It's 1974...
...And Robert Pirsig has just published Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, which, as you know is one of my favourite books. While it was a huge success on publication, and for years afterwards, and is obviously popular on the innernet, intellectuals of a certain ilk tend to ignore it. It's even beneath contempt, because they don't choose to even give it a critical slagging.
But here we have an example of a book that could so easily be informed by Pirsig's thoughts of 30 years ago. "Zen..." is all about the differences between Western thought based on Greek philosophy and Eastern thought based on Chinese philosophy. Most importantly, he identifies the problem in the dialogue, the dialectic, which underpins the confrontational, competitive, destructive thought of the West.
As Michel Serres points out, dialogue is always meant to exclude. It excludes the 3rd person, the 3rd way, the lateral thought, seen as the parasite, which is why he is always so concerned with communications, and in-between-ness.
And Pirsig said all this, 30 years ago, and should be acknowledged at least for raising the subject. Interesting, now, how much you can find out about him on the innernet. Which goes back to an earlier theme. Until just now, I'd never even seen a photograph of him. I'm disappointed, in a way, to find that picture of him on a motorcycle with his son. Because it would be better, for me, for some mystery to be retained. If I am ever published, I would like to refuse to have a photo on the jacket of my book, and I would like to avoid being photographed in the press and on other media.
Not that it's likely to become an issue, but still. I believe in mystery.
But here we have an example of a book that could so easily be informed by Pirsig's thoughts of 30 years ago. "Zen..." is all about the differences between Western thought based on Greek philosophy and Eastern thought based on Chinese philosophy. Most importantly, he identifies the problem in the dialogue, the dialectic, which underpins the confrontational, competitive, destructive thought of the West.
As Michel Serres points out, dialogue is always meant to exclude. It excludes the 3rd person, the 3rd way, the lateral thought, seen as the parasite, which is why he is always so concerned with communications, and in-between-ness.
And Pirsig said all this, 30 years ago, and should be acknowledged at least for raising the subject. Interesting, now, how much you can find out about him on the innernet. Which goes back to an earlier theme. Until just now, I'd never even seen a photograph of him. I'm disappointed, in a way, to find that picture of him on a motorcycle with his son. Because it would be better, for me, for some mystery to be retained. If I am ever published, I would like to refuse to have a photo on the jacket of my book, and I would like to avoid being photographed in the press and on other media.
Not that it's likely to become an issue, but still. I believe in mystery.
posted by Anonymous at
Tuesday, November 04, 2003
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