[MD] French ingredient in the soup of sentiments

[Arlo J. Bensinger]

[Platt]
First, there's no mention of a faulty economic system being the cause of "our
current social crisis." In fact, Pirsig has blessed the free market for its
Dynamism. Only those with a socialist mindset could interpret the above passage
as supporting their view that government interference in the free market is a
"compassionate" necessity.

[Arlo]
I never said he blamed the "economic system", did I? No. I said the market
responds to the valuistic culture. Clearly in ZMM, this valuistic culture was
SOMist, and led to the maladies he describes in the production and consumption
of goods. Because, as Pirsig demonstrates in ZMM, in the SOMist market of
production and consumption "identity" and "care", not to mention "Quality", are
absent due to a blindness that focuses exclusively on "enormous manifestations
of power and weath".

[Platt]
Second, note the phrase, "spiritually empty." There are contributors here who,
for want of a better description, are died-in-the-wool materialists to whom
anything "spirtual" is anathema. Even Pirsig has disavowed anything smacking of
spirituality because of its kissing relationship with religion which, in his
view, really sucks. Yet, here we see the word and the idea sneak in as
something today's lost individuals could do well to seek out.

[Arlo]
When have I ever denied the "Zen" in the MOQ? I think what most decry here is
the literalness of ONE religion TO RULE THEM ALL. If you want to bring Zen into
the discussion, by all means Platt, do so. 

[Platt]
Finally, what Pirsig is really driving at is better expressed in Lila:

[Arlo]
Yes, I know, ignore ZMM and listen only to those statements in Lila that support
your ideological perspective. I get that. Small wonder why you disdain the
academy.

[Platt]
So long as the Richard Dawkin's scientific view of men as naked apes prevails we
will find a continued deterioration of society, exmplified by the demands of
French students for guaranteed employment and the disdain of American law by
illegal aliens. After all, if moral goals are just artificial inventions, so is
money, borders and every other artifact of society.

[Arlo]
You really struggle smoetimes to force things into that dichotomy of yours. How
on earth does "men as naked apes" lead to the French demanding labor
protections. I would think, as I've suggested many times, a strong reading of
the Christian mythos would do this, since Jesus would place "concern for
people" above "power and wealth". As to your closing thought in that paragraph,
God help me I can't figure out what you mean. How are money and borders not
artifacts of society? As for immigration, hey, if they are threatening American
society, maybe we should exact a "final solution", round them up and kill them
off. We can do that with threats to society, can't we?

[Platt]
In the face of such anarchy, a return to the last static latch of 
Victorianism doesn't seem to be all that awful to contemplate. When 
anything goes at the social level, the intellectual level is headed for 
the tubes. 

[Arlo]
Finally, Platt cuts to the chase and speaks what he means! Its about time, man!

[Platt]
In fact, the return to some Victorian values has already occurred in  academia.
Pirsig writes: "Victorians repressed the truth whenever it  seemed socially
unacceptable," (Lila, 21)  a perfect description of  today's smothering
"political correctness."

[Arlo]
Just typical right-wing nonsense. I listened to Horowitz today on the Hannity
show. Reminded me of this from ZMM, "Something else that ought to interest
you," John says. "They were talking in the bar about Bozeman, where we’re
going. They said the governor of Montana had a list of fifty radical college
professors at the college in Bozeman he was going to fire. Then he got killed
in a plane crash... "If they had fifty names," I say, "mine must have been
one."

Arlo