I saw some people on Reddit discussing whether someone was being orientalist, and I agreed they were simply by using the phrase “zen-like concentration”. I’m not offended by them using this term, I just find it stupid. “Zen-like” has absolutely no meaning, but gives an air of eastern spirituality and mysticism. I personally think you should only be able to use that phrase if you can give a detailed and verifiable explanation about the differences between zen-like concentration, huayan-like concentration, mahasthabir nikaya-like concentration, and chan-like concentration, as well as recognize that the last one is exactly the same as zen.
And why is it only ever “zen-like”? I’m sure everyone would find it strange if Asians suddenly started to use the terms “seventh day adventism-like” or “independent fundamentalist baptist-like” to refer to the elements of American culture they find exotic.
Right now I am in a genki (Zen-like) state of pissing myself laughing
As the Zen masters (some type of martial art I think) of Chi… Kor… no, Japan would put it, this is cringe sugiru (def. “to be in excess; to be un-Zen-like”)
Edit: seriously though, if whoever wrote that wanted to play into oriental exoticization, then genki literally means “fundamental qi”, doesn’t it? The term originates in Chinese cosmology, so why drag Zen into this at all?