Hi all. Digging up an old thread. Again, in chapter 8 of ZAM, Pirsig wrote, "There's no villain, no "mean guy" who wants (us) to live meaningless lives, it's just that the structure, the system demands it...".
So the chairman in ZAMM did not know that he was participating in the system / SO dualism? He just acted as he always did? On the other hand, in his book, "For a New Liberty", Rothbard writes: "It is also important for the State to inculcate in its subjects an aversion to any outcropping of what is now called “a conspiracy theory of history.” For a search for “conspiracies,” as misguided as the results often are, means a search for motives, and an attribution of individual responsibility for the historical misdeeds of ruling elites. If, however, any tyranny or venality or aggressive war imposed by the State was brought about not by particular State rulers but by mysterious and arcane “social forces,” or by the imperfect state of the world—or if, in some way, everyone was guilty (“We are all murderers,” proclaims a common slogan), then there is no point in anyone’s becoming indignant or rising up against such misdeeds. Furthermore, a discrediting of “conspiracy theories”—or indeed, of anything smacking of “economic determinism”—will make the subjects more likely to believe the “general welfare” reasons that are invariably put forth by the modern State for engaging in any aggressive actions." Thoughts? On Mon, Aug 10, 2009 at 10:39 AM, <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear all: > > How are you? I hope you're doing well. > > In chapter 8 of ZAM, Pirsig wrote, "There's no villain, no "mean guy" who > wants (us) to live meaningless lives, it's just that the structure, the > system demands it...". > > Are there no villains, and just systems? Are there no people who are aware > of the dangers or possible negative consequences of rationality and proceed > to act in such a direction due to self-interest, placing biological morality > over social, intellectual and dynamic morality? > > Moq_Discuss mailing list Listinfo, Unsubscribing etc. http://lists.moqtalk.org/listinfo.cgi/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org Archives: http://lists.moqtalk.org/pipermail/moq_discuss-moqtalk.org/ http://moq.org.uk/pipermail/moq_discuss_archive/
