Sociology And The Dharma

Sociology is the study of how people behave.
Dharma is the study of why people behave.

The nature of constructs
and the nature of reality.

Although an excellent method to clear the mind of social engineering, just sitting on a cushion and meditating doesn’t address the cause of being a construct and behaving a certain way. Even in our understanding of meditation, we all have an attitude. 🙂

We have to understand that the reason we are the way we are is because we have already been influenced. We’re not just a constructed identity; we comply with a collective ideology of ‘better yourself to be better than others’.

Sociology is looking at the constructs.
Dharma is looking at sociology.

If sociology is the study of how human constructs such as institutions, norms and social roles shape our reality, then the Dharma evaluates the ethical and existential purpose of those very constructs.

Without sociology, Dharma can become rigid ritualism, detached from changing social realities. Without Dharma, sociology can become a cynical observation, lacking a transcendent method for how humanity can actually live in harmony.

Sociology exposes our man-made rules.
Dharma should provide the moral compass to ensure those man-made rules serve a higher, harmonious purpose.