If a revolution destroys a systematic government, but the systematic patterns of thought that produced that government are left intact, then those patterns will repeat themselves in the succeeding government. Robert M. Pirsig More Quotes by Robert M. Pirsig More Quotes From Robert M. Pirsig Now the stream of our common consciousness seems to be obliterating its own banks, losing its central direction and purpose, flooding the lowlands, disconnecting and isolating the highlands and to no particular purpose other than the wasteful fulfillment of its own internal momentum Robert M. Pirsig momentum purpose losing If you don't generalize you don't philosophize. Robert M. Pirsig ifs ideas Science values static patterns. Robert M. Pirsig static patterns science A motorcycle functions entirely in accordance with the laws of reason, and a study of the art of motorcycle maintenance is really a miniature study of the art of rationality itself. Robert M. Pirsig motorcycle law art Laws of nature are human inventions, like ghosts. Laws of logic, or mathematics are also human inventions, like ghosts. The whole blessed thing is a human invention, including the idea that it isn't a human invention. Robert M. Pirsig blessed law ideas Boredom always precedes a period of great creativity. Robert M. Pirsig boredom creativity periods The Good was not a form of reality. It was reality itself, ever-changing, ultimately unknowable in any kind of fixed, rigid way. Robert M. Pirsig unity reality way Sanity is not truth. Sanity is conformity to what is socially expected. Truth is sometimes in conformity, sometimes not. Robert M. Pirsig independence health truth The more you look, the more you see. Robert M. Pirsig zen-motorcycle-maintenance looks I go on living, more from force of habit than anything else. Robert M. Pirsig habit goes-on life Good is a noun rather than an adjective. Robert M. Pirsig nouns adjectives unity That's the classical mind at work, runs fine inside but looks dingy on the surface. Robert M. Pirsig mind running looks For me, a writer should be more like a lighthouse keeper, just out there by himself. He shouldn't get his ideas from other people all around him. Robert M. Pirsig lighthouse people ideas Institutions such as schools, churches, governments and political organizations of every sort all tended to direct thought for ends other than truth, for the perpetuation of their own functions, and for the control of individuals in the service of these functions. Robert M. Pirsig government organization school An evolutionary morality argues that The North was right in pursuing that war because a nation is a higher form of evolution than a human body and the principle of human equality is an even higher form than a nation Robert M. Pirsig body principles war What keeps the world from reverting to the Neanderthal with each generation is the continuing, ongoing mythos... the huge body of common knowledge that unites our minds as cells are united in the body of man. Robert M. Pirsig cells mind men The best students always are flunking. Every good teacher knows that. Robert M. Pirsig very-good students teacher I really don't mind dying because I figure I haven't wasted this life. Robert M. Pirsig figures dying mind It's nice to start journeys pleasantly, even when you know they won't end that way. Robert M. Pirsig nice journey way Of course, the laws of science contain no matter and have no energy either and therefore do not exist except in people's minds. It's best to be completely scientific about the whole thing and refuse to believe in either ghosts or the laws of science. That way you're safe. That doesn't leave you very much to believe in, but that's scientific too. Robert M. Pirsig law believe people
