[Platt]
I argue for the superiority of a particular culture based on Pirsig's
moral
hierarchy, as he explained:
"A culture that supports the dominance of social values over biological
values is an absolutely superior culture to one that does not, and a
culture that supports the dominance of intellectual values over social
values is absolutely superior to one that does not. It is immoral to
speak
against a people because of the color of their skin, or any other
genetic
characteristic because these are not changeable and don't matter anyway.
But it is not immoral to speak against a person because of his cultural
characteristics if those cultural characteristics are-immoral. These are
changeable and they do matter." (Lila, 24)
In other words, I think multiculturism based on the premise that all
cultures are morally equal is bunk, the British teacher in Sudan facing
6
months in prison and 40 lashes for allowing her class to name a teddy
bear
Mohammed being a current case in point.
{Ron]
If anything this illustrates the need for caution in regard to these
statements. There are Many factors involved in the success of a culture.
And in generalized statements such as the one you posted, there is a
huge
Danger of doing just what you are implying. Justifying the concept of
superiority. When I went looking for intellect, I found it was a process
Of the individual and culture. So an intellectually superior culture is
one
Where the individual considers themselves free. They may not be free by
Other cultural standards but by their own they are. Freedom is relative.
The dangerous thing about quotes out of context is the implication
The quote makes without the supporting body of work. Having read
Pirsig and weighed that statement against the body
Of his work, I feel he was making a general statement about
The evolutionary process of social values. I really hope
He's not advocating cultural elitism it makes him no better
Than someone who justifies racial superiority on similar
Grounds. MoQ would amount to an enlightened gentler Nazi
Regime of cultural superiority. All other cultures judged
inferior by MoQ standards would be justifiably extinguished
as per the levels of evolutionary progress toward better-ness.
Based on the grounds that it is deemed immoral by our standards
Of intellect and freedom by our cultural definition of those terms.
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