Uh oh. It looks like the gloves have come off. It's getting rough. Cool. Not
that I want to see anyone get hurt, but it does tend to focus one's
attention and can lead to some pretty fabulous stuff. You know, like a good
game or close match. Naturally, too much heat can get ugly and ruin the
whole thing. For the love of the game...
And while we're in a sassy mood, may I say that 3WD's "Slaying Dragons" post
was wrong in so many ways. Dave, were you talking to me? It seemed like you
were, but you didn't say. Fleeing corporate science is biological? Are you
suggesting Pirsig went East to study Sanskrit because of an adreneline rush?
Oh please. If the word "drivel" will get the whole post bounced, the
moderator will please do me the favor of simply omiting it.
And while we're in a gaming mood, may I offer a contest? Its called "Who
wants to be most relevant?" You don't have to do anything except post
normally. But remember you're trying to impress the audience with your
ability to remain on topic and answer the question of the month. Show 'em
how smart and intellectually disciplined you are and you'll take home the
big prize! I'll take it upon my self to rate each post on a ten point scale,
with ten being a perfect score. Mom always wanted me to be a game show
host..
Of course, I'm only kidding. But you get the point.
It's all about the Giant, right? We're trying to explore the metaphor? I
think he almost has to resort to dreams, myths and metaphors because it's
invisible to SOM. There is a lack of words and concepts about the Giant. The
social level is like an unseen connection between the mind and body. Its the
missing link, its the unseen level between. In our century it has been
caught in the crossfire between biology and intellect. Its the force behind
the Hurricane of the 20th century, behind Hitler, Fascism, Fundamentalism
and other reactionary movements. All of our idea are suspended in language
and the culture too. The list goes on. No wonder he uses the word "Giant",
the social level is huge! I don't want to go off on some tangent, but I
think the Giant idea has to be seen as part of the social level as a whole.
Its very large and nearly invisible. I'd say that makes it one of the most
challenging issues we can discuss. Cool.
Broadly speaking, there is something genuinely conservative about the MOQ.
In spite of its warnings about the social level gone mad, Lila also presents
a vision of reality that has a profound respect for social quality. Pirsig's
theme of Indian values being absorbed into American culture says alot about
the U.S. today, but it says just as much about how social quality can
persist inspite of total military conquest and vast technological changes.
The social quality of the Natives survived all that. Wow. And how old is
their culture and language? That's what I mean by conservative. Not that
Pirsig is cautious about change, far from it, but he also describe social
level reality as a very ancient and persistent reality. You can't change a
society or a culture over night anymore than you can a fox into a turtle. It
just doesn't work that way. Social level reality has its own way of
defending itself, its own way of growing and the intellectual level that is
to be in charge of it has to understand these things like a good gardener
understands the nature of what she plants and tends.
Cities don't bother me at all. I live in one, but its nothing like
Manhattan. But it seems to me that the social level is still not under
control. It pains me to think that it may go mad once again, or continue to
chip away slowly and steadily. Either way, the bad guys could win.
MOQ.org - http://www.moq.org
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