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OT: Zen and the Art...
 

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Andy M-S
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 3377
Location: Hamden (greater New Haven) CT

8/13/13 5:27 AM

OT: Zen and the Art...

I'm re-reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance these days (thanks, Kindle reader!) and I'm curious as to other folks' reaction to it.

I first read it as an undergrad in 1979 (someone had left a copy in the office in which I was interning for the summer), and it left me with the distinct impression that function was more important than appearance (the famous beer-can shim). But that was a very limited thing to take away, I suspect.

If you've read it, when was that in your life, and what impact (if any) did it have on you, as far as you can determine?

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Pat Clancy
Joined: 13 Jan 2004
Posts: 1353
Location: Manchester, CT

8/13/13 6:02 AM

Introspection hurts

I've read it a couple of times, the first time well after my college days. Most recently was still 10 years or more ago, so I can not tell a lie - before responding i visited Wikipedia for a refresher. A poor man's version of Cliff Notes.

Pirsig was trying to reconcile the rational and the intuitive. But while I enjoyed the book and agreed with his view, I can't say it changed my life. Perhaps because I was already there in my half-assed fashion.

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dan emery
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 6884
Location: Maine

8/13/13 6:25 AM

haven't read it

But in the great tradition of the forum, that will not stop me from responding.

I have read Zen in the Art of Archery, which presumably inspired the title of the Pirsig book. It is a great book which I read in a college religion class and it significantly affected my thinking.

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Steve B.
Joined: 19 Jan 2004
Posts: 769
Location: Long Island, NY

8/13/13 6:50 AM

After almost 40 years in the technical side of theater, I still find Persigs descriptions of Classical and Romantic to be pretty much dead on. I have used those explanations to better deal with the various technical and artistic personalities I work with on a daily basis. It's almost comical some times how people so obviously fit one or the other. The result is I don't get overly frustrated with a person who classifies himself as a "technical problem solver", when it's obvious in short order that they have a romantic brain.

I also referred to the book this summer with my crew of 5 who where doing routine maintenance work on the stage lighting equipment for our facility. It's somewhat dreary assembly line work and as intelligent folks, they get bored. Two would desire to be watching a video on a laptop while working and I said NO. I explained the need to stay visually involved in the work I was paying them to do. I allowed music to be played, but had to explain the need to stay focused on the actual work of "fixing the motorcycle".

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Matthew Currie
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 800
Location: Vermont

8/13/13 8:42 AM

It's been a long long time since I read it, but I recall it to have been a fun read, and interesting, if not as philosophy, as a personal memoir and an observation about people and how they do things. I think (and thought long ago as well) that the more general conclusion about western philosophy having taken a wrong turn was arguable.

As I say, it's been a very long time since I read it, but I seem to recall one part I had an issue with was Pirsig's "classical" approach to systems, in which he describes the different systems of a motorcycle, without what I thought was a very important caveat, which is that the information can be organized in any number of different ways, many valid, depending on what you are trying to do.

Anyway, I found it a nice read, but I don't think it changed my life.

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daddy-o
Joined: 12 Apr 2004
Posts: 3307
Location: Springfield

8/13/13 12:13 PM

I took the philosophical systems for granted. What struck me was the tragedy of loss and the longing for his former self, his incredulousness that he, himself, had written anything profound.

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Wayne
Joined: 21 Jan 2004
Posts: 1475
Location: Newark, DE

8/13/13 4:33 PM

I read it at some point around college and I can't say I "got it" or it left much of an impression on me. I think it was Pirsig's next book, that I can't remember the title of, that left more of an impression on me but still I felt like I wasn't getting most of it.

As someone else mentioned Zen in the Art of Archery, if it's the one I'm thinking of, is more my speed.

Then again, my appreciation and what I get out of literature has matured substantially in the 20 years since college and I've thought about reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance again at some point.

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Evan Marks
Joined: 11 Jan 2004
Posts: 1652
Location: NYC

8/13/13 5:30 PM


quote:
I've thought about reading Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance again at some point.
Tried. Couldn't get past the first page.

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