Media's Portrayal Of Buddhism In The Media

In 2017 media and advertising are almost everywhere you look. The media has pushed the limits, crossed the line, and at some point, shocked everyone in one way or another. Advertisements and media know no limits, and even religion is not exempt from being publicized.
The Merriam-Webster dictionary describes Buddhism as “a religion of eastern and central Asia growing out of the teaching of Siddhārtha Gautama that suffering is inherent in life and that one can be liberated from it by cultivating wisdom, virtue, and concentration”. I don’t know about you, but when I think of Buddhism, I imagine bald monks in maroon robes and gold sashes over their shoulder, men who have superior wisdom, and the elite few who have taken a vow of silence. I think

In article by Jørn Borup called “Branding Buddha- Mediatized and Commodified Buddhism as Cultural Narrative”, Borup explores how Buddhism is portrayed in the media, specifically in Denmark.
Borup first looks at the populace of Denmark , and he explains that while “Nominal Buddhists” make up a small percent of the residents, lots people who practice a form of “Buddhism” do not inevitably categorize themselves as a being a “Buddhist” (44). Many people have integrated values and viewpoints in to their lives that could be considered as being a Buddhist, however they do not associate themselves as being part of the small Buddhist community of Denmark. This may be somewhat due to how Buddhism is portrayed in the Danish media. Borup notes that in the news, reports of religions other than “Christian” and “Islamic” are rare (47) and states “Buddhism in Denmark is very seldom described as a religion, and when this happens it is mainly related to individual converts or visits by the Dalai Lama” (Borup 52). With

Advertisers are not just marketing products to us any longer, they have started to advertise to our souls by taking things that we believe in and creating products that can be purchased. These Products will be more valued by the consumer, because they represent who we think we are and we want to be. “Buddhism has been transformed from an intellectual capital and practice path for the elite to an easily approachable mindset for the masses in which consumerism, commodification and mediatization are part of the neo-liberal market where spirituality is for sale” (Borup 41). We have altered something that was once thought of as sacred and turned it into a product that we can make a profit from by selling its ideals as a needed lifestyle enhancement. Borup states that “Advertisements featuring Buddha and monks sell everything from alcohol to clothes …” (41). In other words, the media is not only selling us products that are aimed at a certain type of lifestyle, but they are selling items to consumers that do not have any relevance to the imagining that is being utilized to advertise the