[MD] A fine mess

[Andre Broersen]

Platt (to Bodvar):

So on three counts, SOM intellect has not and can not regulate society with
anything other than detrimental effect. The survey of students mentioned at
the outset above reveals SOM's destruction of essential social
constraints.But, that's just the tip of the iceberg. A much more significant
outcome of SOM's damage to the general welfare in the name of the "public
good" is the current economic crisis.

Since SOM intellect is so damaging as I've outlined above and by going "too
far" as you say, I cannot help but wonder why Pirsig didn't come out more
strongly for less intellectual (government) control of society except to
protect individual rights and promote free markets. But, nobody's
perfect. :-)

Hi Platt and Bodvar,

Hope you do not mind me jumping in here but you 'tickled' my social worker
side. The survey you talk about is a result of SOM 'intellect', SOM
reasoning. 'The cause of our current social crisis, he (Phaedreus) would
have said, is a genetic defect within the nature of reason itself' (ZMMp
110).

'Now it is not just depressingly dull, it's also phoney...stylized
cars,,,motors...food...clothes...children. You have to be awfully stylish
yourself not to get sick of it once it a while'(ZMM pp285/6).

And I agree with Pirsig who then argues that this is so because 'no one has
ever told them that there's such a thing as Quality...'.(And that they are a
[static/dynamic] 'representation' of Quality.

In this sense we have to be careful to not only blame the victim Platt (I
hear what you say though) but it is not onesided. I do not think these kids
are evil. I think they are reacting to something that is fundamentally
missing in their lives and Pirsig sums it up pretty well.

If you are interested (and if appropriate for this forum) I can relate some
ways the Chinese system deals with their children. (otherwise perhaps
privately)

For what it's worth.

Andre