The Dead Comedians Society

I am reviewing a book entitled Healing Power of Mantra: The Wisdom of Tibetan Healing Science, by Dr. Tsering Thakchoe Drungtso. It opens with an amusing little homily, "The Paradox of Our Age," which begins:

We have bigger houses
but smaller families;
More convenience, but less time...

I'm almost positive most of us have seen this at one time or another, but what brings it to attention right now is this: according to the book, the author of "Paradox of Our Age" is His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama!

Alas, the author of this is not the Dalai Lama, but comedian George Carlin (12 May 1937 - 22 June 2008), who is also the author of the memorable "Religion Is Bullshit."

There is an epidemic of greeting card schmaltz attributed to the Dalai Lama. You see it in chain letters, and pasted on he walls of cubicles in large offices. It is a strange form of post-modern respect, in which anything that makes you think, or makes you feel warm and fuzzy, is automatically attributed to His Holiness --- because lets face it --- the whole world loves the Dalai Lama.

Which brings me to the latest paradox of our age:

The whole world loves the Dalai Lama, but hates China.

The Dalai Lama loves China, but China hates the Dalai Lama.

China hates the Dalai Lama, but loves money.

It is costing China money to hate the Dalai Lama.

It is costing the Dalai Lama nothing to love China.

Maybe if China joins the rest of the world in loving the Dalai Lama...

Oh, well.... where is George Carlin when we need him?