On my Nightstand - The Dharma Bums

For the last month or so, I've been trying to get through Jack Kerouac's "The Dharma Bums" a semi-fictional novel that was published in 1958. The main character is based on Kerouac's life along with Gary Snyder, a poet and Buddhist and the novel is set in California. Both characters are essentially hippie Buddhists and the tales they spin are wild as they explore Buddhism, city life and mountaineering. It's a "far out" but interesting novel especially when considering it was written in the 50s, a time when these so called "Dharma bums" would not have been embraced or remotely "understood". Snyder's character made an poignant observation on our culture in that we work to produce so that we can consume then start all over again. The characters resisted this cycle and embraced living modestly or really living on nothing at all but the essentials - good books, meditation, food to survive, and hiking or mountaineering. I suppose this observation and their ensuing lifestyle encompasses the Buddhist philosophy. This observation really resonated with me as I often struggle with my conscience and my desire to look pretty or be fashionable. However, it doesn't take long to bring myself back to reality when considering a purchase because I often ask myself - how many hours will I have to work to pay for it? Am I willing to work that hard and that long for a Burberry scarf or Jimmy Choos? Often, the answer is no. But I wonder what that answer would be if I was making or had a lot of money...