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.produKt

Wisdom best posted here

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.produKt
, 21st August 2010 at 11:28 (1904 Views)
Robert M. Pirsig's book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance (1974) was a paean celebrating motorcycling.
Pirsig contrasted the sense of connection experienced by motorcyclists with the isolation of drivers who are "always in a compartment", passively observing the passing landscape.

In contrast, Pirsig argues that a motorcyclist is "completely in contact with it all... in the scene." The process and experience of motorcycling forces the rider into the present. The environment of the road engulfs the senses, and the need for constant awareness fills the mind. The total involvement in motorcycling leaves little room for worrying about tomorrow, or second-guessing yesterday.

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General Bike Ravings

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  1. Spearfish's Avatar
    There was an interesting small section about the difference between the main character touring with his son and riding a bike he could maintain himself and feeling more comfortable because he could and the other couple who were more comfortable with very modern technology but needing specialised maintenance so couldn't work on it himself.
    When riding he could imagine all the parts of the bike doing their job and what they would need after a ride whereas the other couple couldn't give a shyt how it all works for the money they paid it had better keep running.
  2. tamarillo's Avatar
    2 books in 1. I read it all once, then every second chapter to read bike trip then again on his personal journey of his past psychosis. I have to say it has little to do with real Zen but I get his point... one of the great bike books.