[MD] Zen

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Ron]
I think the story of the Brujo illustrates a quality response of the 
cultural immune system, instead of demanding the brujo fall in line 
they made allowances for him to exercise his powers in new ways.

[Arlo]
Exactly. The "cultural immune system" is one way to think about the 
constraints of the lens we are given, it is what kept Pirsig from 
seeing the "green flash", it is what has kept S/O dualism the 
dominant metaphysics in the west. But what has to be recognized is 
that in inseparable union with this "immune system" is the very 
agency-to-respond (redundant, I know) that moves cultural evolution 
forward. The very fact that "19th century French culture" constrained 
the possibility of actions afforded Descartes, it also afforded him 
the ability to make his famous proclamation (and hence move cultural 
evolution forward (another redundancy, I know)). If you eliminate 
"culture" from the equation, you remove not only the constraints but 
also the very affordances. I think Pirsig's recognition of the 
"individual" as a "culture of one" is a valuable step forward that 
bridges the otherwise S/O dualistic view of "individual" and 
"culture" in opposition (if not outright conflict).