Customer Reviews

One City: A Declaration of Interdependence

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Nichtern does a great job examining the principle of interdependent existence at length, expertly weaving in illustrative personal anecdotes. He also addresses contemporary cultural, political and economic currents in context. It's a well-written and timely addition to a vital conversation.

A great, well-written and accessible book. As someone who appreciates good writing, I have to say that the segues are particularly well done. This accounts for the incredibly fluid and logical flow as the book transitions from one topic to the next.

The topics themselves can be abstract and hard to grasp, but Ethan's exploration and explanation of them make it almost effortless to understand. He uses many concrete, modern day issues and examples to illustrate age-old concepts that could easily have been written out in a vague, fortune-cookie style way. It is very easy to relate to the ideas presented in his book.

It's a fast read and I highly recommend it!

I finished this book yesterday and promptly went out and bought several more copies to give to non-Buddhist friends and family. Ethan Nichtern provides a warm, human, accessible perspective on how to live an engaged, connected life. The book is infused with wisdom but never preachy or arrogant. Nichtern simply shares his own experiences and observations, along with ideas from Buddhism and Buddhist teachers, in a way that invites the reader to take whatever resonates and to find his or her own way of applying it. I recommend this book for anyone interested in Buddhism, being socially aware and responsible, or just feeling more grounded and engaged in life and his or her community. I read it slowly to savor it, was sad when it was over, and know I'll read it many more times.

One City: A Declaration of Interdependence by Ethan Nichtern is a short but poignant book that discusses the interconnectedness of everyone on the planet - how small, daily choices affect the whole earth in ways we might not even imagine. Nichtern is a young guy who offers a sort of hip, fresh perspective on an increasing problem here in the west. His writing comes from a Buddhist perspective, but is for anyone concerned with social responsibility and personal growth. I highly recommend it!

I know any Buddhism book is good if it makes me think and helps me to feel grounded. One City does both. It provides new perspective on responsible consumerism and the quest for understanding in these times of international turmoil. I look forward to more writing from Ethan in the future.

I read this book from start to finish in two sittings yesterday. It was amazingly well written and flowed much more easily than other spiritual books I've read.

It's also incredibly hopeful, and incredibly relevant.

I've heard Ethan Nichtern do poetry readings as well. I hope he has a lot more writing in him, because I can't wait to read it. This is a great one to get for friends who are interested in ANY of the following:

Meditation, Buddhism, Culture, The Environment, Politics, Life!

One City, A Declaration of Interdependence is a book that I really enjoyed. Interdependence is the reality of our society, as we depend on each other for every little part of our daily lives. Ethan explains this phenomenon in an exciting way, with the five levels of interdependence; self, relationship, community, society, and universe. He takes you through a typical morning in New York, describing all the different people from all over the world he is connected with, just by waking up, putting on a tee, and drinking a cup of coffee. One City is a fun book that I only put down a couple of times, and I'm still flipping through the pages. I do recommend it!

While this book is geared toward the 20-something (or so) crowd interested in Buddhism, students - new and old - will find it highly compelling and thoughtful. Nichtern draws from his everyday experiences and the contemporary world to illustrate the discoveries of the Buddha. His stories bring us to examine our own lives and world, and thus join him in his journey through mindfulness.

This book was shipped very quickly and packaged well. I was expecting a used book but it looks brand new, great price. THANK YOU!

Although One City: A Declaration of Interdependence contains an important message (that we truly are an interdependent people and should live accordingly), author Ethan Nichtern bases at least one chapter on faulty logic, and an even faultier understanding of Buddhism.

I refer to Chapter 5: "The Hungry Ghost is a Shadow Puppet."

It is in this chapter that Nichtern's liberal politics shine especially brightly, concomitantly dimming his Buddhist philosophies in the process. At that point, Nichtern and I part ways, and the parting is so profound that it taints the rest of the book for me.

Here's what I mean.

Many Buddhists today have fallen victim to the thinking that liberal politics *is* Buddhism. In effect, that one cannot be a good Buddhist without being a left-wing Democrat. Of course, that is as foolish as thinking Christians can't be Christians unless they're right-wing Republicans. Yet, the fact remains. Pick up any Buddhist magazine, on any news stand, and you'll see what I mean.

I saw a bumper sticker once that read, "Jesus is not a Republican." Fair enough. But it would be equally true if it had read, "Buddha is not a Democrat." So how come Buddhists are almost always liberal Democrats?

In the case of Nichtern, he begins Chapter 5 by pointing out that in 2007, "there are over 700 billionaires in the world...that's approximately 5 million poor people for each billionaire's wealth....it's hard to dream of any ethical basis for that inequality, hard to wrap one's mind around the functioning of a system of financial compensation for individual effort that allows and even congratulates this outcome."

Oh really? I can provide many: Hard work, creativity, genius, brilliance, luck, inventiveness -- you name it. Billionaires are really handed that much money. Think of Bill Gates. He invented a computer operating system that, with few exceptions, powers the world. He deserves every dime he owns. And it would be blind self-centeredness -- or unbridled lunacy -- on my part to suggest otherwise.

Yet, that is precisely what Nichtern does. He writes, "If every single event happens in dependence upon other factors and conditions, how do I ever determine what is 'mine,' exactly? Within an understanding of change and fluidity, what does it even mean to hold something as *my* possession?...Interdependence makes us examine how resources are created, utilized, and distributed in our relationships, communities, and of course our global society."

A more perfect definition of socialism I have yet to read. And yet, can you imagine what Nichtern would say if you marched into his business and proclaimed it yours? Or into his house and declared everything you saw to now be owned by you? I daresay he'd scream bloody murder.

Who cares how many billionaires there are in the world? I am glad they exist. They keep the world going, monetarily. They have given to the world untold riches in jobs, technology, medicine, food, water, clothes, and hope. They enrich communities. They support the arts. Their accomplishments allow us all to live more comfortably.

Buddhism is about accepting what is. And here's what is: there are 700 billionaires in the world. That's the fact, Jack. And here's another one: There are poor people in the world. A Buddhist would accept that as reality. To suggest that reality be altered to fit one's own view of what should be is not Buddhism; it is anti-Buddhism, a twisted image of the beautiful, unfettered philosophy the Buddha created for us.

Nichtern takes it a step further and condemns the "American media" for helping to create these billionaires by holding them up to high regard. He takes special note of Rupert Murdoch, who reportedly recently bought a $44 million apartment in New York.

My response to that is, So what? Who cares what Rupert Murdoch does? He's a shrewd business man. He invests wisely. But, more importantly, he employs thousands. What does Nichtern suggest we do -- strip Murdoch of his money? What would happen to all of the people under his employ?

The old Star Trek TV show often featured aliens who used "cloaking devices" on their space ships to surprise their enemies. If they had merely flown up to a ship like, say, the Enterprise they would have been seen for what they were. Nichtern is just as wiley. His "cloaking device" is Buddhism. In it, he wraps his left-wing selfishness to make it seem rationale, even compassionate. Yet, it is neither. It is ugly and self-centered. In fact, it is the epitome of selfishness to place oneself at the center of the world and dictate what others can and cannot do.

Liberals like to play the role of Robin Hood, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. But that is not Buddhism. Nor is it the blueprint for a free society. In fact, just the opposite. It is the blueprint for a Communist society. And we all know examples of how well Buddhism and Communism mix. Think Tibet. Think China. Think North Vietnam. The Buddhists there suffer untold agonies and long for a life of freedom.

The concept of interdependence is a wonderful one. I fully embrace it. However, interdependence does NOT mean sameness. It does not mean equality. It means we are all inextricably linked to one another. But in diversity, not in homogeneity.

Those of you who read One City should do so fully aware that the author does not fully embrace Buddhism. He embraces liberalism and calls it Buddhism.

Buddhism is about accepting reality -- in all its forms. Sometimes those forms are billionaires. Sometimes they are penniless street urchins. We can, as Buddhists, work to better the lives of each. (Because both have their own unique challenges and unhappinesses.) But we cannot make the assumption that one deserves what the other has. That crosses a line that the Buddha would not have crossed.