[MD] Unreality of Equality

[Ham Priday]

Hi Platt (Khaled mentioned) --

> "A culture that supports the dominance of intellectual
> values over social values is absolutely superior to one
> that does not, and a culture that supports the dominance
> of intellectual values over social values is absolutely
> superior to one that does not."  (Lila.24)

Aside from the fact that "absolute superiority" cannot logically apply to
two levels of a given referent, this quotation, like many of the author's
assertions, poses more questions than it answers.

What is an "intellectual value"?   Is it the value of scientific technology?
The value of a barrel of oil?  The value of Einstein's theory?  The value of
Nietzsche's premise that God is dead?  The value of life?  And are any of
these intellectual values greater or more "absolute" than the biological
process by which you and I become sentient creatures and procreate our
species?

Of course you may argue that we must evaluate such imponderables according
to Pirsig's other much-quoted maxim: "Some things are better than others".
But this doesn't make their value absolute; in fact, it makes them
"relative".

I'd like to get your take on Khaled's response to Larz's assertion that
"Capitalism has never been tried":

> Could it be that we have been practising corporate welfare
> for a few years?
>
> Let's see first there were the Railroad Barons, Coal, oil,
> telephone and telegraph, and now we have health care,
> insurance and pharmaceutical Barons.  There is no longer
> a single owner such as Getty and Rockefeller, but rather
> stock holder and overpaid CEOs.
>
> Just look at the last health care bill passed last year you honor.
> The prosecution rests.

What about corporate welfare, agricultural subsidies, and the illegalization
of pharmaceutical products such as the "next day" abortive pill?   Larz
raises a valid point for those of you who want to discuss political
philosophy.  Can we say that we have true Capitalism when the government
controls the free market?

Best regards,
Ham