Re: MD the metaphysics of free-enerprise

From: Platt Holden (pholden@sc.rr.com)
Date: Tue Jun 29 2004 - 12:31:59 BST

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    Hi All:

    > (Lila, 17) "What makes the free-enterprise system superior is that the
    > socialists, reasoning intelligently and objectively, have inadvertently
    > closed the door to DQ in the buying and selling of things. They closed
    > it because the metaphysical structure of their objectivity never told >
    them DQ exists."

    Yes. Pirsig says in no uncertain terms, the free enterprise system is
    superior to socialism.

    MSH said: "Pirsig is speaking about a theoretical "Free Market" that
    doesn't exist.

    DMB countered: "I disagree with Mark and think Pirsig is talking about the
    theory and the actual practice of the free market system..

    I agree with DMB.

    DMB further admitted: "Pirsig is simply pointing out that capitalism was
    inadvertently correct."

    I agree. Inadvertently or not, capitalism is a superior system to
    socialism.

    But DMB agrees with Mark's conclusion:

    >I also think he's
    > come to the right conclusion; the MOQ is recommending some kind of
    > socialism that DOESN'T inadvertently close the door on DQ. We'd want it
    > to be an intellectually guided society AND a dynamic society at the same
    > time.

    The problem here is that a free enterprise society is already
    "intellectually guided." Simple read Noble prize winner Milton Friedman on
    the subject, or Hayek, or Hazlitt or other free enterprise economist.
    Further, no one has yet come up with a socialist system that wouldn't, by
    its very nature, interfere with an individual's response to DQ. Always,
    under socialism, her DQ response will be judged in the light of the
    "greater good," by a bunch of government bureaucrats who think not only
    they know what's best but are also clairvoyant.

    DMB appears to know what's best for others:

    >One of the sadder
    > things is that nearly all of the largest corporations exercise their
    > power with advertising dollars, almost literally controlling what the
    > entire society thinks it wants, needs and desires. Collectively, they
    > have the power to control what the millions come to value, even if the
    > object of desire doesn't have much quality or appeals to lower level
    > values. In a "free-market" consumer society, everyone has to play a game
    > of seduction and die the death of a salesman. There are millions who
    > waste their lives in pursuit of these empty, phony promises. It's
    > depressing as hell.

    Changing the subject, DMB makes excuses for those who support an anti-
    intellectual culture:

    > And there are many reason why SOME black Americans exhibit
    > anti-intellectual attitudes. Once upon a time black literacy was not a
    > social goal advocated by progressives and liberals, it was a crime
    > punishable by death. And then there is the long history of racist books
    > that proclaim the intellectual inferiority of the people so deprived and
    > abused. This tactic of blaming the victim is very old. Despise the
    > oppressed for being destroyed and humiliated at your own hand. Break his
    > back and tell him to improve his posture. Tis very useful in easing the
    > conscience of the exploiters to believe the losers somehow deserve it.
    > This is ancient. Even the classical Greeks rationalized the holding of
    > slaves by convincing themselves that the uncivilized barbarians were
    > better off being forced to serve their superiors than being free and at
    > home. That's why Pirsig calls it "age old" exploitation.

    And this is the age old rationalization of victimization -- current bad
    behavior resulting from past wrongs. As Pirsig says, cultural
    attitudes are changeable.

    Best,
    Platt

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