To: Platt and the Overdoing Dynamic thread gang
From: Rog
PLATT:
There’s a great line in LILA (among many) where Pirsig nails a truth
commonly overlooked:
"James would probably have been horrified to find the Nazis could use
his pragmatism just as freely as anyone, but Phaedrus didn’t see
anything that would prevent it." (Chap.29)
So when you summarized the "Overdoing the Dynamic" thread as
follows . . .
"Overwhelmingly, participants stressed the patterns of higher quality
achieve a Dynamic/static balance, and that the way to find this balance
is by attuning one's self to the broader universe."
. . . I asked myself if there was something there that would prevent a
good Nazi from agreeing with it. Unfortunately, I couldn't.
Similarly, many of the other summary-type words mentioned such as
"enthusiasm," "survivability," "passion," "creativity," "good intentions,"
etc. could be used by those of a totalitarian mind. Even "tolerance" has
a downside when applied to those who stood idly by while the Nazis
perpetrated their unimaginable crimes.
ROG:
Thanks for the feedback. This is a great test! I will take responsibility
for this misperception as arising from my gross oversimplification of the
convesations. Let me assure you that this was not the case in most of the
actual discussion. I will try to correct it in the next rewrite.
The sub-thread on avoiding destruction/destructiveness was very relevent to
this issue, as was John and my stressing the issue of harmony across the
greatest span and depth. I know you dislike this Wilberian term, but it
relates to an aproach of pursuing harmony and quality across the MOQ levels,
between citizens, society and science, and between a society and its
neighbors. Very un-Nazi.
PLATT:
My point is to take Pirsig's observation about pragmatism and apply the
'Nazi Test' to any broad philosophical generalities the group may settle
on.
ROG:
Great idea. I will definitely say that the conversation passed the test,
even if my summary didn't.
BTW, what do you think of this process of summarizing/moderating? Is it of
value? What could be done differently/better?
Rog
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