Re: MD Progress and Pain

maybe i am at odds with pirsig; maybe not.

it is fair to say that the 20th century seen as a whole would be a progression from social to intellectual value predominance. i think over the last 10-20 years we have regressed though  i don't know if pirsig would agree (but i'd like to think he would).

 this is such a complex issue!!! i mean the fact that there are more and more voices criticising the bastions of social power implies growing intellectual quality by itself. maybe that is really what's happening: the growing awareness of the illegitimacy, irrationality and inhumanity of the world according to corporate globalisation is the victory of intellectual quality over social quality.

and more than any other single factor, the internet is THE vehicle of intellectual supremacy over social control: absolute freedom of expression - unhindered dissemination of news and knowledge. i am optimistic guys - don't get me wrong - but we are still very much part of a huge moral struggle. we are, as the chinese curse goes, living in interesting times.

gav