[MD] re, fellow european-Bodvar

[Arlo Bensinger]

[Platt]
No surprise here. The usual personal attack.

[Arlo
"Personal attack"? Too funny!!

Let's see if we can find this...

[Arlo's first paragraph]
Lest someone get the wrong impression, Pirsig did NOT, as your post 
implies, champion ignorance. Indeed, Pirsig has given his full 
support to both Ant McWatt and DMB; both working to bring the MOQ 
into the Academy. Anyone wishing to purchase the Pirsig DVD's (from 
Ant McWatt's site) will see first hand the endorsements Pirsig gives 
to these academics. Your accusation that they are involved in 
"philosopholoy" is ridiculous.

[Arlo adds]
No "personal attack" there. But the first of my two substantive 
points (which you've evaded - make a note of this).

Let's go on...

[Arlo's second paragraph]
Bo exemplifies consistency in his determination to promote his own 
interpretation of the MOQ, which is fine and commendable. But, as 
Horse pointed out, it is important for newcomers to know that Pirsig 
himself denies outright Bo's SOL interpretation. When Bo says "no one 
is talking about Pirsig's ideas", what he should say is "no one talks 
about my personal revision of Pirsig's ideas", which is fine and 
probably mostly true.

[Arlo adds]
Still no "personal attack", but the second substantive point (which 
you've evaded - make a note of this too).

Let's go on...

[Arlo's third paragraph]
It's no surprise to anyone who has been around for a while, but its 
worth pointing out to the newcomers that there is a very pronounced 
anti-intellectual sentiment here, mostly from you. It is no surprise 
even the simplest of posts you submit almost HAVE to contain some 
inane right-wing, anti-intellectual jab at "statists", "leftists", 
"the media" and those evil "perfessers" in the "commie academy" 
(basically Limbaugh's Boogeymen list).

[Arlo adds]
I suppose this is what you're whining about, but its hardly a 
"personal attack". Anyone can at any time go back and look at the 
archives and see that your posts always contain some inane right-wing 
nonsense, usually tirades about whatever the boogeyman du jour of 
talk-radio is. That's not a personal attack, that's just observation. 
Indeed, since you're original post was nothing but an 
anti-intellectual condemnation of "academics" (which I've answered in 
my first substantive point), this is just providing context.

Let's go on...

[Arlo's fourth/final paragraph]
I don't know "what Pirsig hoped for", but again since those he 
chooses to interact directly with are your "evil academics", I'd have 
to say it would seem as if Pirsig endorses more the work being done 
by the likes of Ant and DMB then the sophomoric, anti-intellectual 
"random thoughts" others post here.

[Arlo adds]
No personal attacks here. Just the supported observation that while 
none of us can know for sure if the list is "what Pirsig hoped for", 
we can look at who and how Pirsig has supported/endorsed over the 
years, and it's been the two biggest academics among us; Ant and DMB. 
Given that, I'd say that "academic talk" on the list is hardly 
something Pirsig would fret.

If you want to claim that my alluding to your "random thoughts" being 
sophomoric and anti-intellectual is a "personal attack", well then 
boo hoo. I'm happy to point this out in detail if you wish.