Hi Group:
Forgive the interruption in the current discussion of mysticism, but I
wanted to bring your attention yet another example of how Pirsig's
Metaphysics of Quality is far ahead of today's fashionable intelligentsia.
My favorite source for finding out what the intelligentsia are currently up
to is the Sunday New York Times book review which is available on the
Web.
This week one finds a review of book entitled "The Meme Machine" by
Susan Blackmore. A meme, originally coined by biologist Richard
Dawkins, is defined in the review as "an element of culture: a word, a
song, an attitude, a religious belief, a mealtime ritual, a technology."
In other words, a social pattern of value.
The review adds: "What most distinguishes 'memeticists' from past
cultural evolutionists is their willingness to view the individual elements of
culture as active, even in a sense, alive. Like genes, memes are
'replicators.' They compete for access to your brain which they use as a
breeding ground."
In other words, the Giant.
Further: "You may think you're rushing around sending faxes and
returning phone calls for your own good, but �the real driving force is the
interest of the memes.'"
In other words, like Quality has Lila, memes have you.
The review goes on to describe the interactions between genes and
memes, emulating Pirsig�s division of the biological and social levels. As
expected, there's no mention of morals or values because most
intelligentsia--at least those that get in the NYT book review--are totally
possessed by and "used" by the subject-object "meme." :-)
Take a look at the review if you can and be glad once again that you're a
Pirsigian. You may feel, as I do, a huge debt of gratitude to Mr. P. for the
explanatory power of his metaphysics which is post-post modern and
then some. Someday, with luck, those who inhabit the pages of the NYT
may catch up.
Platt
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