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General Category => General Discussion => Topic started by: clubman on April 24, 2017, 05:08:04 PM
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Passed away today, age 88, at his home in South Benwick, Maine. Million selling author of "Zen and The Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance" More about life passages that turning wrenches, it was still thought provoking whether you were interested in bikes or not.
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His descriptions of mechanical processes and the human interaction with machines are words to live by...I guess my opinion of BMW riders was always colored by his insights into his BMW-riding friends...so long, Mr. Pirsig :bow:
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Just started reading his book a few weeks back. Gotta put it down and read something else and come back to it, is what you have to do.
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I never really thought about reading Zen; should I?
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It is a long slog if you find yourself not liking the author...the book is mostly a personal journey in search of Quality...the motorcycle sections are riveting reading for me...the sections where he deals with his mental illness are what the critics raved about but I preferred his deliberations on motorcycle maintenance and the human-machine interface...YMMV
It IS worth reading but not just a motorcycle travelogue by any means...HTH
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I never really thought about reading Zen; should I?
You're a scholar, Chad.. why not?
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Just started reading his book a few weeks back. Gotta put it down and read something else and come back to it, is what you have to do.
Excellent advice.
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Awww darn, he was an interesting guy.
Just started reading his book a few weeks back. Gotta put it down and read something else and come back to it, is what you have to do.
My method was to put it in the reading room, where I'd get about ten minutes farther through it each morning. I actually just read it last year.
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You're a scholar, Chad.. why not?
I shouldn't have said it that way, I have considered in passing reading it several times over the years, but never seriously.
The pic of he and his son on a Honda 350?, really draws my attention. I did a couple rides like that on the back of my Dads /7 in 81/82, important and cherished memories for me.
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Tried - but never could get through it. Seemed, IMHO, mostly self-absorbed drivel, boring to the point of nausea.
Let the flames begin. :violent1: :whip2:
But R.I.P. nonetheless.
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Oh, I had no idea that he was living in South Berwick... Sad indeed.
Rest in Peace Robert.
I shall go read Zen one more time, been years anyway.
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I shouldn't have said it that way, I have considered in passing reading it several times over the years, but never seriously.
The pic of he and his son on a Honda 350?, really draws my attention. I did a couple rides like that on the back of my Dads /7 in 81/82, important and cherished memories for me.
Actual, a Honda 305 Superhawk, aka CB77.
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/a7/ae/e3/a7aee35ca40fd9f685451936e5b3028c.jpg)
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/64/f3/af/64f3af016cc8d7d9c7f2f2d47855d2c4.jpg)
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I read it when I was 20 and didn't like it.
Read it again at 50, and now knew what he was saying.
It is deserving of all the accolades.
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Zen is a tricky book to read . Pirsig was really just exorcising his own demons . He spoke at Stephen F Austin U in 1982 , and he discussed the idea that the book wasn't really meant for commercial consumption . Even he wasn't sure what it really meant , and kind of laughed at the notion that the work had any great meaning . Self absorbed , well maybe , but in effect the novel was him talking to himself , and that type of writing always appears self absorbed . He even said later that his own self perception of the trip was off.
in the book he writes about how Chris (his son) didn't enjoy the adventure . Chris told him before he was killed by a mugger that he was surprised at that , stating he had greatly enjoyed the journey . If you REALLY want to delve into weirdness , try reading Pirsig's next book , titled Lila , now there is some true strange stuff :laugh:
RIP Bob , and thanks for adding to my motorcycle experience , tell Chris I said hi .
Dusty
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I've got about half a dozen books that are all ostensibly about motorcycling - but not really - sitting on top of the media column in my living room.
Zen is one of them. It sits next to Neal Peart's Ghost Rider, and Guevara's Motorcycle Diaries, to name a couple. It's easy to pre-judge or misunderstand any of them, but they're all worth reading.
Thank you, Mr Pirsig...
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Agree 100%. Loved the book-read it 6 times as philosophy is a friend to me. And that's the whole second part of the book.
The section on gravity being a ghost is a compelling thought if there ever was one.
The sub title says it all. "An inquiry into values."
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I started "Zen..." because it seemed to be about motorcycles. When I finished it I didn't know any more about bikes, but I knew the difference between a dialectic and a rhetoric. I learned about Socrates and Phaedrus and that there is a world of difference between what is "excellent" to the world at-large and what your personal standards are. A tough read for sure, but great insights for folks who want to realize their potential.
It's like Ben Franklin said, "There are three things extremely hard: steel, a diamond...and to know one's self." Godspeed Mr. Pirsig.
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"And what is good, Phaedrus, need we someone to tell us these things?"
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a good book, but very dense reading. Hard to run thru in a sitting, not really a page-turner.... I've enjoyed reading chunks over the years, often reading the same passages over and over. It's a philosophy book, not a motorcycle book, and it goes down a lot easier if you approach it as such. Between the connection to Montana, some really excellent passages, and my experiences with a mentally ill parent, I love it... I'm on about my 4-5th copy, I keep loaning it out and never getting it back.
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I never really thought about reading Zen; should I?
My old boss gave me a copy when I retired. I've never gotten around to it. Retirement is busy.
My boss was a nice guy, an AF Lt Col. He made sure that my retirement announcement had this inscription: "What a long strange trip it's been."
yeah, I should read it.
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It is a long slog if you find yourself not liking the author...the book is mostly a personal journey in search of Quality...the motorcycle sections are riveting reading for me...the sections where he deals with his mental illness are what the critics raved about but I preferred his deliberations on motorcycle maintenance and the human-machine interface...YMMV
It IS worth reading but not just a motorcycle travelogue by any means...HTH
Agreed! Well said!
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Pirsig was really just using motorcycles as a tool to explain how he learned to deal with life. No doubt the book is a tough read , and every time I read it it means something a bit different . To some extent he helped legitimize the idea that motorcycling is more than just riding a motorcycle . Or put another way ,
Motorcycles are the lazy man's Zen
Dusty
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Well, after all, the title is 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' - and not the reverse! :wink:
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On more than one occasion, I have given copies of his book to promising young mechanics.
That and "The Sand Pebbles".
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I remember somewhere in the book he talked about "value rigidity"because he was cutting a beer can to use as a shim on his riding partners bike and his partner was appalled that he would even consider using non standard material on his BMW even though it was the perfect fix on the road.I thought at the time(at least 35 years ago) it was an intense study of the very nature of human reasoning.I have my old copy right here and will start reading tonight.
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Tried - but never could get through it. Seemed, IMHO, mostly self-absorbed drivel, boring to the point of nausea.
Let the flames begin. :violent1: :whip2:
But R.I.P. nonetheless.
First and fore most - R.I.P. Robert...and Godspeed.
But as I recall back in the day, the book was definitely a real snoozer (IMHO) and it definitely "dragged", and I got through it, but it was'nt very uplifting at all (IMHO) :rolleyes: :shocked: :huh:
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Might be time to try again. Or not, as the case may be.
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First and fore most - R.I.P. Robert...and Godspeed.
But as I recall back in the day, the book was definitely a real snoozer (IMHO) and it definitely "dragged", and I got through it, but it was'nt very uplifting at all (IMHO) :rolleyes: :shocked: :huh:
The book is more interesting once you know more of his life and what went on. His mental illness and barbaric shock therapy, the beginning signs of mental illness in his son, and the son's tragic death, etc.
Like many good books, an accompanying text that fills in the gaps makes for a better understandings (at least for my limited mind).
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The book is more interesting once you know more of his life and what went on. His mental illness and barbaric shock therapy, the beginning signs of mental illness in his son, and the son's tragic death, etc.
Like many good books, an accompanying text that fills in the gaps makes for a better understandings (at least for my limited mind).
Thanks for this info...I never knew any of this about him...so will research more now. No wonder...poor soul!
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His mental illness and barbaric shock therapy...
Agreed that indiscriminate use of shock therapy is barbaric. On the other hand, it's still used today, and can give a person who is unable to cope with life, and who has not been helped by other treatments, a chance to be relatively normal. Now it's known as electroconvulsive therapy, ECT.
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Agreed that indiscriminate use of shock therapy is barbaric. On the other hand, it's still used today, and can give a person who is unable to cope with life, and who has not been helped by other treatments, a chance to be relatively normal. Now it's known as electroconvulsive therapy, ECT.
I still "cringe" when I visualize that scene from "One Flew Over The Cukoo's Nest" where they zapped poor Jack Nicholson!!
What happened later on was even MORE barbaric - - the frontal lobotomy...just like what Joe Kennedy did to poor Rose... :rolleyes: :shocked: :shocked: :shocked: :shocked:
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Neither Zen or Ghost Rider are easy reads for most of us. That said, does not mean they are not worth reading. Zen is kind of like a religious text that can show different meanings and insights every time it is read.
Ghost Rider is much less abstract but a lot of emotions exposed and the "soul laid bare" style of writing is commendable. Having lost my first wife at middle age I can sort of relate but losing both wife and daughter in a short period of time is just unimaginable.
GliderJohn
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Aside from some passionate discussions about motor oil, there have been 2 lengthy threads on this board that I have noticed. One is the discussion on steel cut oats and the other on Pirsig's book, Zen. Both have been interesting and entertaining threads to me (only on WildGuzzi can you find such great banter!). Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance seems to work on many levels for the readers, like all great works of art. I started the book in my 20s and finished it in my 40s. It was a slow start but once I really got into it, I couldn't put it down. The book touches on some heavy duty intellectual ideas but also appealed to me as a motorcycle travelogue. Overall, an epic(!!!) book and certainly one of the best reads I have come across to date. RIP Mr. Pirsig.
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The book is more interesting once you know more of his life and what went on. His mental illness and barbaric shock therapy, the beginning signs of mental illness in his son, and the son's tragic death, etc.
Like many good books, an accompanying text that fills in the gaps makes for a better understandings (at least for my limited mind).
Seem to remember all of that is contained in the book , no need for accompanying texts. In fact at one point Chris asks him if he had really been crazy , and he tells him no .
Dusty
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RIP Mr. Pirsig.
Thanks for the book.
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Seem to remember all of that is contained in the book , no need for accompanying texts. In fact at one point Chris asks him if he had really been crazy , and he tells him no .
Dusty
The book mentions some things, intinates at others, and doesn't tell you what happened in the future.
This info helps you understand Pirsig, what he's feeling/saying. There's a couple of books about this text. Some are better than others, but all are helpful.
Of course there's also the approach that the book should be read and understood as a stand-alone piece.
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Amazing book, Zen & the art, just amazing.
I bought it on my way home from school when I was 16, because it said motorcycle on the front, and I thought it might be bikey, rebellious and sexy. It sort of was some of those things, but not in the way I imagined. I absolutely loved it, and still do.
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RIP Robert M. Pirsig. I've read about 25 years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4Wg_2gkNBQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4Wg_2gkNBQ)
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RIP Robert M. Pirsig. I've read about 25 years ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4Wg_2gkNBQ (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4Wg_2gkNBQ)
Welcome to WG.. :smiley:
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Welcome to WG.. :smiley:
Thanks Chuck! I have read many years. This forum is the greatest! :thumb:
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Believe it or not Zen was required reading for an astronomy course I attended. The professor never convinced me of the connection. Like others I found it ponderous but a few sections were profound for me and it was worth the read.
Bill
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I was inspired to take the same route in 1977 and again in 2003 with my 13 yo son onthe back of my 1100 cal.We barely got all our camping gear etc on that bike.Pirsig had all the stuff plus cooking gear!
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I read it when I was 20 and didn't like it.
Read it again at 50, and now knew what he was saying.
It is deserving of all the accolades.
I started reading it when I was 17 because I wanted to know about motorcycle maintenance and borrowed it at the library... lasted the first chapter.
Second attempt was in my early 30'ies when I met my later to be wife, it was an old book on her Mother's bookshelf and I thought it would be cool to read it... I lasted about 1/3 until the section where the author's other self comes to life
3rd attempt was last year when I was 48, I was on a trip to Sweden and sitting at night reading it (my now long-time passed Mother in-Law's book) alone in a small cottage in the rural forests with wife, 4 kids (and a Guzzi) finally made me mature enough to get all the way through.
It's a crazy book but if you're in the right mood it really talks to you. And the description of his concern with modern society and the disconnection between people and reality could have been written yesterday... in fact i's 40yrs ago. Scary and fascinating at the same time and a lot of the "theory" about what makes a good and a bad mechanics seems logic to me and in many ways what I've discovered myself over the years too.
I think it's a new book every time you pick it up any you may read it 20 times and still get something new out of it every time.
BTW, the Danish book has a kind of a T3 Guzzi on the main page, I think that was one of the reasons my 17yr old younger me picked it first time? At least I remember the disappointment discovering he was riding a Honda and not one of the nice Italian V2's when I read it first time.
(http://thumb.ibb.co/cBOhFb/zen.jpg) (http://ibb.co/cBOhFb)
One of my "to do things" is to follow in Robert and Chris' path one day... taking the trip as close as possible https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=1fZYIR0GFhBtVC_YxgvZk9pwg93A&hl=en_US&ll=42.558245684029636%2C-108.48973699999999&z=5
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Picked it up again as a result of this thread. Over half way thru it....
Seems a lot more coherent now than it did to me 40 years ago.
Hmmmm...........
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I read it every few years, each time I get a little more out of it.
That's one book I won't give away.
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I've bought it twice.
I've read it twice.
I've leant it out twice.
I've never got it back twice.
Might be time for a third one....
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I've bought it twice.
I've read it twice.
I've leant it out twice.
I've never got it back twice.
Might be time for a third one....
Same thing happened to me. Need a third copy!
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Got my Yamaha XS 750 Special new in 79, Read Zen during college spring break in 80 to learn more about Fixing my own bike, ended up planning and taking a couple week ride out to the Rockies with my wife on back just to see what this touring stuff and getting in touch with that inner beast was all about. I attribute part of our 40 years of continued touring and doing all the work on all of our bikes to the Zens influence. One of the most important points I learned, “ stay away from shops where the mechanics are zipper heads blasting out mind numbing tunes “.
RIP Mr.Robert
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After reading of Mr Pirsig's passing this spring I walked over to the bookshelf to get the copy of the book I had put aside many years ago. To my surprise it was nowhere to be found. My paperbound copy had been a fixture for so long with the other books I meant to get back to... That day, I went to the used book shop and bought a nice, clean, hardbound, 25th anniversary edition (1999 ) for three bucks!
The reading was much easier, 40 years after my first attempt. I finished it in less than a week. It's definitely worth reading and will remain with the books I intend to read again.
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Pirsig's Honda is headed to the Smithsonian .
Dusty
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Pirsig's Honda is headed to the Smithsonian .
Dusty
That is awesome. People that did not know will ask who he was, he will live on.
Rob
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Thanks for that Dusty, now I have an excuse to go back to the Smithsonian :thumb:
https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/zen-motorcycle-takes-final-journey-smithsonians-collections (https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/zen-motorcycle-takes-final-journey-smithsonians-collections)
Paul B :boozing:
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I've read 'Zen' about 8 times, given it as a gift more times than that.
Read 'Lila' 3 or 4 times as well.
If you have any interest in philosophy and self-examination, it's required reading.
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I remember somewhere in the book he talked about "value rigidity"because he was cutting a beer can to use as a shim on his riding partners bike and his partner was appalled that he would even consider using non standard material on his BMW even though it was the perfect fix on the road.I thought at the time(at least 35 years ago) it was an intense study of the very nature of human reasoning.I have my old copy right here and will start reading tonight.
Been awhile since I read it but what stuck in my mind was his changing the Honda Super Hawk's oil by draining it on the ground in a parking lot. My how bikes and times have changed. A challenging read of his personal story.
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Been awhile since I read it but what stuck in my mind was his changing the Honda Super Hawk's oil by draining it on the ground in a parking lot. My how bikes and times have changed. A challenging read of his personal story.
The bacteria in the ground thrive on oil, a source of carbon.
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The bacteria in the ground thrive on oil, a source of carbon.
Well OK Then. My 96 Land Rover Discovery, celebrating 50 years of putting oil back in the ground, is a good thing. As are most older Harleys. :boozing:
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I read it as a young man and it helped me to understand MY reality and everyone else' reality isn't the same. Transferred this newfound knowledge to my job and found out satisfying the perception of others beat trying to force MY satisfaction on others. Made life/work a lot more bearable. RIP :bike-037:
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Like giving a person drugs who's crazy, I never understood how poking ice picks into a person's brains or frying his frontal lobes helps in any way. I guess turning someone into a vegetable makes them look less threatening or awful. Walking dead.
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Tough crowd here. I tried read Zen 3 or 4 times. Waaay over my head just like some modern art when a docent has to tell me that it is "whatever". No, when I look at a painting my eyes can tell if it is a horse.
Tex
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(https://images.booksense.com/images/618/270/9781559270618.jpg)
Way better book IMO.
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(https://images.booksense.com/images/618/270/9781559270618.jpg)
Way better book IMO.
Concerning Zen, both books say the same things. Although, for those that don't want to over think it (Pirsig's "High country of the mind"), Zen in the Art of Archery is only 81 pages!
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Tried - but never could get through it. Seemed, IMHO, mostly self-absorbed drivel, boring to the point of nausea.
Let the flames begin. :violent1: :whip2:
But R.I.P. nonetheless.
First and foremost, R.I.P. Robert...and Godspeed...
However, I agree 100% with wrbix about "Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance." It was a bad read overall...and I barely got through it without a headache at the end... :shocked: :rolleyes: :huh:
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First and foremost, R.I.P. Robert...and Godspeed...
However, I agree 100% with wrbix about "Zen and Art of Motorcycle Maintenance." It was a bad read overall...and I barely got through it without a headache at the end... :shocked: :rolleyes: :huh:
I disagree , it is a great read , it will tie your mind in knots at times , but untying those knots is part of the fun . Have probably given away ten copies and received very different reviews , five have been forever grateful , the other five have never forgiven me . It is a difficult read , and has very little to do with Zen or motorcycle maintenance , beyond the mindset involved in finding the path to either .
"The only Zen you will find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you take up there" Kinda profound don't you think ?
Dusty
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Yes, guess what? That book IS zen...
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I didn't think Zen was a hard read however you need,(helps),to be in the right frame of mind,but then I like Homer which can be tedious.
:-)
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If someone thinks Pirsig's "Zen" is a hard read, then by all means stay clear of Melville's Moby Dick or Mary Shelly's Frankenstein. Now those are hard reads!
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The philosophical essence of the book came down (for me) to the discussion of Quality. Quality which is good vs Quality which is a characteristic.
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As long as we are on the subject of famous (and deceased) writers, I'll add a bit of Guzzi content (convoluted as it may be). I just finished "The Betrothed" by Alessandro Manzoni. In the the book is a character with a name many of you will recognize: Griso! In the book, he is a thoroughly dislikable fellow. A thug and henchman for his wealthy master, "the unnamed." The story takes place in the 16th century around Milan and Lecco south of Lake Como.
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I disagree , it is a great read , it will tie your mind in knots at times , but untying those knots is part of the fun . Have probably given away ten copies and received very different reviews , five have been forever grateful , the other five have never forgiven me . It is a difficult read , and has very little to do with Zen or motorcycle maintenance , beyond the mindset involved in finding the path to either .
"The only Zen you will find on the tops of mountains is the Zen you take up there" Kinda profound don't you think ?
Dusty
Fair enough...but these days, if I want a REAL "Zen-like-moment", I'll go for a hike around my neighborhood - in color or in black & white! :cool: :smiley: :thumb: :wink:
(https://i.ibb.co/GkFYCLr/IMG-1210.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GkFYCLr) (https://i.ibb.co/7Rkfm7N/IMG-1207.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7Rkfm7N) (https://i.ibb.co/5kmhZD9/IMG-1202.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5kmhZD9) (https://i.ibb.co/hFbjMQh/IMG-1201.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hFbjMQh) (https://i.ibb.co/dG0zHcz/IMG-1200.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dG0zHcz) (https://i.ibb.co/Jqfgp0h/IMG-1199.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Jqfgp0h) (https://i.ibb.co/qYdLDDJ/IMG-1197.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qYdLDDJ) (https://i.ibb.co/sWGmt8J/DSC-0017.jpg) (https://ibb.co/sWGmt8J)
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Fair enough...but these days, if I want a REAL "Zen-like-moment", I'll go for a hike around my neighborhood - in color or in black & white! :cool: :smiley: :thumb: :wink:
(https://i.ibb.co/GkFYCLr/IMG-1210.jpg) (https://ibb.co/GkFYCLr) (https://i.ibb.co/7Rkfm7N/IMG-1207.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7Rkfm7N) (https://i.ibb.co/5kmhZD9/IMG-1202.jpg) (https://ibb.co/5kmhZD9) (https://i.ibb.co/hFbjMQh/IMG-1201.jpg) (https://ibb.co/hFbjMQh) (https://i.ibb.co/dG0zHcz/IMG-1200.jpg) (https://ibb.co/dG0zHcz) (https://i.ibb.co/Jqfgp0h/IMG-1199.jpg) (https://ibb.co/Jqfgp0h) (https://i.ibb.co/qYdLDDJ/IMG-1197.jpg) (https://ibb.co/qYdLDDJ) (https://i.ibb.co/sWGmt8J/DSC-0017.jpg) (https://ibb.co/sWGmt8J)
Pirsig spoke to that , the quote about finding Zen was a direct reference to seeking out real experience IE riding a motorcycle exposed to the elements as opposed to sitting in a climate controlled car . He mentioned that he still smoked , and when people asked why he stated it was because he enjoyed smoking . Underlying the entire book is how having real experiences fraught with danger is the way to go .
Dusty
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As long as we are on the subject of famous (and deceased) writers, I'll add a bit of Guzzi content (convoluted as it may be). I just finished "The Betrothed" by Alessandro Manzoni. In the the book is a character with a name many of you will recognize: Griso! In the book, he is a thoroughly dislikable fellow. A thug and henchman for his wealthy master, "the unnamed." The story takes place in the 16th century around Milan and Lecco south of Lake Como.
I was under the impression that the (Moto Guzzi) Griso was named after this character.
I've not read this book- I should pick it up.
And RIP Robert Pirsig. I enjoyed Zen when I read it at 18 years old, living on my own in a tent, although I remember parts of it as being tedious. I wonder how I would feel about it now.
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The philosophical essence of the book came down (for me) to the discussion of Quality. Quality which is good vs Quality which is a characteristic.
That was the message that I took from the book; that everything could be described and quantified by one word, quality, mediocrity shouldn't be the goal in anything.
fwiw
Kelly
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After reading some of these comments, I have decided to enter the VORTEX and hibernate for awhile... :laugh: :grin: :wink: :rolleyes: :embarrassed: :shocked: :huh:
Happy (ZEN) Holidays to all!! :wink: :thumb: :cool: :boozing:
(https://i.ibb.co/WVtFrTt/IMG-6159.jpg) (https://ibb.co/WVtFrTt)
(https://i.ibb.co/CVSxdXr/IMG-6154.jpg) (https://ibb.co/CVSxdXr)
(https://i.ibb.co/FnSYspv/IMG-6052.jpg) (https://ibb.co/FnSYspv)
(https://i.ibb.co/X5WSb9t/IMG-0182.jpg) (https://ibb.co/X5WSb9t)
(https://i.ibb.co/h2MH986/IMG-0181.jpg) (https://ibb.co/h2MH986)
(https://i.ibb.co/7RHCqqN/IMG-0127.jpg) (https://ibb.co/7RHCqqN)
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A great treatise on self-awareness and personal excellence. Those damned dialectics ruin everything...find your own level of achievement!
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It is an ancient cyclist, and he roadith one of three...by thy long grey beard and glittering eye wherefor thou stoppith thou me.
The trooper there then staid his hand..his hand then droppith he. The cyclist then snapped his red suspenders and o his journey continued he. :grin:
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Interestingly enough , Pirsig himself stated years later he wasn't really sure what the book was really all about . Maybe like so many books or Beatles songs , it can mean many things , dunno .
Dusty
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Interestingly enough , Pirsig himself stated years later he wasn't really sure what the book was really all about . Maybe like so many books or Beatles songs , it can mean many things , dunno .
Dusty
The title is an apparent play on the title of the 1948 book Zen in the Art of Archery by Eugen Herrigel. In its introduction, Pirsig explains that, despite its title, "it should in no way be associated with that great body of factual information relating to orthodox Zen Buddhist practice. It's not very factual on motorcycles, either."
Pirsig received a remarkable 126 rejections before an editor finally accepted it for publication--and he did so thinking it would never make a bit of profit. Then it was on best-selling lists for decades. Initially, the book sold at least 5 million copies worldwide.[2]
(https://i.ibb.co/ZKnDBvM/Screen-Shot-2019-12-24-at-10-18-35-AM.png) (https://ibb.co/ZKnDBvM)