Wisdom II... the other kind

"He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot, but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot."

Another kind of wisdom from the eminent Groucho. Perhaps a prophetic reference to a certain Chief Executive we all know and love?

Quality

"My personal feeling is that this is how any further improvement of the world will be done: by individuals making Quality decisions and that's all... We've had that individual Quality in the past, exploited it as a natural resource without knowing it, and now it's just about depleted. Everyone's just about out of gumption. And I think it's about time to return to the rebuilding of this American resource--individual worth. There are political reactionaries who've been saying something close to this for years. I'm not one of them, but to the extent they're talking about real individual worth and not just an excuse for giving more money to the rich, they're right. We do need a return to individual integrity, self-reliance and old-fashioned gumption. We really do. I hope that in this Chautauqua some directions have been pointed to."

--Robert M. Pirsig, Zen and The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, 1974

Objectivism

I wonder if Objectivism is all one needs to be happy. I somehow doubt that is the only thing. There are many pieces missing.

I have no doubt one can be happy as an Objectivist, but will one always be happy as an Objectivist. If not, what more is needed? What are the missing pieces? The real goal is, after all, happiness.

But I suppose just knowing what you need to be happy doesn't make it magically appear.

Wisdom

Wisdom is a strange quality. It is separate from knowledge, somehow separate from common sense. The only way to gain it may be living through and understanding painful experiences.

Philosophy

I sometimes wonder if this is actually a search for a new philosophy, or if this is simply a search for someone who has said what I already believe.