Hi Laura, thanks for this - most helpful! It's consistent with my earlier findings - collected entirely by my Japanese colleagues - i.e., the Buddhists tend to be ahead of the curve with CMC technologies - so, most interesting! Again, thanks! BTW: Elizabeth Buchanan and I will be at your place on 21-22 May for workshops, etc., re. Internet Research Ethics - if you have time and interest in attending, please introduce yourself to me so that I can thank you in person. again, thanks - best wishes in your work, - c.
I have come across a number of Buddhist uses of social media that fit within the contemplative/monastic traditions. Probably the most famous is the work at Zen Mountain Monastery, which hosts its own communications center: http://www.dharma.net/. They have an online radio station, store, and working on a "cybermonastery" where, last I heard, they would put up teachings and have a question and answer service.
There is a Buddhist monk on Twitter who sends out daily messages: http://twitter.com/buddhistmonk You can also find a list of other Buddhist twitter users here: http://lodenjinpa.com/buddhists-on-twitter/
I have also observed monastics on Web forums discussing guided meditation practices with other forum members via chat using texts and images from the Web (there are a great deal of Buddhist texts online in multiple languages) to guide the practice.
Hope that helps! -Laura Busch
************************** Laura Busch PhD Candidate Department of Communication University of Washington lbusch@u.washington.edu http://staff.washington.edu/lbusch
-------------------------------- Date: Sun, 26 Apr 2009 06:22:16 -0500 From: Charles Ess <charles.ess@gmail.com> Reply-To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org To: "air-l@listserv.aoir.org" <air-l@listserv.aoir.org> Subject: [Air-L] religious uses of social media?
Dear AoIR-ists,
On behalf of a colleague who is seeking to help a monastic community - I'm trying to develop an inventory of (possible/actual) uses of social media such as SNS's, Twitter, etc. that either (a) fit within - rather than disrupt or distort - the disciplines and practices defining / constituting monastic life and contemplation, and/or (b) might foster one or more of those practices, e.g. _lectio divina_ and other forms of guided/disciplined contemplation of sacred texts, community prayer, etc.
I have some interesting examples from my previous (very modest) work in these domains - but all of which emerged prior to the explosion of social media such as SNS's, Twitter, etc.
So ... any suggestions for more contemporary examples, resources, contacts, etc. would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks in advance, - charles ess
President, Association of Internet Researchers Distinguished Research Professor, Interdisciplinary Studies Drury University, Springfield, Missouri 65802 USA
Professor MSO (med særlige opgaver), Department of Information and Media Studies Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
Co-editor, International Journal of Internet Research Ethics <http://ijire.net/> Co-chair, CATaC conferences <www.catacconference.org>
Exemplary persons seek harmony, not sameness. -- Analects 13.23
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