The way to see what looks good and understand the reasons it looks good, and to be at one with this goodness as the work proceeds, is to cultivate an inner quietness, a peace of mind so that goodness can shine through.
Robert M. PirsigRead
It's the dualistic ways of looking at things that produces the evil.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The evil in the world arises from the tendency to see things in binary terms rather than embracing complexity.
Robert M. Pirsig's quote suggests that the dualistic perspective—viewing the world in black and white—leads to misunderstandings and conflict. By failing to acknowledge the nuances and complexities of life, we create division and perpetuate negativity. This perspective emphasizes the importance of a broader understanding and acceptance of various viewpoints to mitigate evil and foster harmony.
Themes
DualismEvilPerspectiveUnderstandingComplexity
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about morality, one could reference this quote to argue against simplistic definitions of good and evil.
More from Robert M. Pirsig
All quotes →When analytic thought, the knife, is applied to experience, something is always killed in the process.
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The Buddha resides as comfortably in the circuits of a digital computer or the gears of a cycle transmission as he does at the top of a mountain.
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It's better not to see than to see wrongly.
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The truth knocks on the door and you say, go away, I'm looking for the truth, and it goes away. Puzzling.
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You want to know how to paint a perfect painting? It's easy. Make yourself perfect and then just paint naturally.
Robert M. PirsigRead
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