Professor Ronald Purser Discusses the Relationship Between Mindfulness and Social Activism in an Article in The New Yorker

Professor of Management Ronald Purser was featured in an article in The New Yorker discussing the growing gap between what mindfulness was originally intended to be and what it has become today. 

According to Purser, mindfulness was once a deeply philosophical practice rooted in Buddhist ethics, a way to recognize our connection to others and the world around us. Today, however, it often appears as a two-minute smartphone app or a wellness program offered by corporate HR departments. Purser, the author of McMindfulness: How Mindfulness Became the New Capitalist Spirituality, argues that this shift is not accidental. According to him, many companies promote mindfulness not to empower employees, but to help them cope with stressful work environments. As Purser explains, “We’re numbing ourselves to intolerable conditions so we can keep functioning within them.”

Purser believes that something important has been lost in this transformation: the ethical foundation of mindfulness and the idea that people are responsible for one another. In its original form, mindfulness encourages individuals to see beyond themselves and act with compassion toward others. As he explains, “When you really see that, you act differently—not because you should, but because you can’t help it.”

Read the full article:  February 10, 2026, The New Yorker, Can “Mindfulness” Be a Path to Activism?