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Supporting Kalyāṇamittatā Online: New Architectures for Sustainable

Social Networking

Paul TraffordOxford, UK

paul.trafford@stx.oxon.org

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About these slides

These slides are based on those that I used for a presentation entitled: Supporting Kalyāṇamittatā Online: New Architectures for Sustainable Social Networking given at the 3rd World Conference on Buddhism and Science ( http://www.wcbsthailand.com/ ) held 1-2 December 2010 at the College of Religious Studies, Mahidol University, Thailand.

The slides are generally the same, except here I've inserted details of citations. Note also that some words use diacritics and were authored with the Times Ext Roman font.

The content is provided under the Creative Commons License 2.0 Attribution 2.0 Generic.

- Paul Trafford, Oxford.

(version 1.0s for Slideshare)

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Preface: School Friends

"Paul doesn't have many friends"Paul doesn't have many friends but he has but he has goodgood friends.” friends.”

Teacher, Teacher, Parents' Evening,Parents' Evening,

Hagley First SchoolHagley First Schoolc.1977c.1977

Photo copyright © Hagley Community Association

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Overview of Presentation

1. Introduction2. Approaches in Social Sciences: Well-being3. Buddhist Architectures for Sustainable

Relationships Online 4. Conclusions

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Part 1: Introduction

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Background to this paper

Personal research context:

● Web2.0 research in UK Higher Education ● EDUCAUSE Blog post: On 'Friends' and other associationshttp://www.educause.edu/blog/pault/OnFriendsandotherassociations/167285

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Basic terminology: Internet, Web and Social Networking

● Internet: federated [computer] network of networks, evolved from ARPANET (1969) ● World Wide Web: Internet service based on hypertext (1989)● Social Networking: Internet services, especially Web-based, for people to connect and share ● Social Networking Sites (SNS): Social networking focused around a particular web site or service.Examples: Planetall.com (c. 1996); Facebook (2004)

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Facebook numbers: growth in usage

01/04 05/05 10/06 02/08 07/09 11/100

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Number of Facebook Users (source: Facebook.com)

Date

No.

of u

sers

(mill

ions

)

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Example of Facebook usage (page)

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More Facebook numbers: MHS page

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Problem of SNS: Poor Sustainability

● Evanescent nature and majority of online communities don't even get off the ground. ● Major sites have become obsolete: PlanetAll (1996-2000), Six Degrees (1997-2001) or else receding from view (Friends Reunited); even Google has not been so successful (Orkut, Buzz)● What's become of friendship? Many people are dissatisfied with Facebook [e.g. National Unfriend Day, 17 November 2010]

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Part 2: Approaches in Social Sciences: Well-being

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The changing meanings of 'social'

Alejandro Portes (in literature review of social capital) [1998] observes:● foundational work of 19th century sociologists, particularly Émile Durkheim ● sense has broadened from small-scale individual and family kinships to large-scale societies (cities, nations etc)

Portes, A. 1998. Portes, A. 1998. Social Capital:Its Origins and Applications in Modern SociologySocial Capital:Its Origins and Applications in Modern Sociology. Annual Review of Sociology 24, 1-24. Annual Review of Sociology 24, 1-24

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Social Capital: Definition?

There is no standard definition, but following is characteristic:

the aggregate of the actual or potential resources which are linked to possession of a durable network of more or less institutionalized relationships of mutual acquaintance or recognition

(Bourdieu 1980).

Bourdieu P. 1980. Le capital social: notes provisoires. Actes de la Recherche en Sciences Sociales. L'École des hautes études en sciences sociales.

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Well-being

Typically regarded as a subjective view of happiness.Social dimension: short and long-term well-being:

Generally speaking, self-ratings of ‘happiness’ turn out to reflect relatively short-term, situation-dependent expressions of mood, whereas self-ratings of ‘life satisfaction’ appear to measure longer-term, more stable evaluations

(Helliwell and Putnam 2004)

Helliwell, J.F., Putnam R.D. 2004. The social context of well-being. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society London: Biological Sciences 359, 1435-1446

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Well-being and Social CapitalSocial capital identified as a key factor for social well-being, but refinements needed: ● bonding social capital: "refers to the links between like-minded people, or the reinforcement of homogeneity. It builds strong ties, but can also result in higher walls excluding those who do not qualify" ● bridging social capital: “refers to the building of connections between heterogeneous groups; these are likely to be more fragile, but more likely also to foster social inclusion"

(Schuller et al. 2000:10)

Baron, S. , Field, J., Schuller, T. (eds.). 2000. Social Capital. Oxford University Press, Oxford.

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Social Capital and Online Activity● General Social Survey (nationally representative data on Americans and their online discussion networks of close confidants)● GSS distinguishes between kinship and non-kinship networks● Comparative analysis [1985 c.f. 2004] (McPherson et al. 2006): reduction in strong ties indicate increased loneliness● Some dispute about results (e.g. Fischer 2009), but authors maintain methodology is sound. Fischer, C. S., 2009. The 2004 GSS Finding of Shrunken Social Networks: An Artifact? American Sociological Review 74:4. 657-669.McPherson, M., Smith-Lovin L., Brashears M. E., 2006. Social Isolation in America: Changes in Core Discussion Networks over Two Decades American Sociological Review 71:3. American Sociological Association, 353-375.

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Facebook and Well-being(1) Survey: College Students: Ellison et al (2007)● useful measures of well-being, significant correlations between life satisfaction and intensity of Facebook usage● limited context: undergraduate students and predictors based on evolving Facebook functionality(2) Survey 2: Burke et al (2010) ● same approach, broader sample● a positive relationship between directed communications (i.e. where a user initiates some activity) and social capital● Increased loneliness found with the most intense usersEllison, N. B., Steinfield, C., & Lampe, C. 2007. The benefits of Facebook "friends:" Social capital and college students' use of online social network sites. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication 12:4, article 1. Burke, M., Marlow, C., Lento M. 2010. Social Network Activity and Social Well-Being. CHI 2010: Social Media Users, April 10-15, 2010, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

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More clues: Ethnographic ObservationsA more vivid picture of motivations.

Trinidadian culture (Daniel Miller 2010): “important in galvanising the response to the recent catastrophe of fellow Caribbeans in Haiti”but: exacerbating “a national characteristic leading to the disorder of bacchanal”

Highlights issue of social ethics...● but online ethics information-oriented.Miller, D. 2010. `Fas’ book (Facebook) in Trinidad. Material World blog post, 7 February 2010. New York University. http://blogs.nyu.edu/projects/materialworld/2010/02/fas_book_facebook_in_trinidad.html

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The Decline of Netiquette

Have we forgotten responsible behaviour online?

In general, rules of common courtesy for interaction with people should be in force for any situation and on the Internet it's doubly important where, for example, body language and tone of voice must be inferred.

(Hambridge, IETF, 1995)

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Part 3: Buddhist Architectures for Sustainable Relationships Online

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Buddhism in the Social SphereMany works exist that offer applications of Buddhism to the contemporary social context:

● Payutto, Bhikkhu P.A. 2007. Visions of the Dhamma, Wat Nyanavesakavan, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand ● Soni R.L. (revised Khantipalo). 1978. Life's Highest Blessings: The Maha Mangala Sutta, translation and Commentary. WH 254. Buddhist Publication Society, Kandy● Mendis, P. 1994. Buddhist Economics and Community Development Strategies Community Development Journal 29:4, OUP. 195-202● Dhammakaya Foundation 2005. A Manual of Peace: 38 Steps Towards Enlightened Living, Dhammakaya Foundation, Bangkok

Can apply to the online context similarly...

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Kalyāṇamittatā as true friendship"Herein, Vyagghapajja, in whatsoever village or market town a householder dwells, he associates, converses, engages in discussions with householders or householders' sons, whether young and highly cultured or old and highly cultured, full of faith (saddha), full of virtue (sila), full of charity (caga), full of wisdom (pañña). He acts in accordance with the faith of the faithful, with the virtue of the virtuous, with the charity of the charitable, with the wisdom of the wise.”

[A iv 281, Narada trans.]

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Facebook's 1-Dimensional Friendship

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The Sigalovāda Sutta

● Context: Buddha's advice to Sigala, householder, on personal conduct ● Distinguishes between true and false friends● Has become de facto moral code for householder in some Buddhist countries● Classifies relationships into multiple types (6 in all)● Specifies different modes of conduct for each type of relationship

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The Six Directions of Sigalovāda Sutta

Source: Dattajeevo, Bhikkhu P., (Methmanus, A., trans.) 2005. Man's Personal Transformation, Dhammakaya Foundation, Bangkok

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The Sigalovāda Sutta (fragments)

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Schoyen Exhibition at Buddhamonthon

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Quality of Speech: Status Updates

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Status Updates Compared with Vaca Sutta

Status Updates (Facebook, Twitter etc)

Vaca Sutta

Spoken at any time – encouraged Spoken at the right time

May or may not be spoken in truth – guidance?

Spoken in truth

May be spoken with or without affection – guidance?

Spoken affectionately

May or not be beneficial – guidance? Spoken beneficially

May or not be spoken with a mind of good-will – guidance?

Spoken with a mind of good-will

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The Mind of Goodwill vs Worldly Affection

“Metta succeeds when it loves, and it fails when it degenerates into worldly affection”

(Buddharakkhita 1989).

● wordly affection: tanhā-pema or rāga ● Visuddhimagga: rāga is the near enemy of mettā [Vsm. IX.98]● worldly affection is thus an obstacle to building social welfare.

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Friendship cultivation is Gradual● Mangala Sutta develops quality of mind (and hence quality of friendship)● Modern Commentary [Dattajeevo] describes seven levels of association...● Making a connection is only the first step...● A relationship develops over time ...

Assertion: SNS can implement these aspects. (maybe using AI techniques)

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A Change in Online Interaction Connection paradigms can then evolve

From ● static objects, oriented around self, possession and acquisition (“Have x friends, consume y apps,” etc.)

To:● dynamic process-oriented relationships whose nature keeps changing and evolving

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Social Impact

● Multiple relationship types give more attention to bridging social capital● Infinite iterations or varied connections supported: friends of friends, parents of parents (ancestry), teachers of teachers (expert knowledge transfer), etc.● Iterations over types: parents of friends etc.● Can scale right across human population

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Part 4: Conclusions

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Summary● Social networking sites are growing in significance, but currently design weaknesses limit the benefits to society

● Buddhist teachings offer solutions to build longer-term friendship online: → Guidance on virtuous behaviour → Multiple relationship types (supports greater breadth of connections) → Guidance on true friendship (supports greater

depth of connections)

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Recommendations

● Further research.● Recognise the need for a universal social ethic and apply it to SNS● Reconsider SNS architectures in light of the Sigalovāda Sutta● Build a prototype!

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Discussion

Any Questions?

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Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Dr. Gabriel Hanganu, for prompting ethnographic reflections on online interactions, and to Prof. Damien Keown, for encouragement in this particular line of research. Thanks are also due to Phrabhavanaviriyakhun (Ven. Dattajeevo) for granting permission to use the illustration of the Six Directions of the Sigalovāda Sutta.

Finally, the author would like to thank the organisers of the conference for kindly providing an opportunity to share these thoughts and for financial assistance to attend the conference.