MF'ers
First I will flatly state:
ONLY IN MYTHS DO GIANTS DIE.
IN REALITY THEY LIVE AS LONG AS WE WANT THEM TO.
OR to restate classic Pogo:
WE HAVE MET THE GIANTS, AND THEY IS US!
AND US IS..........................................EVERYTHING!
Often in Lila, (and ZaMM) appear diatribes regaling the "sins" of current or past "Giants" and
Chapter 17 can be read as one of the longest. We all identify with this rhetoric because we each in
our own way have had similar experiences with " this nameless, faceless system reaching for [us],
ready to devour [us], and digest [us]" The predicable responses are to flee or fight; run, or turn
to slay the giant, or be slain. Young Phadrus fled to India, an older Phadrus fled to philosophy and
insanity, older still he fled on his boat and finally rid of Lila, " No idols, no Lila, no Rigel,
no New York, no more America even" He claimed to be, "Just free."
But isn't fleeing a classical biological response? And as such isn't it only appropriate, moral,
in response to threats to the viability of that level? If the intellectual and social "Giants" are
"devouring", "digesting", literally killing the biological, fleeing or fighting are understandable,
necessary, and moral. (pick any current newscast for moral examples) But in most of the "Giant"
examples that Pirsig uses this is clearly not the case. One minute he's dissing the tawdry, the next
praising the dynamic; but never, unless he stepped off the curb at the wrong time, was his
biological life much in danger or threatened. Last month the question posed was, " Free from what?"
After placing the baby, damning evidence of the dynamic quality of Lila, on the ledge so that it
would "be buried at sea", "WHAT WAS HE FREE FROM.?"
Organic or biological values? The physics of the ocean , or Food? ABSOLUTELY NOT!
Social or intellectual values? Giants of Commerce, or Philosophy? NOT REALLY?
Ask yourself. You're alone on a boat smack-dab in the middle the Atlantic; Are you completely free
of all static social patterns? intellectual patterns? (OK, exclude your own) Then what? I could go
on at great lengths with examples but if you think about it you will agree, "True Freedom" from
social and intellectual values is, according to my reading of Pirsig, only possible through two
paths. Lunacy or mystic experience. Do we have any evidence that Phaedrus was in either of these
states while doll was drowning? NOT REALLY?
But the point is, you asked?
The problem with rhetoric argument is that often the good appears illogically. Buried in the middle
of chapter 17 is the message that I think is both important and gives a clue on the morally
appropriate response to social and intellectual "Giants."
"Once you understand something well enough, you don't need to run from it." (Lila p 219)
I think the message from the "Giants" is, that fleeing and fighting (in the biological sense) social
and intellectual values is both futile and immoral.
So what is the alternative ?
Do a deep WEB search on " Giants,+Mythical and Real,+"Care,Feeding, and Love of"
3WD
MOQ.org - http://www.moq.org
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Sat Aug 17 2002 - 16:03:21 BST