Matthew Royal > Recent Status Updates

I don't disagree with a lot of Pirsig's insights about the role of analytical thinking and philosophy. He seems aware of a basic kind of systems thinking and semantics, but doesn't go into detail, so it feels like a primitive form of them. The most recent chapters are actually decent free associative meditations, and I'm interested in hearing more about why he was treated with shock treatments.

Irritated by the author's internal monologue. He's got a huge ego and a lot of typical selfishness for a man his era relating to his son: missing or discarding bids for connection, etc. Guess we haven't seen his Zen yet.

We're just getting into the philosophers who were also scoundrels. Mostly, because they weren't afraid to explore themselves; their "me." Interesting that Rousseau transitioned from self-narrative to the non-thinking, passive empiricism of "Reveries of a Solitary Walker": a huge advance in self-perception in just one man's lifetime.

Julian-era Christianity is terrifying. It was the Romans' polytheistic open mindedness and desire to serve all men equally and fairly under the law which was the downfall of their civilization. Decriminalizing other religions allowed Christianity to gain power. The Christians claimed the existence of the pagans as being persecution, drove out the broadminded philosophers, and literally burned temples to the ground.

Learning about Julian, and his comparative advantage in comparison to other emperors of Rome.

Must read the Red Book...