From: abahn@comcast.net
Date: Thu Sep 18 2003 - 23:01:15 BST
Platt,
From your quote of Pirsig:
"What the Metaphysics of Quality concludes is that the old
Puritan and Victorian social codes should not be followed blindly, but
should not be attacked blindly either. They should be dusted off and re-
examined, fairly and impartially, to see what they were trying to
accomplish and what they actually did accomplish toward building a
stronger society."
You misinterpret:
"Don't let your kids suffer. Wack the unruly ones. If your school won't
let you enforce discipline, find a school that will."
Well, you got half of the first sentence right. Sounds like you would like to
return to the good ol' victorian days, though by Following their social codes
blindly. Pirsig was trying demonstrate in what ways the "hippies" got it wrong.
I don't think Pirsig would have any problem with altering the above quote to read:
"What the Metaphysics of Quality concludes is that the 'kooky flower power' and
'hippie' social codes should not be followed blindly, but should not be attacked
blindly either. They should be dusted off and reexamined fairly and impartially
to see what they were trying to accomplish and what they actually did accomplish
toward building a stronger society."
You would never want to make this alteration though. It would go against your
fixed interpretation of the Metaphysics of Quality. "Blasphemy," I can already
hear you shouting. And I can only sigh.....
In ZMM, when Chris was acting up, I remember Pirsig being loving but forceful in
correcting his behavior, but I never remember him "Wacking" him. Nor did he
ever "wack" Lila. Am I wrong? (I could be, if so--I conveniently ignored it)
Sighing with a heavy heart,
Andy
> Hi Gert-Jan, Matt, All.
>
> Platt agrees:
> Don't let your kids suffer. Wack the unruly ones. If your school won't
> let you enforce discipline, find a school that will.
>
> We're reaping the whirlwind of the hippie generation who have infected
> the school system with their kooky flower power. They have no idea of
> the strength of the biological forces that churn just below the surface
> in kids. (Refer to initiation rites that made headlines recently.)
>
> Especially with kids, it's sometimes necessary to be cruel to be kind.
> The best teachers practice tough love, recognizing the constant battle
> that goes on between the biological, social, and intellectual levels. A
> teacher (parent) must be fully aware of these conflicts and have full
> confidence in acting to defend the higher from the assaults from the
> lower.
>
> Lots of schools have police roaming the corridors because teachers lost
> the authority to uphold basic social behavioral standards.
> Consequently, in too many schools today, inmates run the asylum to
> satisfy their biological pleasures.
>
> Catholic schools as a rule don't have these problems. Kids know their
> disruptive biological urges will not be tolerated.
>
> Platt
>
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