[MD] Pirsig confirmed again

[David M]

Hi Platt

I suspect things are getting better and worse at the same time,
depending on what you look at. Yes more people at university,
but some getting almost no education I find. Yet in funny little
places on the internet some really new things are being
thought about by more people than ever before. Anyway
good luck with moving all your manufacturing to China,
wonder if the US will look as dynamism resistant as France in the
near future?

DM

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Platt Holden" <pholden at davtv.com>
To: <moq_discuss at moqtalk.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 23, 2006 2:04 PM
Subject: Re: [MD] Pirsig confirmed again


> Hi David M,
> 
>> Problem I have with this is that the dynamism of our
>> modern economies feed the values that we hold.
>> The problem being that these values are not intellectual,
>> they are biological, consumerist, selling sex, entertainment,
>> distraction, uneducated pleasure, unhealthy food, style 
>> over substance, social status, etc. So the dynamism simply
>> reinforces are current devolution. Probably accelerating our
>> demise. 
>> 
>> Perhaps drinking a few coffees on the west bank at a very
>> slow pace,talking about art and philosophy would do us
>> more good.
> 
> I guess it depends on what you mean by intellectual values. More people 
> are attending universities than ever before, so by that measure 
> (assuming you think universities are intellectual enclaves), the 
> picture you paint isn't so bleak. Art museums are enjoying record 
> crowds, and books continue to sell well. As for human rights such as 
> free speech born of intellectual values, they're still in reasonably 
> good shape in the U.S. despite attempts by the left to smother 
> dissenting opinion by smear tactics, e.g. comparing President Bush to 
> Hitler. 
> 
> Those who wish to sip coffee and discuss art and philosophy need only 
> come to this site. But, let us not consider ourselves superior because 
> of our interest in such matters. That would smack of Rigel-like 
> pretension  -- full of great ways for other to improve at no cost to 
> ourselves.
> 
> Regards,
> Platt
>      
> 
> 
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