[MD] Unreality of Equality

[Arlo J. Bensinger]

[Platt]
I take it from this that Pirsig's ideal is the proverbial Renaissance 
man. Is that your reading, too?

[Arlo]
In many ways, yes. I typically do not use the term, solely because its
implication for me implies some degree of condescension over others, something
I don't think Pirsig's Arete-inspired man would possess. But that may just be
my exposure to the term, it may not have that implication for others.

[Arlo previously]
This is tied in ZMM to dharma, duty to self. This is explanied in Lila,
"Dharma is duty. It is not external duty which is arbitrarily imposed
by others. It is not any artificial set of conventions which can be
amended or repealed by legislation. Neither is it internal duty which is
arbitrarily decided by one's own conscience."

[Platt]
No surprise that I like Pirsig's view of duty which is not arbitrarily 
imposed by others (hello government bureaucrat) and not subject to 
legislation (hello do-gooder congressman).

[Arlo]
I suppose this is where I say no surprise that you ignored that last, that it is
"neither [an] internal duty which is arbitrarily decided by one's own
consciousness".

Look, Platt. I don't think we disagree much here. That one should "strive for
excellence", as described by Pirsig, is something I think we could both agree
on. No? Did you disagree with my characterization of Quality via the Eightfold
Path, via Arete, via the Tao to be wrong?

My point, where will likely disagree, is whether or not the "pursuit of wealth"
is synomous, related, unrelated, or antithetical to the "pursuit of
excellence".

Arlo