[MD] An inquiry into morals

[pholden at davtv.com]

Quoting Steve Peterson <stevenkpeterson at mac.com>:

> >> Like you, I don't assume that these responsibilities of society  
> >> equate to
> >> responsibilities of government. (Note that these responsibilities  
> >> of society
> >>  translate into the rights of its citizens and then back into  
> >> duties of
> >> citizens to use intellect to support social patterns that provide  
> >> for these
> >> things.) These responsibilities of society are also those of  
> >> parents to
> >> children, husbands and wives to one another, and probably every  
> >> other social
> >> role we can think of.
> >
> > Yes, we agree.
> >
> 
> and Pirsig seems to agree as well...
> "My personal feeling is that this is how any further improvement of  
> the world will be done: by individuals making Quality decisions and  
> that's all. God, I don't want to have any more enthusiasm for big  
> programs full of social planning for big masses of people that leave  
> individual Quality out. These can be left alone for a while. There's  
> a place for them but they've got to be built on a foundation of  
> Quality within the individuals involved. We've had that individual  
> Quality in the past, exploited it as a natural resource without  
> knowing it, and now it's just about depleted. Everyone's just about  
> out of gumption. And I think it's about time to return to the  
> rebuilding of this American resource...individual worth. There are  
> political reactionaries who've been saying something close to this  
> for years. I'm not one of them, but to the extent they're talking  
> about real individual worth and not just an excuse for giving more  
> money to the rich, they're right. We do need a return to individual  
> integrity, self-reliance and old-fashioned gumption. We really do. I  
> hope that in this Chautauqua some directions have been pointed to."  
> ZAMM part 4

Thanks for reminding us of this from Pirsig. I will cut it out and pin 
it to my studio bulletin board as a constant reminder of the worth and moral
superiority of the individual vs. the social level collective.  

> >> Both sides should give the other side credit for seeking to create  
> >> a better
> >> society based on the these responsibilities.
> >
> > The rode to hell is paved with good intentions. So I don't think  
> > giving
> > credit gets us very far.
 
> Steve:
> I don't think vilifying gets us far either. In fact, I think its gets  
> in the way.

We agree. But those who vilify can expect to be vilified in return. It's not
a one way street. Pacifism rarely engenders peace but rather encourages the 
oppressor.   

Regards,
Platt





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