Nation ohne Volk - A Nation Under Construction. The Concept of the GDR Nation, as Propagated in its Schoolbooks

Representing Tibet as a spiritual civilization, Thurman writes, "In Western culture, the last frontier of our material conquest is the universe of outer space. Our astronauts are our ultimate heroes and heroines. Tibetans, however, are more concerned about the spiritual conquest of the inner universe… So, the Tibetan lamas… [who are spiritually adept, the] 'psychonauts' are the Tibetans' ultimate heroes and heroines" (10). Drawing upon the themes of Western materialism and Eastern spirituality, Thurman contrasts Tibetan "inner modernity" with Western "outer modernity." This difference of personality underlies the difference between the Western (American for Thurman) and Tibetan civilizations: "While the American national purpose is ever greater material productivity, the Tibetan national purpose is ever greater spiritual productivity" (11). Thus, the idealization of Tibetan spirituality often goes beyond everyday religious practice, concerning itself with realms above religion. As the Tibetophile Hollywood actor Steven Seagal says, "My agenda has no politics. It has no economy. You see ...»