Mudita & Class Consciousness
Class consciousness is necessary for understanding the intersectionality of the many crises our society is currently facing — such as wealth inequality, the climate crisis, racism, and the covid-19 pandemic. These crises all have the same root cause in neoliberal capitalism and its singular pursuit of profits at the expense of all else — including the lives of working class people and a livable environment. Since class consciousness is our best defense against the runaway destruction of capitalism, it becomes obvious that the ruling class would seek to suppress the development of this consciousness among members of the working class.
As our lives have become more insular and we spend more time within our private residences, we are prevented from interacting with real people from different cultural backgrounds or socioeconomic statuses within our communities. Algorithms have resulted in social media echo chambers, which has only helped to reinforce our own opinions, rather than opening ourselves up to others. This lack of understanding means that many of us fail to see that many of our seemingly personal issues all stem from the same root problem, and this prevents us from working together to resolve this issue collectively.
The late Mark Fisher — a prominent cultural critic and contemporary philosopher — believed that resentment between social groups has become the dominant form of anti-solidarity and anti-class consciousness. Resentment is the feeling of unhappiness at being treated unfairly, which can occur when someone else has received something which you feel that you deserve for yourself. Instead of focusing our efforts on fighting to ensure that all members of our society receive what they need in an equitable manner, our attention is continuously misdirected towards individual success, selfish hard work, and out-competing our neighbours, which has only fuelled resentment towards others who we should really be treating as our allies. Resentment benefits the owners of capital by fragmenting the potential collective power of the subordinated majority — working people.
Resentment is openly encouraged through the ideological lens of individualism by which we are forced to view the world. Our politicians, corporations, and media constantly pit members (or communities) of the working class against each other as a way of deflating and distracting from the development of class consciousness, which keeps working people competing with one another and resenting that fact. Some examples include (but are not limited to) race vs. race, locals vs. immigrants, unemployed workers vs. overseas labour, gender vs. gender(s), young vs. old (i.e., millennial vs. boomer), resource workers vs. environmental interests, and vaccinated vs. anti-vax. This is not to say that these antagonisms don’t have legitimate stakes, but focusing our energy on these issues shifts our gaze away from the true source of discontent in contemporary society — private ownership of the means of production and the accumulation of capital in the hands of the few.
An example of how class consciousness is suppressed under capitalism can be seen by looking at the fitness/wellness industry and social media. We are bombarded with images of people with idealized (yet unrealistic) body standards which leads many people to feel resentment towards their own body because it doesn’t fit a specific ideal. We are told that we can fix our problems individually by eating certain diets or buying certain products and services (e.g., gym memberships, supplements, diet programs, or peloton bikes). If nothing changes, then it’s our fault as individuals for not being able to fix it ourselves. We aren’t competitive or dedicated enough to achieve what others have managed to do. This perspective completely ignores the reality that a major contributor to poor health has been the transition to a more sedentary lifestyle working desk jobs, staring at screens, commuting by car, and not having enough time to be outdoors or eat properly. If this many people need gym memberships to stay healthy, then it’s our society that’s unwell and not us as individuals.
Given the need in our present moment for an increased class consciousness, I think that there’s a renewed relevance for the Buddhist concept of Mudita, which could be a powerful antidote for neoliberalism when paired with other consciousness-raising practices such as mutual aid. Mudita is finding joy in the happiness and/or success of others — and is explicitly the opposite of the resentment which is plaguing our society today. One of the beauties of Mudita is that it is immediately and infinitely accessible since it requires nothing other than ourselves to manifest. Mudita is available to everyone at all times, regardless of circumstances. If we could learn to experience vicarious joy through the accomplishments of others then we would always have an avenue to happiness. This could help fight the resentment which hinders solidarity and prevents any meaningful movement towards the true class consciousness required to overthrow capitalism completely. We need to shift our mindset away from individuality and competition, towards one of gratitude, contentedness, and solidarity to ensure that future generations will have the opportunity to lead equitable, sustainable and enjoyable lives.
