How to be Mindful of McMindfulness

Reframing Stress as Systemic, Not Personal

Professor Purser introduced the concept of “stressism,” a term coined by a UK-based thinker, to describe the ideology that frames stress as a purely individual, lifestyle-related issue. This framing, he argues, obscures the broader social, political, and economic forces that significantly contribute to stress. Instead of acknowledging systemic problems—such as job insecurity, economic inequality, and institutional injustices—mainstream mindfulness programs often reinforce the idea that stress is a personal failing, something to be fixed through individual discipline.

Purser suggests that while individual empowerment is valuable, it must be balanced with collective inquiry into the structural conditions that cause suffering. He calls for an expansion of the typical mindfulness curriculum to include critical pedagogy—a deeper, more reflective lens on how systemic forces impact personal well-being.

The Limits and Risks of Corporate Mindfulness

Purser critiques the widespread adoption of mindfulness in the corporate world, warning that companies often embrace mindfulness not to empower employees but to pacify them and maintain productivity. Referencing a meta-analysis from Stanford, he notes that workplace stress is often due to conditions like long hours, lack of autonomy, and unstable job security—not the individual's inability to manage emotions.

He raises skepticism about whether corporations would support mindfulness programs that challenge their internal cultures or business practices. “You’re not going to get corporate sponsors excited,” he states, if a mindfulness curriculum encourages employees to question their workplace’s role in creating stress. He also notes concerns about large commercial mindfulness platforms like Headspace, questioning the corporate culture behind the brand image.

Moving Toward Collective and Civic Mindfulness

Despite these critiques, Purser is hopeful. He points to grassroots movements and innovators like Paula Haddock and the Mindfulness for Social Change network, who are blending mindfulness with social justice, environmental advocacy, and collective care. This movement pushes beyond the individualist and therapeutic models of mindfulness to address systemic sources of suffering and foster civic engagement.

He emphasizes the need for new frameworks and tools that equip individuals not only to self-soothe but to organize, question, and collaborate toward systemic change. While mainstream mindfulness may not be leading this shift, he believes the future lies in community-driven, progressive models that reconnect mindfulness to ethical and social transformation.

Final Thoughts

Professor Ronald Purser’s session offered a much-needed challenge to the dominant narrative around mindfulness. Rather than simply accepting stress as a personal problem with a personal solution, he invites us to rethink mindfulness as a practice that connects inner awareness with outer change. As more people grow disillusioned with surface-level solutions, there’s a real opportunity for mindfulness to evolve into a tool for collective awakening—one that truly meets the depth of the challenges we face today.

Ronald Purser is a Professor at San Francisco State University. He is an ordained Buddhist teacher in the Korean Zen Taego order. He is the co-host of Mindful Cranks podcast, and his viral article, "Beyond McMindfulness" opened the floodgates for the mindfulness backlash.

This article is part of our Best of Summit series where we spotlight the most compelling sessions from our summit.