From: Platt Holden (pholden@sc.rr.com)
Date: Thu Oct 20 2005 - 12:16:11 BST
Case,
> > [Arlo]
> > Indeed, Case, you are absolutely correct. Consider that Platt himself
> > misses the similar point made by Pirsig in the very quote he provided.
> "...
> > but that freedom doesn't have to be obtained by the destruction of the
> > patterns themselves." In fact, Pirsig states "Society exists primarily to
> > free people from these biological chains." Apparently not only "60s
> > intellectuals" have forgotten that fact.
As usual, Arlo deceptively omits the part of the quote that gives it a
whole different meaning. The next sentence reads: "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." The phrase "stunningly
well" makes it clear that Pirsig has no political agenda, like universal
health care, in mind.
> [Platt]
> Are you suggesting that Universal Health Care can be justified on the
> grounds that it would be a desirable static pattern that "frees people from
> biological chains?"
>
> [Case]
> I don't know if that's what Arlo is suggesting. But if you are saying it,
> we may at last have found something to agree on.
If you use the freeing of biological chains argument to justify the government
taking over the health care system, why not use it to justify government
taking over the food system, the housing system, the clothing system, in
other words, the economic system? Some have actually proposed such a
takeover you know. In fact, it was tried in the 20th century and found to be a
horrible failure.
What's stunning to me is that some people are willing to point a gun at
their neighbors and say, "I'm taking what belongs to you because somebody
needs it more than you do." You've heard it before: "From each according to
his ability, to each according to his needs."
Is that really what you want?
Platt
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