[ExI] robert pirsig's bike in zen and mm

[spike]

> bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Jef Allbright
> Subject: Re: [ExI] robert pirsig's bike in zen and mm
> 
> On 11/13/07, Giu1i0 Pri5c0 <pgptag at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Why don't you guys do it in style, webcamming everything in realtime
> > (like on justin.tv) and inviting everyone to participate in the
> > evening philosophy talk via chat, webcam, SL or whatever (I would be a
> > very frequent visitor).

I have found a bunch of sites by people who have made the journey, read the
narrative and tried to identify the exact roads and stopping points.  I fear
they may have missed the message of the book entirely.  But had fun anyways.

> > These days every small place described by Pirsig must have a WiFi hub
> > in a Starbucks or something...

Some do.  Some of the places have perished and become ghost towns.  Some
have changed little in 40 years.  Recall that RP deliberately avoided the
interstate highways, without which commerce is eventually strangled.

> > We could call the project something like
> > "The new zen and the art of taking over the universe"...

Of course this would be antithetical to the original concept.  Perhaps this
is a good strategy.  I never did fully grok the whole Buddhist eschewing of
material goods thing.  I want to be both smart and rich.

> > What a great
> > project this would be, perhaps we can even sell it to the networks for
> > a lot of money and spread H+ at the same time...

I do like the "lot of money" part.  But of course it would be practically
immoral to cite Pirsig in this context.  He is a dedicated Buddhist today.
Those in contact with him have reported that he has so little interest in
material wealth he refuses to deal with certain practical matters, such as
the fact that he has a priceless literary artifact apparently in or around
his home with unknown security protecting it.  I fear that it shall be
stolen, as was one of the original Captain Americas.


> 
> Giulio, I understand you've read the book ten times, so don't you
> think this approach to quality would trample any possibility of
> finding Quality as Pirsig meant it?
> 
> - Jef


Ja, the suggestions so far have come no closer to the Metaphysics of Quality
than I have come to owning the sacred relic the Holy Honda.  I am not
scolding or criticizing, for in 25 years since I read ZMM, I still cannot
answer the question: What is Quality?

spike