JOHN:
I have in another article ("Quality and Intelligence", available in the LS
Forum) argued that there are varieties of quality associated with the
biological, social and intellectual levels, and that the mystic puts his
trust in quality at the biological level. This is in organismic terms the
most immediate form of experience, unmediated by intelligence or social
factors, and linked very closely to survival. Recognition of the quality
of a work of art, in contrast, is heavily dependant upon personal and
cultural training which can be extremely elitist, and generally has much
less
survival value. It seems clear to me that Pirsig approaches this issue a
number of times but is so keen to maintain the elemental purity of Quality
as
the basis of his metaphysics that he invariably turns off at a tangent and
evades the issue. It is one of the major flaws in his thought; and the
purity
of the final metaphysics is phony because he has avoided the range of
meanings of quality that he has tried to subsume in an overly simple
formula.
Avid:
In my experience the mystic tries to avoid all SPQ of all levels [in order
to meet Quality head on [looking for DQ].
The mystic experiences his organism as an obstacle trying to avoid it too,
as well as his social entity [as I].
He reacts to Language as a social cultural obstacle too . All SPQ in all
layers is something to try to do without.
That's why meditation [concentration of non being], this is why to engage in
anti survival rituals [dancing on fire] , fasting etc..
As far as recognizing higher qualities, I think putting prejudices aside I
can satisfy you [all of you] without diverting from MoQ.
But in order to see this possibility it is useful to try to see it in the
eyes of the new DEPARTING FROM SOM HABITS. I suggest the form of a [new]
game, in which we all know you should treat the ball differently [if you
play soccer or basketball].
ROGER:
You confuse the pure DQ of an infant with the much broader range of
experience of a mystic. The difference is in depth and breadth of
consciousness.
Avid:
Again this proves that DQ is a default choice. An infant is not familiar
with lots of SPQ, so he arrives to DQ far more quickly then an old
experienced magician.
And Roger, there is a great difference in quality between the amazement of
children and grown ups who try to preserve the amazing gaze of a child, let
children be children and let grown ups grow further.
and don't forget to be gentle
Avid
icq 6598359
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