[MD] Empirical and Historical

[plattholden at gmail.com]

On 21 Jul 2009 at 16:37, Arlo Bensinger wrote:

> [Platt]
> On your level it's obvious you favor communism and socialism for 
> intellectual control of society, blithely ignoring the defect in 
> intellectualism
> 
> [Arlo]
> On my level, I value the dominance of intellect over society, rather 
> than the "slow drift" back to the dominance of society over 
> intellect, as you champion. I do not "ignore" the defect, it needs to 
> be corrected. The "conservative" solution of retreating to the days 
> of Victorianism, howerver, is not the answer.

You obviously don't understand conservatism.

> [Platt]
> Not to mention the defect in lumping conservatism with fascism. What 
> an ignoramus!
> 
> [Arlo]
> Well you lump communism and socialism together. So, whatever fits, 
> eh? I mean, both fascism and conservatism are programs for the 
> dominance of society over intellect. Both were (are) aggressively 
> anti-intellectual. Both were (are) aggressively nationalistic.

Your ignorance of conservatism is shameful for an academic, but hardly 
surprising. I could recommend a few books to enlighten you, but why 
bother? Your mind is closed tight.  

> "Communism and socialism, programs for intellectual control over 
> society, were confronted by the reactionary forces of fascism, a 
> program for the social control of intellect." (Pirsig)
> 
> "Phaedrus thought that no other historical or political analysis 
> explains the enormity of these forces as clearly as does the 
> Metaphysics of Quality. The gigantic power of socialism and fascism, 
> which have overwhelmed this century, is explained by a conflict of 
> levels of evolution." (Pirsig)
> 
> "In the United States the economic and social upheaval was not so 
> great as in Europe, but Franklin Roosevelt and the New Deal, 
> nevertheless, became the center of a lesser storm between social and 
> intellectual forces." (Pirsig)
> 
> Who was that "lesser storm" contrasting? "Liberals" and 
> "conservatives". An upheaval "not so great" as the one between 
> socialism and fascism, but a difference only of degree, according to Pirsig.

Have you read Lila? Do you have any concept of how defective intellect 
has made a mess of things, beginning with Wilson and Roosevelt?

> [Platt]
> Stupid remark. Pirsig understands that free market capitalism is 
> superior to your intellectual communist and socialist programs for 
> control of society.
> 
> [Arlo]
> I'm sorry. Pirsig has vocally supported both Ant and DMB, the very 
> people who claim "don't get this". Has Pirsig ever commented on your 
> grasp of the MOQ? Has he ever shown any indication to support your 
> "anti-intellectual" agenda? Hmm... given his comments to DMB in the 
> video, I'd say the person who wrote the MOQ knows who here best 
> understands it. And since he says outright that DMB is the voice that 
> pulls those who stray back to what he, Pirsig, means, I'd say your 
> charge is idiotic and baseless.

Nice try at changing the subject. Obviously you don't want to admit to 
the superiority of the free market, a conservative principal. As for Pirsig 
commenting about me, check his Introduction to "Lila's Child," written 
long before you or DMB came on the scene.