Hi all
I think that it's great that we're getting new members. This shows that the
works of RMP continues to affect people and these people want to learn more.
There really is very little on the internet about Pirsig, and the only two
sites that are worth visiting IMO is this one and Doug Rensell's (i know some
of you don't agree with his theories but I think the work he's done trying to
incorporate Pirsig's philosophy in Quantum Mechanics is admirable).
Apparently Pirsig did literally hundreds of interviews after the original
publication of ZMM, but so far I've only been able to find one of these early
interviews on the web. I was wondering if anyone here knows where these old
interviews can be found? I think they'd be fascinating to read.
One note of advice to new members: try not to let your emotions get out of
hand when the debates heat up. It happened to me back in December and I
regret it. I do, however, still stand behind my belief that true, pure
morality (that is, unmotivated by greed) will not be achieved until we
abolish money. I think there's a large body of evidence to support the theory
that money is, in fact, the root of all evil.
Ouroboros. One man helps someone because he's going to get paid for it.
Another man helps someone just because it's the right thing to do. Which is
more moral? Or, even more bluntly, is it better to spend your life helping
other human beings, or is it better to spend your life increasing your cash
supply (and please don't use the easy escape hatch of saying increasing your
cash helps others; that's too easy, look at it black and white).
Then there is the happiness issue. Is *anything* that leads to happiness
good? No, I'd say, because morality and goodness are intimately linked (as
Pirsig says of Quality and Morality). So say you are faced with which type of
happiness is better (better would mean more moral). The happiness that comes
from gaining money, or the happiness that comes from the satisfaction of
helping another human being? I would think that common sense provides a
quick, uncomplicated answer to that. To say gaining money is better, or even
equal, to the helping people, is to set yourself up as a Scrooge. Do you
really want to tell your children that Scrooge was being perfectly Moral at
the beginning of the story, when he didn't want to give any money to Tiny
Tim? I hope not.
Yes, we are selfish creatures. The question becomes, which type of
selfishness is the most moral. Which type of selfishness is good? I'd say the
selfishness of wanting to give love in order to receive love in return. Or
the selfishness that craves the satisfaction we feel when we help a fellow
human in need. That kind of selfishness is good. But the selfishness that
craves money is bad. It has become so pervasive that true good has been
devalued.
Jon
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