From: Arlo J. Bensinger (ajb102@psu.edu)
Date: Mon Jul 12 2004 - 04:24:18 BST
Platt wrote:
Quality imposes no duties. Duty is an old fashioned social level concept.
"All that stuff Rigel was referring to about sacred duties and home and
family went out fifty years ago." (Lila, 7)
David responded:
> So you have never given anyone else a copy of Lila?
> I take duty back, but we have the choice between higher levels
> and lower do we not, and the choice of encouraging evolution?
>
Arlo adds:
Indeed, why did Pirsig publish the books in the first place? Was it simply for
"financial gain"? To "maximize his personal wealth"? Or was it a response to
"encouraging evolution"? (You know my guess)
In ZMM's Afterward, Pirsig states: [The publisher] said the book forced him to
decide what he was in publishing for, and added that although this was almost
certainly the last payment, I shouldn't be discouraged. Money wasn't the point
with a book like this. That was true."
If not money? Then what?
Pirsig goes on: This book offers another, more serious alternative to material
success. It's not so much an alternative as an expansion of the meaning of
"success" to something larger than just getting a good job and staying out of
trouble. And also something larger than mere freedom. It gives a positive goal
to work toward that does not confine.
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