[MD] Why the return to literal anti-intellectual religion

[Arlo J. Bensinger]

All,

What you are witnessing... again... is merely the ongoing deceptive and
distortive dichotization of dialogue (love the alliteration) carried out by
Party Jesters intent of wielding the Absolute Allegience of Party Ideology.

DMB's initial point, the rabid villification of the "other party" is the
American political dialogue is not only absurd, but the resultant fractured
dialogue prevents any real attempt or discussion of solutions. While "loyal
party member" may stand out on a resume for political office, it stains
philosophical discourse with its perversion of "Good" into "My Party".

The literalization of the dialogue, whether it is in the form of fundamentalist
religion or nation-state "patriotism", is something that should alarm all who
read Pirsig, and understand the underlying "analogy" or metaphor that is, and
must be, at the core of all knowledge. In the "Gnostic" tradition (across many
spiritual paths, east and west), understood the difference between exoteric and
esoteric truths, and warned against the interpretation of the exoteric in the
common tongue. Pirsig understood this too, and although he goes against his
initial instincts to avoid trying to literalize Quality (which is what a
metaphysics does), he is wise to the fact that it is "never anything other than
just one person talking from one place in time and space and circumstance. It’s
never been anything else."

The exo/eso-teric distinction was also one approached with the idea that in some
way, esoteric (metaphorical) knowledge, which is sought, requires more effort
to understand than exoteric (literal) knowledge, which is given. The movement
towards the literaliztion of knowledge is a movement towards "no effort".
Traversing the mountain, as Pirsig said, is not an easy path. But one which
should be encouraged. Literalization does the reverse, it encourages not only
passivity in knowledge, but also the reliance on authority to construct belief.
Why ponder the Great Questions when the Church or the Party is there to provide
you with ready-made, soundbite answers, which, of course, serve always to reify
their own power.

Last week I posted a quote from Joseph Goebbels, Nazi Propaganda Minister, about
how the populace can be made to support war. "It is natural for the common
people to not want war but, after all, it is a country's leaders who determine
policy and it is an easy matter to convince the people. Whether they have a
voice or not, the people can always be made to do what their rulers wish. It's
easy. All you have to do is tell them they are under attack and condemn the
pacifists for their lack of patriotism and for exposing their country to
danger."

As Platt said, decide for yourself....

Arlo