[MD] A fine mess

[Platt Holden]

Hi Andre,

I would be very much interested in how the Chinese system deals with their 
children, and I'm sure others here would be, too. Your previous 
descriptions of Chinese culture have been most helpful to my understanding 
of that country. Given China's growth as a world power it's prudent to 
learn all we can how the "glasses" they wear interpret experience. 

Thanks.
Platt     


> 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