B DIGITAL KRMA

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Here’s a bullet-gist / summary of David L. McMahan’s The Dilemmas of Digital Samsara (also called “Algorithmic Karma in Digital Samsara”), highlighting its central ideas and dilemmas. (Tricycle: The Buddhist Review)

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🔹 Core Analogy & Key Idea

• The article draws a parallel between the classical Buddhist concept of karmic samsāra (cycle of actions & consequences) and our modern digital lives: we produce “digital karma” through countless online actions (scrolling, liking, posting, reacting), which gets deposited into vast algorithmic systems — similar to how karmic “seeds” accumulate in a “storehouse consciousness.” (Tricycle: The Buddhist Review)

• These digital actions feed back into us: algorithms respond by pushing more content tailored to our past behavior, further shaping what we see and do next. The result: a loop of desire → reaction → more desire → deeper entanglement. (Tricycle: The Buddhist Review)

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⚠️ The Dilemmas (Digital Samsara Problems)

• Loss of agency / autonomy: As our digital behavior becomes increasingly shaped by the unseen logic of algorithms — not by our conscious, reflective choices — it becomes hard to maintain the sense of ourselves as independent agents. The more we engage, the more the “system” seems to act through us. (Tricycle: The Buddhist Review)

• Stimulation of the “three poisons”: The digital world often plays on basic human tendencies — greed (desire for more), hatred (polarizing content), ignorance (misinformation). This constant tuning to what triggers strong emotions undermines calm, reflective, and ethical engagement. (Tricycle: The Buddhist Review)

• Erosion of critical awareness / mindfulness: The endless stream of images, texts, videos distracts us and dulls our capacity to question — making us reactive consumers rather than thoughtful beings. The “scrolling mind” becomes the norm. (Tricycle: The Buddhist Review)

• Reinforcement of divisiveness & harm: Because algorithms reward what draws attention — often outrage, sensationalism, fear — the digital samsāra can exacerbate social divisions, spread misinformation, stoke hatred, and deepen polarization. (Tricycle: The Buddhist Review)

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🌱 Possible Responses — What McMahan Suggests

• Awareness + Mindful Discernment: Instead of passively consuming whatever pops up, cultivate “mindful attention” — pause, question, reflect before reacting. Consciously choose what to engage with, rather than letting algorithms dictate. (Tricycle: The Buddhist Review)

• Ethical Action (Digital Karma): Use digital life consciously — engage in ways that promote compassion, truth, connection, rather than feeding the cycle of reactivity and division. Digital karma can be positive too. (Tricycle: The Buddhist Review)

• Systemic / Structural Reform: Recognize that the problem is not just individual — the digital system itself (algorithms, business models, attention capture mechanisms) needs reform or regulation if it is to become humane rather than exploitative. (Tricycle: The Buddhist Review)

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💡 Why It Matters — Broader Implications

• The article reframes digital addiction, polarization, misinformation, echo chambers — not merely as technical or psychological problems — but as spiritual/ethical dilemmas rooted in the structure of modern digital life.

• It invites a Buddhist-influenced reflection on digital living: the idea that in a world saturated by digital karma, spiritual cultivation and ethical discernment remain vital.

• It situates individual practices (like mindfulness, ethical digital usage) as connected with broader social and political responsibility — bridging inner transformation and collective change.

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If you like, I can also pull out 5–6 direct quotations from the article that illustrate its core claims — those often help grasp McMahan’s tone and ethical urgency more vividly.