Franklyn Wu
Like many in my generation, I am a product of at least two dominant and vibrant cultures, constantly trying to locate myself at the edges of the two waves. My background of high-level and long-term planning for large corporations and governments (specialized in media, consumerism, and technology adoption) sharpens my eyes and tunes my ears for larger trends of our times, which I always then attempt to understand and intuit at the level of the mind. I now serve the function of coordinating the University’s accreditation efforts.
I also like bikes and cycling and burritos!
Daniel Kahnemann is a Noble laureate in economics and a psychologist at Princeton University. Dr. Kahnemann, in collaboration with others, is a major force in turning the discipline of psychology into the realm of science. In this discipline, the underlying, fuzzy-at-the-edges postulate by the pioneers of western psychology remains fairly intact: human beings are primarily [...]
Ms Rosey is an adult female cockatiel. Her body is white dotted with grey spots, and long yellow streaks run the length of her tiny body from crown to tail (which is as long as her body). She has lived with the Hughs since their elder daughter brought her over one day eight years ago, claiming that the bird came to her while she was hanging her laundry outside. The mother took Rosey under her wings and showered her with much affection and attention. [...]
“Except that it robs you of who you are, What can you say about speech? Inconceivable to live without And impossible to live with, Speech diminishes you. Speak with a wise man, there’ll be Much to learn; speak with a fool, All you get is prattle. Strike a half-empty pot, and it’ll make A loud [...]
As part of the University’s Monastic Immersion Program this Summer, monks and nuns from different Buddhist traditions gave talks as guest speakers on topics ranging from the basic features of the Buddhism they understand and practice, the common spiritual exercises in their traditions, why they chose to “go forth” and enter the monastic order, and [...]
Gilles Deleuze (1925-1995) is a French philosopher and considered by many as one of the great thinkers of 20th century. His two-volume Capitalism and Schizophrenia (which he co-wrote with Felix Guattari) delivers insights into human nature and devastating critiques of capitalism. As part of a course on post-modernism and Buddhism he gave at the Graduate [...]
“If people wish to fully understand All Buddhas of the three periods of time, They should contemplate the nature of the dharma realm: Everything is made from mind alone.” — Avatamsaka Sutra My understanding of the above verse has evolved since I first read it as a teenager. I no longer read it as mainly [...]
On our way back from a visit to Dharma Realm Monastery in Liugui, a rural district of Kaohsiung, Taiwan, our local host took us to visit another Buddhist establishment in the vicinity. This particular monastery sits half-way up one of the many hills in this mountainous region in Southern Taiwan, and like many other hill-side [...]
If one accepts the postulate that popular “love songs” reflect the attitudes of target audience toward relationship, then we can learn much in this area from Bruno Mars’ “Marry You”. Mars, in mid-20’s himself, is a Grammy-winning song-writer and performer who has written hit singles for Cee Lo Green (“Forget You!”), K’naan (“Waving Flag”), Flo [...]