Hello, all! Great discussion this month! I've been following it intently and
have so far been content to not contribute.
Now for a couple of pennies worth:
Kilian Betlach wrote:
> Hi squad:
>
> It was witten:
>
> >MOQ needs advocacy
> >in the public forum by action; we need to fight for an MOQ solution to a
> >present problem that society will accept.
>
> Why? Maybe I don't get it, but why enter that "public forum" at all?
Because they need us. They need values. Modern society is dysfunctional. If
we don't need to disseminate the Q idea, why would Pirsig have bothered to
write his books?
> Seems to me the MoQ can stand on its own merit.
It does.
> This may be indicative
> of my own lack of insight, but when things like this are said, I
> immediately see an image of a door-to-door evangelist peddling his
> religion to people who coudn't care less. A public forum will generally
> be filled with these kind of people. This isn't to say that papers and
> the like shouldn't be written on Pirsig's ideas -- those will reach the
> people who are interested in being reached -- but why adopt the
> traveling salesman attitude? Isn't this a subordination of higher
> levels to a lower one?
I don't know necessarily that we need to adopt the traveling salesman
attitude, but I believe that educating the public, particularly the
"intellectual elite" is desirable for a number of reasons.
One, they tend to monopolize the public debate. We see the same tired
"solutions" to every major societal problem, even if they have been cunningly
reworked to appear new. We need to inject some Quality into public discourse,
if for no other reason than it would make our lives better if some of our
ideas were adopted by the general populace.
Two, the purveyors of nihilistic S-O thinking dominate most of the political
forums that I have run across on the web. They shout down anyone who
disagrees with them, however illogical their arguments are. Giving some of
our natural allies (theists, etc.) some better weapons would open up the
discussion.
Three, the more people who contribute to the discussion the better. The
relative handfull of us who "get it" could use the considerable intellectual
talents of some of the very bright people who don't.
Four, I find it satisfying to trip them up occasionally. I just wish I was
better at it. Some of them wouldn't consider a different way of seeing the
world if their lives depended upon it. It's fun to tweak their noses
occasionally and force them to at least acknowledge that there are at least a
few of us out here. (Yes, I know. I've always been a mite ornery.)
> Many references have been made to the brujo in conjunction with this
> line of thinking, but the brujo never campaigned for the acceptance of
> his way of life. He never tried to convince the old priests of anythign
> or show them where they went wrong, he just lived. He lived his life in
> as much accordance with Quality as he could, and changes followed as a
> result. Why this talk of evangelism? The brujo example, in particular,
> shows marked disregard for what others think in the name of living
> towards one's personal choices of Quality. The opinions of others are of
> little importance. IMO this is the lesson should be taken from the
> story of the brujo, not that one should pay homage to society, or try to
> sway public opinion in your favor.
Ultimately, you are right. It is enough that we get it. I still say the more
the merrier, however.
Don R.
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