From: Mark Steven Heyman (markheyman@infoproconsulting.com)
Date: Tue Jun 22 2004 - 06:29:26 BST
On 21 Jun 2004 at 10:35, Platt Holden wrote:
Pirsig:
"What makes the free-enterprise system superior is that the
socialists, reasoning intelligently and objectively, have
inadvertently closed the door to Dynamic Quality in the buying and
selling of things. They closed it because the metaphysical structure
of their objectivity never told them Dynamic Quality exists." (Lila,
17)
Platt:
To all egalitarians, communitarians and other radical left-wingers
who think the MOQ supports their collectivist social values--read it
again and weep. Intellect sides with free enterprise.
msh says:
What Platt doesn't understand is that Pirsig is speaking about a
theoretical "Free Market" that doesn't exist. (I'm giving Pirsig the
benefit of the doubt here.) Communism, then Socialism, were
REACTIONS to predatory capitalistic instincts thriving on the
Industrial Revolution and thereby concentrating wealth and power into
the hands of fewer and fewer individuals.
Capitalism is NOT interested in free markets, and never has been.
In a true free market economy Capitalism would self-destruct in a
single generation. Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Grumman, GE,
Westinghouse, most banks, wouldn't last for a second without HUGE
taxpayer subsidies in the forms of R&D grants (if not outright
turnover of taxpayer developed technology) , loans, tax breaks and,
when necessary, bail outs. So when Platt and others speak of
Capitalism and Free Market economies as if they are synonymous, they
are victims of propaganda of the first and most obvious order.
Platt:
As for the argument that culture is to blame for inequalities in IQ,
reread what Pirsig says about culture...
msh says:
Who's arguing this? The issue is whether or not inequalities in IQ
warrant inequalities in opportunity. Or warrant the belief that a
person's IQ should determine whether that person is given a chance to
become a useful and productive, and happy, member of society, or if
they should be marginalized from the get go.
Platt:
A cultural characteristic that says dedicating yourself to getting an
education is "acting white" and therefore not to be valued is
immoral.
msh says:
Who says this? Is this what you think Cosby was talking about? Why
not post the entire speech? It is this kind of "selective" ignorance
on your part that undermines your integrity at every turn, I'm sorry
to say.
Nevertheless, best,
Mark Steven Heyman (msh)
-- InfoPro Consulting - The Professional Information Processors Custom Software Solutions for Windows, PDAs, and the Web Since 1983 Web Site: http://www.infoproconsulting.com "Thought is only a flash between two long nights, but this flash is everything." -- Henri Poincare' 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 : Tue Jun 22 2004 - 06:25:29 BST