-----Original Message-----
From: owner-moq_discuss@venus.co.uk
[mailto:owner-moq_discuss@venus.co.uk]On Behalf Of Thracian Bard
Sent: Saturday, April 21, 2001 10:34 AM
To: moq_discuss@moq.org
Subject: MD Pure Quality!
Dear Colleagues,
Everything has been so quiet during this past week. It has given me the
opportunity to reflect on that which has become for me a key issue in the
book, LILA. Namely, the adulteration of Dynamic Quality, once it has become
a component of change within the Static Quality model. LILA is, at one
level, a book about creation. One of the problems inherent in static quality
that will eventually lead to either apathy or revolution, is when a social
convention such as a community or a religion or a guild or a nation ceases
to be a servant of the people, but rather their master. It's almost like a
Gilbertian "topsy-turvy" world in which the creator eventually is compelled
to either worship or be subservient to his/her creation. Now, I won't
expound upon this basic premise, since it was already described quite
eloquently by Mr. Pirsig, and no words from me will improve it. However, the
concept which I am hoping that some of my colleagues will be willing to
discuss is whether Dynamic Quality, once it becomes absorbed into a new
Static Quality Model, always becomes part of the creature to which we are
eventually re-enslaved, or can it remain pure[John W Livingston] if it is
useful it will survive. If it is useful to many it will prosper. I think it
is. I think it will, but I don't think we are helping it all that much. We
should be applying it, not talking about it. Maybe we should be talking
about how to apply it and where? , and by doing so, continue to evoke
controversial response and be a continuously creative force. I am not
speaking of Dynamic Quality, in general, but rather of specific movements,
revolutions, or ideas. For example, most of the enlightened teachers around
whom modern religions are established don't say, "worship me" but rather
"follow me" or "follow my example". In fact most of the initial disciples of
such teachers, do not necessarily think of themselves as part of a religion,
but rather as followers of a man and his ideas. Religions are subsequently
created by disciples to serve their community as a surrogate for the
"Teacher" who had departed this world, so that his ideas could continue.
Unfortunately, the surrogate becomes a new creature with its own separate
agenda (ritual), needs (finances), and devotion by its members (worship) so
that finances and support keep flowing in. The community that created this
"Church" to respond to its needs, is now subservient to it. The same is true
of nations. When the Bolsheviks revolted against the Russian monarchy, the
idea was to create a state in which the working class citizens would control
their own fate, free from the dictates of the Church or the Tsar. But what
transpired was just another institution, which, although its ideas seemed
initially pure (and, true, power had been removed from the hands of one
family), was eventually controlled by a few people who developed myriad
societal structures that dictated the day-to-day lives of the very workers
that, supposedly, the revolution was intended to empower. The practice in
the United States (and similarly in other nations) in which the citizenry
pledges allegiance to a flag , a creation of theirs, seems to be a reversal
of the natural order. Wouldn't it make more sense for the flag to pledge its
allegiance to the citizens?
Now, at first, it seems that, in fact, each Dynamic occurrence, once its
impact has been assimilated into a new hybrid Static Quality model, while
improving it, no longer lives to change things, but rather has served its
dynamic purpose by redefining and restructuring the institutions that we
continue to hold dear. But as I observe certain occurrences in History,
there are some events whose life span of Dynamism seem pure in their impact
for measurably longer periods of time than others. I give two examples (1)
The Renaissance and (2) The Beat. [John W Livingston] 3)language
4)math(huge) 5)greek architecture 6)Newtonian physics 7)music 8)Darwin's
Theory of Evolution 9)greek philosophy 10)Science 11)Arts...The list is
endless. It is nothing less than the complete great works of man. There
are many others, and all of them seem to have two things in common: (a) They
grew from a pure expression which was independent of any expectation of
outcome, and (b) None of them were concerned about recruiting members. They
just seemed to happen at the right place, at the right time, and by the
appropriate people.. [John W Livingston] If it is alive and active its
dynamic. If no one is using it its not much use.
This brings me to the crux of this post. It seems that while their are
many types of dynamics at work in the universe, the only ones that are truly
"Pure Quality" events are the ones that happen with a disregard for outcome
and no intentional campaign for the resources to succeed. I look forward to
the support or constructive criticism by my colleagues in this discussion
group..[John W Livingston] If we can't show how MOQ helps progress in
various fields then it will die.We can help by making it clear to others how
helpful it is. I think it is central to the current efforts going on to
understand the dynamics of Complex Adaptive Systems. These include:
Brain/Mind research, Origins of Life research, Systems Engineering, Genome
research, Embriology research, Evolutionary Dynamics research, Echo Systems
research, City Planning, Political and Military Decision Making... the list
goes on.
In closing, allow me to quote from Stephen Mitchell's translation of the
Tao te Ching (copyright 1988 by Stephen Mitchell):
"...The Master's power is like this.
He lets all things come and go
effortlessly, without desire.
He never expects results;
thus he is never disappointed.
He is never disappointed;
thus his spirit never grows old."
Ciao!
The Bard
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