Spike Jonze's Her (2013): Buddhist Stories for a Postmodern Context

This video essay explores the exponentially growing influence of Buddhism in western societies, tracing its reach in an unlikely source: Spike Jones’ 2013 film Her, a futuristic indie romance about a man (Joaquin Phoenix) who falls in love with his virtual personal assistant Samantha (Scarlett Johansson). My analysis builds on previous studies of the long and fascinating history of Buddhist adaptations to the west—and to the modern world in general—a process that scholars have labelled “Buddhist Modernism” (Bechert 1966).