[MD] Think like a baby

[plattholden at gmail.com]

On 3 Jun 2009 at 6:29, X Acto wrote:

> Platt,
> To view things as a baby and how Pirsig mentions, is to drop the stereotypes
> we hold and take a fresh new look. Like looking at the positives of socialism
> communism and capitalism and combine them to create a society that actually 
> DOES value the individual, valuing individuals other than YOURSELF is
> socialism you know.

What are the positives of socialism and communism? Is making other 
individuals dependent on government for their welfare your idea of 
"valuing" them?

> That is why I have a hard time understanding your dichotomy
> of value of the individual in society yet despise anything that has to do with it
> . You exalt the diversity of individuals yet despise multiculturalism
> when what you really despise is moral relativism,

Just in case you've forgotten, here's what Pirsig had to say about 
multiculturism which demands we value all cultures equally:

 "Cultures can be graded and judged morally according to their 
contribution to the evolution of life." (Lila, 24)

> Pirsig gives us
> a way to make moral judgments without the typical stereotypes
> that hinder us from making Quality judgments or the paralysis
> of relativism.

Agree. 

>  I'll save you the effort of the 
> Lila quote.
> 
> In the veldt it's the individual that gets eaten first. United we stand, divided we fall.
> Safety in numbers.

In what chapter in Lila will I find that quote?

> The idea is to look at the Quality in everything Platt, this is what babies do.

Right. But Quality has a negative side, too. That's why among a baby's 
first words is, "No!".


> ________________________________
> From: "plattholden at gmail.com" <plattholden at gmail.com>
> To: moq_discuss at moqtalk.org
> Sent: Wednesday, June 3, 2009 7:49:34 AM
> Subject: [MD] Think like a baby
> 
> All:
> 
> There's a book out called "The Philosophical Baby." The Boston Globe 
> has an interesting review at:
> 
> http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/04/26/inside_the
> _baby_mind/?page=full
> 
> If you read it I think you'll be reminded of Pirsig's thoughts about the 
> world as seen by babies in Chapter 9 of Lila. Perhaps you'll recall these 
> words:
> 
> "This, Phaedrus thought, was why little children are usually quicker to 
> perceive Dynamic Quality than old people, why beginners are usually 
> quicker than experts, why primitive people are sometimes quicker than 
> those of "advanced" cultures."
> 
> To perceive DQ -- isn't that our goal? The article suggests how we just 
> might be able to do that more often.
> 
> Regards,
> Platt