[MD] Reading & Comprehension

[Krimel]

[Mary]
If the Orient is so advanced because they thought up Tao and Zen and
Buddhism, etc., why are they the worst offenders in the world today?  

[Krimel]
That must be a question for Andre since he lives and works there. I have
never suggested anything of the kind. About all I have said is that of the
ancient metaphysical and cosmological systems I have encountered Taoism
seems to me to be the most robust. Pirsig's first book suggests much the
same sort of thing. Or at least it does to me.

[Mary]
It's starting to look like they have no appreciation for their environment
(mercury, lithium, and lead in their water and soil) and have no respect for
human life (100's die in mining accidents we would not tolerate here) and no
intellectual freedom.  

[Krimel]
Well, India and China together are able to feed something like three billion
people every day and both countries boast of rising economic conditions.
China in particular has experienced economic growth for something like the
past 50 consecutive years. A friend commented recently that China seems to
be on the verge of creating a totalitarian free market. That ought to make
Platt's head rotate 360.  I am not sure how things would stack up if you
compared conditions there with conditions here during a comparable stage of
economic evolution, say 100 years ago. Nor am I sure that any such
comparison is meaningful or relevant.

[Mary]
Why do you think computer programming jobs are being offshored to India?
Could it be because they have no respect for the length of a work day, and
pay extremely low wages?  Hmmm.

[Krimel]
Could it be that they are a highly intelligent, well educated people willing
to work cheap? Kind of a multi-nationalist's wet dream. Sounds like one
might work up the same kind of moral outrage comparing conditions here and
in Europe.

[Mary]
I propose that the Orient is worse than the Occident because they supposedly
know about the Tau, Zen, Buddhism, etc. and yet choose not to organize
themselves by these principles.  Andre, I hope you are testing for heavy
metals in your drinking water.  Boiling is not sufficient.

{Krimel]
"Better" is a fuzzy and relative term. I tend to use it sparingly and with
caution. But I can't tell you how refreshing it is to be criticized for
being too "pro-oriental" after years of being accused of being damned as a
crass western materialist SOM SOB. 

It's about time I got a little Yin around here.

Thanks!