[MF] Testing Testing

[Paul Turner]

A couple of thoughts:

I thought it would be good to use the filing system Pirsig used i.e.
UNASSIMILATED, TOUGH, JUNK, CRIT etc. but I don't think it would work.

Judging by some recent postings (just catching up after the birth of our
second child!), and something I've been thinking might be useful for a
couple of years now, there may be value in splitting the forum into what may
be described as a 'PIRSIG' forum and a 'CRIT' forum.  Broadly the same as:

>a forum concentrating on metaphysical questions (textual analysis of ZMM
>and
>Lila)
>a forum concentrating on metaphysical questions (variant MoQs, links with
>alternative metaphysics etc)

The 'PIRSIG' forum would be used for the discussion and clarification of MOQ
basics based mainly on the available Pirsig material and also for the
development and extrapolation of Pirsig's ideas, linking them to other
supporting work and academic developments.  With respect to debate, Pirsig
quotes would hold some authority in their own right on this forum.  I would
expect there would be less 'dissent' and more supportive development than is
currently evident in the MD.  I'm thinking of recent comments from Ian G and
Mark M.  

Posts should be limited to two per day and constant 'dissenters' would
generally be ignored or asked to join the CRIT forum.  Cross-posting should
probably be allowed to discuss ideas raised on this forum in the CRIT forum
without disturbing this one.

Generally I think this would be more like the original LILA SQUAD.

The 'CRIT' forum, equally as valuable, would be used to pull the MOQ to bits
- philosophically - where contributors wouldn't feel the need to announce
themselves as 'dissenters'.  With respect to debate, Pirsig quotes wouldn't
hold so much authority on this forum.  Being overtly critical of the MOQ,
the posts to this forum would not be seen as necessarily representative of
Pirsig's ideas and so there wouldn't so much of the "That's not what Pirsig
says..." type arguments which e.g. Scott is evidently sick of hearing.  (I
think these arguments are usually introduced for the benefit of newbies or
lurkers so that they don't take the views of a poster to be consistent with
the MOQ.  This 'worry' would be avoided.)

There would be more freedom to do wider comparative analysis in the CRIT
forum and this would be of benefit to the MOQ if it is to gain any level of
academic credibility in the future.  More general philosophical debates
would occur in this forum as criticism would be countered with more than
just Pirsigian arguments.  There should be less of the "You just don't get
it" arguments as well.

Generally I think this would be more like the MD but without the 'shouting
down' of dissenters.

Just some initial thoughts anyway.

>-----Original Message-----
>From: moq_focus-bounces at moqtalk.org [mailto:moq_focus-bounces at moqtalk.org]
>On Behalf Of Sam Norton
>Sent: 03 November 2005 10:22
>To: moq_focus at moqtalk.org
>Subject: Re: [MF] Testing Testing
>
>Hi peeps,
>
>this was sort of what we were thinking:
>
>a beginners forum, open to anyone (MD lite?)
>a forum concentrating on metaphysical questions (textual analysis of ZMM
>and
>Lila)
>a forum concentrating on metaphysical questions (variant MoQs, links with
>alternative metaphysics etc)
>a forum concentrating on political questions
>a forum concentrating on religious/mythological questions
>
>With the latter four either moderated, monitored or invitation only...?
>
>Sam
>
>
>
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