On 2/7/10 4:53 PM, "david buchanan" <[email protected]> replied to this quote I posted criticizing Pirsig's position on socialism:
> "That's what neither the socialists nor the capitalists ever got figured out. > From a static point of view socialism is more moral than capitalism. He responded with this quote and other explanations to help me understand: > "Communism and socialism, programs for the intellectual control of society, > were confronted by the reactionary forces of fascism, a program for the social > control of intellect. .. Of course I just shook my head in dismay that RMP could make such a claim given he subscribes to pragmatism and he had served in the Korea Conflict. While wandering around a bookstore a few days latter I spotted a huge tome that hopefully would give me some insight into this issue. It did. I have to say that I owe DMB an apology. How could I ever have questioned a scholar who has lectured on Pirsig in Oxford? The book, "Mao, The Unknown Story", by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday is a sweeping account of Mao's tireless efforts over his entire life to bring the benefits of socialism to China and the whole world. Ms Jung was born in China in 1952 where she grew up and lived until 1978. She then moved to England an went on to be the first person ever from the People's Republic of China to receive a doctorate from a British University. As a Chinese scholar she had unprecedented access to archives and people in China, Russia, and around the world as she assembling a stirring and detailed account of Mao's life. Nearly 800 pages with over a 100 pages notes and bibliography. Lo and behold not just in one, but several places we find confirmations of RMP claim. Pg 559 " By the end of the 1960's.. In the West, many were mesmerized by him[Mao]. The Little Red Book was taken up by intellectuals and students. Mao was termed a philosopher. The influential French writer Jean-Paul Sartre praised the "revolutionary violence" of Mao as "profoundly moral." Then later on in the era of ping-pong diplomacy of Nixon and Kissinger we read: Pg 575 " Nixon spoke of the 'dedication' of Mao's..coterie, whom Kissinger called 'a group of monks..who have...kept their revolutionary purity'. Nixon's favorite evangelist, Billy Graham, lauded Mao's virtues to British businessmen. Kissinger suggest that Mao's..crew would, 'challenge us in a moral way.' Pg 575 " As recently as 1997,...Kissinger described him as a 'philosopher' and claimed that Mao's goal was a 'quest for 'egalitarian virtue.' Of course, only 74 pages into the book, early in 1929 well be for the Long March Mao had invented the term "absolute egalitarianism." Shaken but still not completely convinced I did some searching on the internet. Low and behold the proverbial straw. http://www.economictheories.org/2008/10/aristotle-and-plato-communism.html If one of the granddaddies of philosophy and founder of the intellectual way, Plato, proposes that communism is the best way, the greatest good, how could anybody even think of challenging Plato, let alone Pirsig's position. It think a concerted efforts should be made to make sure that this book is made a required part of high school and college education across the United States and the rest of the free world. Convertedly yours Dave PS: Bo sorry I criticized your position. I see now that criticism of RMP work as terribly misguided. We must accepted it as it is given and get on with the implementation of necessary social changes required by his conclusions. 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/
