[MD] Villains

[oteta]

Hi all.  Digging up an old thread.  Again, in chapter 8 of ZAM, Pirsig
wrote, "There's no villain, no "mean guy" who wants (us) to live meaningless
lives, it's just that the structure, the system demands it...".

So the chairman in ZAMM did not know that he was participating in the system
/ SO dualism?  He just acted as he always did?

On the other hand, in his book, "For a New Liberty", Rothbard writes:

"It is also important for the State to inculcate in its subjects an aversion
to any outcropping of what is now called “a conspiracy theory of history.”
For a search for “conspiracies,” as misguided as the results often are,
means a search for motives, and an attribution of individual responsibility
for the historical misdeeds of ruling elites. If, however, any tyranny or
venality or aggressive war imposed by the State was brought about not by
particular State rulers but by mysterious and arcane “social forces,” or by
the imperfect state of the world—or if, in some way, everyone was guilty
(“We are all murderers,” proclaims a common slogan), then there is no point
in anyone’s becoming indignant or rising up against such misdeeds.
Furthermore, a discrediting of “conspiracy theories”—or indeed, of anything
smacking of “economic determinism”—will make the subjects more likely to
believe the “general welfare” reasons that are invariably put forth by the
modern State for engaging in any aggressive actions."



Thoughts?


On Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 10:39 AM, <ozequeira at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear all:
>
> How are you?  I hope you're doing well.
>
> In chapter 8 of ZAM, Pirsig wrote, "There's no villain, no "mean guy" who
> wants (us) to live meaningless lives, it's just that the structure, the
> system demands it...".
>
> Are there no villains, and just systems?  Are there no people who are aware
> of the dangers or possible negative consequences of rationality and proceed
> to act in such a direction due to self-interest, placing biological morality
> over social, intellectual and dynamic morality?
>
>