[MD] Villains

[OZ]

On Mon, Aug 17, 2009 at 5:30 PM, John Carl <ridgecoyote at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sat, Aug 15, 2009 at 5:47 PM, OZ <ozequeira at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Ah well Otto, since my metaphor is of life, I hope it just keeps going up
> and down and never ends!  But I think I know what you mean.  At least I'm
> construing it as well-wishing.


Yes, please, that's what I meant!


>  We all strive to benefit our subjective self.  The question is whether we
> care about any detriment to others our actions may take.  The narcissist
> doesn't care - or even notice really, any reality beyond their narrow
> selfish needs.
>
> But regarding the immorality of the biologicals vs. the socials, I don't
> quite follow that line of thinking.  In fact, I have big problems with it.
> It's part of my problem with the hierarchical nature of levels of morality
> that facile projection of the biological as being "inferior".  It reminds
> me
> of the christian doctrine of "sinful flesh", which also makes me shudder
> with revulsion.
>
> >From a Taoist perspective, a biologically-oriented human is one that
> follows
> the Way - whereas a socially-motivated human is striving to gain status in
> some fashion and has lost the true Way.


Interesting points.


> "Work outward from there." sounds good in theory.  The instantiation can be
> a bitch.  There is an interesting interplay between the individual and the
> community at work in this seemingly simple instruction which I think we
> need
> more help on.


When I started this thread, I was thinking about the villains of compulsory
schooling.  One thing which I did not discuss in my essay about my
exploration of quality in my English classes and school which I shared with
the list last year...

http://mdcpsprofessionals.wikispaces.com/Overcoming+mediocrity+in+the+classroom

... is that an integral part of my work is daily 15-20 minutes of meditation
during my planning time.  It is an important part of my efforts because it
allows me to clear my mind and achieve that zero state where Pirsig says we
make good decisions.  When confronted daily with the villains of school,
namely aspects of the increasing state incursion into the minds of our young
people, I believe meditation helps me to make good decisions and hopefully
defeat those villains of schooling in the next skirmish.

I find that this daily meditation time follows Pirsig's suggestion of social
change starting with one's person and going out from there.  One's actions
are in one's control, not those of others, so it is almost necessary to
start with individual action and ideas as a precursor to social change.


>
>  The Hero.  We shouldn't try to be heroes, and yet this is what drives the
> urge to individual excellence.   We strive to "save" the world all the
> time.
>  Pirsig is my one of my heroes, but he wrote ZAMM  as if Phaedrus was HIS
> hero!

Interesting observation.

>
> Today, my most heroic figures  are firefighters as it appears they have a
> handle upon the flames under my smoky sky.
>
> John the watery-eyed

Talking about heroes and villains, I had a long conversation with a fireman
a couple of weeks ago who told me about the high cancer rates and quick
deaths after retirement of most firemen due to all the carcinogens that we
have built into our products and environment,
OZ