I'm with you haha, I went on a tiny free library adventure Sunday in my town and found a bunch of old pulp sci fi novels and books to get me off the news cycle.
My fascination with Pirsig has been a good distraction, really want to read his other book Lila once the library opens again. I don't think there's been a philosopher like him in decades or more...since some of the classics...since what, Sartre, Nietzche? Earlier still?
Really depends how you define philosopher, but perhaps. Ken Wilbur comes to mind. Frederick Laloux. David Abrams. Robin Wall Kimmerer doesn't refer to herself as a philosopher, but you crack open Braiding Sweetgrass and you can see immediately that she is.
Obviously the only thing that matters is who's the most widely read. ;)
So, yeah, I guess Pirsig takes the cake.
Also, can't forget the Eastern philosophers: Thich Nhat Hanh, Pema Chodron. Dalai Lama? etc.
YAYYYY, beefing up my reading list. I just added Braiding Sweetgrass to my library holds a few days ago. I'm not a huge philosophy buff, just dipping my toes in so I am glad you shared some new ones.
I guess I meant in terms of new theses or philosophies but I may be wrong there. I've read the Eastern ones (duh, totally forgot to think of that) but their work was kind of a continuation of an existing school of thought (to me at least) rather than an attempt to blaze a new trail
Interesting. Genius is fascinating. It seems sometimes there is sometimes an overlap with what we call mental illness and most of the time results in trouble coping with the world and usual regular humans. I want to try to read Zen again ( I didn't get through it years ago) and check out ZAMM.
Interesting character. I tried ZAMM about 25 years ago and wasn’t that into it. I think it’s worth trying again after reading Pirsig’s story. Genius is such an fascinating and frightening state. He reminds me of David Foster Wallace.
I first read ZAMM about 35 years ago, in my early 20s. I read it as a book on philosophy and as a story of a man trying to rebuild his relationship with his son. As an avid motorcyclist, I also liked the setting of the story being a motorcycle tour. Years later I reread the book, and having, in the meantime, some mental health problems similar to Pirsig's, but fortunately not quite as severe, I also read it from the perspective of a mental health advocate encountering a story of mental health recovery. I would strongly recommend this book. I read Lila once, as opposed to the three times I've read ZAMM, it just failed to make an impression. Worth reading, but just not the same thing. But how could it be?
Very interesting. I remember picking up the book at a thrift store many years ago. I was into riding motorcycles and Buddhism and thought it would be a cool read, however, it never grabbed me. I would certainly be curious to look at it now. A brilliant mind, like exceptional beauty, almost seems a curse.
Read Zen recently and was really entranced by it, the theory of quality as well as the writing style where they don't deign to oversimplify. It's nice to be challenged by a book now and then.
The story of Pirsigs life is just as fascinating. Fascinated by his relentless focus for understanding and self assessment.
I really want this to win AOTD. We all need to remember to take breaks from thinking about you-know-what.
I'm with you haha, I went on a tiny free library adventure Sunday in my town and found a bunch of old pulp sci fi novels and books to get me off the news cycle.
My fascination with Pirsig has been a good distraction, really want to read his other book Lila once the library opens again. I don't think there's been a philosopher like him in decades or more...since some of the classics...since what, Sartre, Nietzche? Earlier still?
Really depends how you define philosopher, but perhaps. Ken Wilbur comes to mind. Frederick Laloux. David Abrams. Robin Wall Kimmerer doesn't refer to herself as a philosopher, but you crack open Braiding Sweetgrass and you can see immediately that she is.
Obviously the only thing that matters is who's the most widely read. ;)
So, yeah, I guess Pirsig takes the cake.
Also, can't forget the Eastern philosophers: Thich Nhat Hanh, Pema Chodron. Dalai Lama? etc.
YAYYYY, beefing up my reading list. I just added Braiding Sweetgrass to my library holds a few days ago. I'm not a huge philosophy buff, just dipping my toes in so I am glad you shared some new ones.
I guess I meant in terms of new theses or philosophies but I may be wrong there. I've read the Eastern ones (duh, totally forgot to think of that) but their work was kind of a continuation of an existing school of thought (to me at least) rather than an attempt to blaze a new trail
what is it about us westerners always blazing new trails?
bred into us by too many westerns & cowboy iconoclasts?
Yup! Plus you can go even deeper back to Napoleon, Alexander the Great, Odysseus, etc.
Interesting. Genius is fascinating. It seems sometimes there is sometimes an overlap with what we call mental illness and most of the time results in trouble coping with the world and usual regular humans. I want to try to read Zen again ( I didn't get through it years ago) and check out ZAMM.
lolol. 90% of people I know (including me): "I started it but couldn't really get into it." Maybe we should all just let it go!
My thoughts on reading (anything): If it doesn't grab you by the throat and drag you along - let it go. The best stuff won't let you go.
Interesting character. I tried ZAMM about 25 years ago and wasn’t that into it. I think it’s worth trying again after reading Pirsig’s story. Genius is such an fascinating and frightening state. He reminds me of David Foster Wallace.
I first read ZAMM about 35 years ago, in my early 20s. I read it as a book on philosophy and as a story of a man trying to rebuild his relationship with his son. As an avid motorcyclist, I also liked the setting of the story being a motorcycle tour. Years later I reread the book, and having, in the meantime, some mental health problems similar to Pirsig's, but fortunately not quite as severe, I also read it from the perspective of a mental health advocate encountering a story of mental health recovery. I would strongly recommend this book. I read Lila once, as opposed to the three times I've read ZAMM, it just failed to make an impression. Worth reading, but just not the same thing. But how could it be?
✌️🆙
Very interesting. I remember picking up the book at a thrift store many years ago. I was into riding motorcycles and Buddhism and thought it would be a cool read, however, it never grabbed me. I would certainly be curious to look at it now. A brilliant mind, like exceptional beauty, almost seems a curse.
I'm on a brilliant iconoclast kick lately...
Read Zen recently and was really entranced by it, the theory of quality as well as the writing style where they don't deign to oversimplify. It's nice to be challenged by a book now and then.
The story of Pirsigs life is just as fascinating. Fascinated by his relentless focus for understanding and self assessment.