Hi Andy,
I wish I could understand your views better. I too could give contradictory
examples to each point, but I cannot find contradictory trends when I look at
the big picture. More people live longer, eat better, have more rights, have
more education, have a wider range of opportunity and experience and work
together in larger and larger interactive networks. Seems like clear
progress at "contributing to the evolution of life" to me.
In Chapter 24, Pirsig writes, "Society exists primarily to free people from
these biological chains. It has done that job so stunningly well
intellectuals forget the fact and turn upon society with a shameful
ingratitude for what society has done." He then goes on though to call modern
American society a nightmare due to our failure to use society to keep
biology under control (to control crime, to instill decency in people, etc).
Pirsig's solution (foes of Platt beware!) is a "policeman or a soldier and
his gun."
I disagree that Pirsig would give the nod to a hunter/gatherer society. I
believe that "Cultures can be graded and judged morally according to their
contribution to the evolution of life... and a culture that supports the
dominance of intellectual values over social values is absolutely superior to
one that does not."
On the other hand, he does see a clear missing in modern American society.
That is that our intellectual level has lost its sense of value, and that it
has mistakenly undermined social control of biology. ( Remember though, this
was written during a time greatly influenced by pseudo-intellectual, liberal
excess that experienced abnormal crime, drug problems, unwed mothers, welfare
abuse, etc and that Pirsig is obviously bitter about the recent murder of his
son). I agree with Pirsig that America suffers from this intellectual hole,
though I do feel American Society has gotten better since Lila was published.
Finally, as for your comment that I "mistake the evolution of complexity for
improvements in quality." I am at a loss. I continue to give concrete trends
toward quality in many different areas. Lifespan, literacy, nutrition,
income levels and other statistical trends are all widely available, as are
trends on human rights, pollution levels, international trade, etc, etc. If
you could point out contradictory trends, I will be very appreciative, as it
will cure me of my delusions. And I don't want no stinkin' delusions.
Rog
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