Quoting Arlo Bensinger <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>: > [Platt] > It's no great leap or distortion to go from right-wing politicians to > capitalists. Left-wing politicians are socialists. > > [Arlo] > In your dichotomous world, of course. For the rest of us, that's just > tired, cliche propaganda. The rhetoric of fear talk-radio so > eloquently deploys.
So what do you think Pirsig meant by "right-wing politicians?" And who is "the rest of us." You speak for the world? > [Platt] > To my mind what defines right-wing politics is support of capitalism. > Pirsig came across as a New Age liberal in ZMM. In Lila he changed > his tune, becoming a right-wing supporter of capitalism. And in Lila > he had less than flattering things to say about the professor class: > > [Arlo] > I don't see anything in ZMM that shows that he did not support the > "free market". I know it makes your head hurt, but I'd call Pirsig a > "left-wing supporter of capitalism". But, of course, that requires a > vision that's not mired in "All Rightist are Good/ All Leftists are > Evil" worldview. Well, Pirsig wasn't being complimentary when he referred to "right-wing politicians" was he? Might as well accuse him of being mired in "All rightists are evil." > Just because the free market is the best system for distributing > commodities, does not mean everything is reducible to a market > commodity. This is why I reject as absurd the notion that "only > right-wingers are capitalists". I, for example, am all in favor of > the free market to distribute cars, antiperspirants and DVDs. But I > believe that there is superior value in publicly holding land (parks, > forests and reserves), funding libraries and regulating essential > utilities. The market should determine who drives a Ferrari and who > does not, but it should not determine who lives and who dies. So when it comes to certain "commodities" you have no problem squelching DQ. It figures. > Also keep in mind that Pirsig never denies ZMM, quite the opposite, > in fact, calling it "the path to enlightenment". Hardly "changing his tune". > > And since you're fond of the LILA quotes against professors, let's > remember he also said that "conservatives who keep trumpeting about > the virtues of free enterprise are normally just supporting their own > self-interest. They are just doing the usual cover-up for the rich in > their age-old exploitation of the poor." (LILA). Yes, but that didn't dissuade him from coming out in full support of capitalism. I know you libs like to critique motives, but we conservatives are more interested in results. > [Platt] > Pirisg may still call himself a democrat, but I bet he's a Kennedy or > Lieberman democrat who supports capitalism and doesn't think we > should surrender to terrorists like the current bunch of democrats in > Congress. > > [Arlo] > That's just more tired propaganda. Stop squalking and give it a rest. Typical. Can't muster an argument, so toss out a couple of insults. > "When George Bush was asked who was the greatest philosopher in the > world he said: Jesus Christ. Right there I thought: 'My God, we are > going to need Jesus Christ if this guy gets elected!'" (Pirsig). > > Do we ever. Why? Typical: blank out. ------------------------------------------------- This mail sent through IMP: http://horde.org/imp/ 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/
