From: PhaedrusWolf@aol.com
Date: Wed Dec 08 2004 - 01:51:44 GMT
In a message dated 12/7/04 8:26:57 PM Eastern Standard Time,
hampday@earthlink.net writes:
If I needed my motorcycle repaired, I certainly wouldn't hire an artist to
fix it. (Fortunately, I don't have a motorcycle.)
Hi Ham,
I have an old '81 Harley and a '78 truck. The work the mechanics do on them
cannot be described as an art form. If I allowed these so-called mechanics to
maintain my old junkers, that is all they would be is; 'Junkers.' I doubt
they would last another year.
Quality motorcycle maintenance is indeed a form of art. This seems to be a
dying art form. A blind man could do a better job than most of the mechanics I
have met that do not recognize the character in my old bike and truck. It is
just another piece of cold metal under their hands.
This quality, art, is what is missing in the world IMHO. A well done
mathematical discovery, masterful scientific discovery, even my mundane job
performance is a form of art. Meditation and prayer is as well.
When you see this art in motorcycle mechanics, you know it, and as Pirsig
suggested, it 'Does' make you feel good just viewing it. When the mechanic can
tear a motorcycle apart, and not scratch any of the precious components, set
the torque on the bolts and nuts at just that perfect tightness, and tune it
down where every note is distinctive and sounds like a symphony, this is art.
When you pay this much attention to Quality, you change yourself. You may
not be able to change the world, but you can at least change that one moment in
time when someone sees the Quality of what you do, whether it is work on a
bike, or dealing with a clerk in a store who was in a bad mood before you
walked in, but in a better mood when you walked out. Each time a Quality event
happens in the world, it goes one step further in improving the world around
you.
When you have your attention on Quality, this is art; no matter what it is
you are doing. Even raking leaves or cutting grass can be brought up to a high
Quality art form. "Anything worth doing is worth doing well."
Do you not agree?
Chin
MOQ.ORG - http://www.moq.org
Mail Archives:
Aug '98 - Oct '02 - http://alt.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/
Nov '02 Onward - http://www.venus.co.uk/hypermail/moq_discuss/summary.html
MD Queries - horse@darkstar.uk.net
To unsubscribe from moq_discuss follow the instructions at:
http://www.moq.org/md/subscribe.html
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Wed Dec 08 2004 - 01:54:38 GMT