And what is good, Phaedrus,And what is not good -
Need we ask anyone to tell us these things?
Pirsig's Phaedrus, and Plato's Phaedrus.
I've known about Zen for quite sometime - my dad, who I'm constantly sharing books with, gave it to me almost two years ago now, and I had kind of forgotten about it until last year's spring semester, when we were discussing Phaedrus in Sexson's Mythologies class last year. My blog for that class period involving Phaedrus centered around a song, Nerina Pallot's "Idaho" which was and still is one of my favorite songs. In one lyric, she sings, "Tell me Phaedrus what's good, is it Idaho?" I'd been wondering exactly who the Phaedrus was that she was referencing for awhile, and thought I'd stumbled along the answer.
Dr. Sexson, however, pointed out the whole line before that one: "Mr. Robert he says it's all in the head/ Tell me Phaedrus what's good, is it Idaho?" And so went on to tell me about Robert Pirsig, and brought up Zen. Which left both of us wondering, and thinking, that Pallot had read Zen before she wrote this song. What are the odds?
Since them, I've been meaning to read the book and was thrilled when it showed up on the syllabus. And now, having gotten through part one, and begun to discover who Pirsig's Phaedrus is, I'm back thinking about that song, and what was going on in Pallot's life as she wrote this song.
I don't even know where to start. I could go research him, to find out why he made this trip, why he's chasing this ghost (which I'm itching to do) but I think I want to wait and discover along the way. And probably discuss a lot of it with my father, who dearly loves his Sportster 1200 custom, and who takes its maintenance seriously. I've never seen anyone but my dad work on that bike. And I don't think I ever will. Except for maybe me, if he'd teach me how this summer. I am a little miffed at Pirsig's generalization that "The dirt, the grease, the mastery of underlying form required all give it such a negative romantic appeal that women never go near it" (Pirsig, 71). Horseshit and codswallop. I know some women mechanics.
Enjoying the read, though, and excited to see where it goes.
Here's Nerina Pallot's "Idaho":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RlcDuRQSas
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Often times when I think about mythological illusions I think about other books, other forms of writing. Yet, it always amazes me to think about how many arias and symphonies share in that tradition. I have not heard the song you are talking about, but I am curious as to what you think the point of alluding to mythological beings/people is? In Zen he seems to be using metaphorically, but I wonder for what purpose? Why not use a historical figure (although Phaedrus could be both). I wonder what characteristics mythological people bring to stories, what great ancient secrets come from the past? I think in Zen their is so much focus on the past, as seen in the ghosts and I feel as though the author is using the illusion of Phaedrus as a tool to refer backwards. I am curious as to what he is reaching for back their. Professor Rydell in the History Department once stated, "History is a conversation about the past, in the present, for the future." I feel as though part 1 of Zen was that conversation about the past, and I am excited to see how it stretches out between the other two.
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