Coping with the quarter-life crisis the buddhist way in the Czech Republic

The article examines the phenomenon known as the quarter-life crisis. The aim was to explore how young people in the Czech Republic practising Buddhism experience this crisis and how Buddhism influences the way they cope. Qualitative research was used to gain insight into how respondents experience...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Contemporary buddhism
Main Author: Cirklová, Mgr. Jitka (Author)
Format: Electronic Article
Language:English
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Published: Routledge 2020
In: Contemporary buddhism
Online Access: Volltext (lizenzpflichtig)
Description
Summary:The article examines the phenomenon known as the quarter-life crisis. The aim was to explore how young people in the Czech Republic practising Buddhism experience this crisis and how Buddhism influences the way they cope. Qualitative research was used to gain insight into how respondents experience this life phase and whether they perceive the world of too many opportunities as a challenge or a problem. The relationship with consumer culture and material consumption was discussed along with the practice of Buddhism and the way Buddhism-based values play a role in influencing respondents’ lives. Respondents showed they are missing a set of principles and values to ease their orientation in the world and their decision-making process. They found in Buddhism a structure that helps them form a delimitation against consumer and non-sustainable production. As a result of adhering to Buddhism and engaging in some practices based on Buddhism, they reported more control in self-directing together with a growth in self-confidence during the decision-making process. At the same time, they overcame feelings of exclusion, observed as one of the manifestations of a young age crisis. They reported that establishing contacts with like-minded young people, whether in meditation, sports centres or discussion forums on social networking sites, gave them a sense of belonging to a group.
ISSN:1476-7953
Contains:Enthalten in: Contemporary buddhism
Persistent identifiers:DOI: 10.1080/14639947.2021.1929603