A Guide to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

A Guide to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the publication of the book Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance by Robert Pirsig. It's a peculiar book, especially for a bestseller. Not a lot of it is actually about zen or motorcycle maintenance, it combines a travelogue, a father/son story, and philosophical musings, and the structure of its narration makes it hard to follow. Thus, it's the kind of book people often buy, start, and then put down without finishing.

That's initially what happened to Mark Richardson, an author and automotive journalist who was born in the UK but has lived most of his life in Canada. But when the book finally clicked for Mark, he was so inspired by it that he actually undertook Pirsig's motorcycle pilgrimage himself. Mark shares that story in Zen and Now, which intersperses stories from his own road trip with an exploration of Pirsig's life and famous book.

If you've wanted to read Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, but haven't been able to get into it, today Mark will offer an introduction to what it's all about. We discuss Pirsig's ideas on the metaphysics of quality and our relationship to technology, and how he tried to combine the ethos of Eastern and Western thought into a unified philosophy of living. We also get into why Mark wanted to recreate Pirsig's road trip, the joys of traveling by motorcycle, and what Mark learned along the way.

Resources Related to the PodcastConnect With Mark Richardson

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episoder(1158)

#376: When to Compete, When to Cooperate, and How to Succeed at Both

#376: When to Compete, When to Cooperate, and How to Succeed at Both

Being successful in life requires social adeptness. And part of that social adeptness is balancing two seemingly opposing social strategies: competing and cooperating. But how do you know which approa...

2 Feb 201846min

#375: The Misunderstood Machiavelli

#375: The Misunderstood Machiavelli

The ends justify the means. It’s better to be feared than loved. Politics have no relation to morals. These are just a few of the maxims the Italian writer Niccolo Machiavelli is well known for. The c...

30 Jan 201841min

#374: The Race to Break the 4-Minute Mile

#374: The Race to Break the 4-Minute Mile

You may have heard of Roger Bannister and his amazing feat of breaking the 4-minute mile mark in 1954. But the story leading up to this milestone of human performance often gets overlooked and is fill...

25 Jan 201843min

#373: The Leader's Bookshelf

#373: The Leader's Bookshelf

It’s been said “Leaders are readers.” But what should a leader read?My guest today set out to answer that question by polling 4-star generals and admirals in the U.S. military to get their best recomm...

23 Jan 201832min

#372: World Without Mind — The Existential Threat of Big Tech

#372: World Without Mind — The Existential Threat of Big Tech

During the past decade three companies have revolutionized the way we shop, socialize, and find information. I’m talking, of course, about Amazon, Facebook, and Google. While these companies have made...

18 Jan 201840min

#371: The Best Ways to Rehab From Injury

#371: The Best Ways to Rehab From Injury

#371: The Best Ways to Rehab From Injury by The Art of ManlinessSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

16 Jan 201859min

#370: The Era of Bright Expectations

#370: The Era of Bright Expectations

After WWII and before the Korean War, America experienced a short period free from the fear of war and conflict. People were optimistic about a future of peace and plenty. My guest today calls this ti...

11 Jan 201847min

#369: When — The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

#369: When — The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing

When it comes to planning for success, we tend to focus on the what and the how. For example, when we set our workout goals, we’ll come up with detailed plans on what exercises we’ll do; when we come ...

9 Jan 201838min

Populært innen Fakta

mikkels-paskenotter
fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
foreldreradet
treningspodden
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
jakt-og-fiskepodden
rss-bisarr-historie
hverdagspsyken
sinnsyn
gravid-uke-for-uke
fryktlos
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
rss-kunsten-a-leve
level-up-med-anniken-binz
rss-kull
takk-og-lov-med-anine-kierulf
hagespiren-podcast
uroskolen