s the expanded version, if you want to see the flawless crystalline logic of it all:
1. Creating increased suffering is unethical, unless it’s temporary and reduces overall suffering. Example: amputation is painful but the patient lives. Death might eliminate suffering, but we don’t know that for sure, so don’t seek death. Killing should likewise be avoided, unless it reduces overall suffering. Example: Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed thousands, increasing suffering, but it ended the war quickly, reducing overall suffering.
1a. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if an act will reduce or increase overall suffering. Suck it up and make the best decision you can. History is a good guide. For instance, see the history of Marxism.
1b. Increasing your own suffering is merely stupid. Example: Tongue piercing. Self-flagellation. Exceptions: Exercise, getting a PhD.
2. Marxism creates more suffering. This is evident from the historical record. Marxism might reduce suffering for the ruling elite, but it increases suffering overall. A lot, and repeatedly. Perhaps Marxism would reduce suffering if implemented correctly for a long enough time. But on a time scale of 70 years or so (Soviet Union), it demonstrated *only* increased overall suffering in comparison to Capitalism. Any further attempts at the Marxist experiment must be conducted by volunteers only, which falls under premise 1b above.
3. Therefore, Marxism is unethical. Q.E.D.
ZenDraken on May 21, 2010 at 10:20 PM
Wants gays put to death, too. The left knows how to pick them.
Blake on May 21, 2010 at 10:31 PM
So that’s why Richard Gere and Brad Pitt want to f*ck him.
Denverslim on May 21, 2010 at 10:36 PM
This is fantastic. Now when Repub’s take power again, they’ll have a legit reason “not” to meet with this “man’. When you drain the pond the bottom feeders are exposed. DD
Darvin Dowdy on May 21, 2010 at 10:39 PM
The Dalai Lama is a Marxist?
That’s an amazing coincidence, because Karl Marx was also a Dalai Lama!
“At the age of two the child, Karl Marx was recognized as the reincarnation of the 1st Dalai Lama, Otto Roddum Klinton, East German border guard. The Dalai Lamas are believed to be manifestations of Schnitztelhosen, the Bodhisattva of elaborate record-keeping and patron saint of work camps.”
Noel on May 21, 2010 at 11:10 PM
which is not to someone shouldn’t stop of at 7-11 and buy a tasty cherry slurpee and dump it on the goofy marxist’s head and if they have those pink peanuts in the sort of tube wrapper get those cause they’re very tasty and you can’t hardly find them anywhere.
happyfeet on May 21, 2010 at 11:12 PM
I LOL’d.
clancy_wiggum on May 21, 2010 at 11:14 PM
*off* at a I mean
happyfeet on May 21, 2010 at 11:19 PM
Why are we at all concerned about this little pagan thinks?
jpmn on May 21, 2010 at 11:27 PM
he’s not a pagan he’s a buddhist what happens to be a marxist, which means he’s sort of stupid
bless his dumb marxist heart…
This really makes me sorta shrug at the Chinese rape of Tibet though. It sped things up quite a bit to the natural conclusion of things I think.
happyfeet on May 21, 2010 at 11:41 PM
Moral ethics, huh? 100 million slaughtered by Marxism and still counting. Go in peace, your holy ignoramus.
RadClown on May 21, 2010 at 11:43 PM
Dali Lamer.
Little Boomer on May 22, 2010 at 12:01 AM
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