[MD] Moq_Discuss Digest, Vol 50, Issue 199

[John Carl]

Elisa-uses-frontal-lobes,

You're welcome for the welcome.

You DO hear what I hear, your process of reading was very similar to mine
and the work evoked the same reaction in me that you express.  I too was
left feeling wanting more after ZAMM.   But of course, I read it in the
early 80's and I had to wait a while for Lila, with no idea whether there
WOULD be a Lila...

And all that time, I'm wondering, "Hey, Pirsig pulled the metaphysical rug
out from under society's feet, how come nobody notices?"

I think it's the longing for more that made Lila work for me.   It's the
obstacles which create longing, thus your waiting for Lila, helped you
appreciate it more.

I used to use the digest to try and follow, but that's tough. What works
best for me is gmail in non-digest mode  because it sorts all moq stuff into
its own folders and then organizes by threads.  I don't use yahoo, but I'm
sure it's got thread management?

And one thing, it drives people crazy when you reply in digest mode and
don't delete all the stuff in the digest that isn't relevant to your reply.




> but I did get to read the one where someone made the connection between
> Native Americans and Asian culture- fascinating! Does that mean that Pirsig
> sees American culture as a true merging of East and West?
>

I think so.  But I have no absolute quote I can point at, but many hints and
developments lead me to believe so.

And even if he doesn't, I do.  heh-heh.

That's my favorite thing about Pirsig.  He doesn't make the teacher's
opinion the highest value in the classroom.  It's Quality that we all seek
together.



> Well, my internet access is limited, so I will probably be more of a Lurker
> on here for now! :-)
>
> BTW- love that song- "do you hear what i hear?" :-)


Thanks for posting and keep in touch.  It's nice to get a feel for the
community "out there" and thanks for introducing yourself.

John, infatuated with his online Robbins:

"Perhaps a person gains by accumulating obstacles. The more obstacles set up
to prevent happiness from appearing, the greater the shock when it does
appear, just as the rebound of a spring will be all the more powerful the
greater the pressure that has been exerted to compress it. Care must be
taken, however, to select large obstacles, for only those of sufficient
scope and scale have the capacity to lift us out of context and force life
to appear in an entirely new and unexpected light.

For example, should you litter the floor and tabletops of your room with
small objects, they constitute little more than a nuisance, an inconvenient
clutter that frustrates you and leaves you irritable; the petty is mean.
Cursing, you step around the objects, pick them up, knock them aside.

Should you, on the other hand, encounter in your room a nine thousand pound
granite boulder, the surprise it evokes, the extreme steps that must be
taken to deal with it, compel you to see with new eyes. Difficulties
illuminate existence, but they must be fresh and of high quality."