In his book Dhammic Socialism, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu proposes a
synthesis of Buddhist worldview and Western egalitarian political
idealism. Buddhadasa's Dhammic Socialism is based soundly upon
Buddhist notions of interdependent co-arising (paticca-samuppâda),
restraint and generosity (niyama), and loving-kindness
(mettâ-karunâ). Together they comprise his antidote to the soul
sickness of our wicked world, characterized by exploitative
development of the natural world and media perpetuated consumer
alienation borne of excessive material hunger, resulting in a sense
of self that deliberately threatens community survival.
His core precepts undergird the positive potential of the Internet.
If implemented properly, the Internet could bring to fruition
Buddhadasa's vision of a socialistic society united in pursuit of
enlightenment. Conversely, without the active involvement of
mindful folk, the Internet could be fearsome force for absolute
dehumanization.
According to Buddhadasa, Dhammic Socialism involves realignment. We
are not living up to our human potential2 - mired in heedless greed
and anxiety, ruled by our most basic instincts, we are too trapped
in the temporal to transcend.
The Internet is inherently transcendent. You can't smell body odour
over the wires, let alone procreate. Distractions of physical
presence minimized, the mind is engaged.
The Internet is about information dissemination. Each person is
their own agent of collection, with the potential to publicate.
Rather than television demanding a pavlovian response to commercial
puffery, the Internet encourages an active engaged personal search
for truth.
By contrasting the moral underpinnings of Dhammic Socialism with
the structure and ethic of online community, we can see the
interplay of ideals between geeks and Buddhadasa.
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http://www.buddhanet.net/budasa2.htm