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.

Avsnitt(1158)

#392: How Jesuit Spirituality Can Improve Your Life

#392: How Jesuit Spirituality Can Improve Your Life

#392: How Jesuit Spirituality Can Improve Your Life 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-inf...

29 Mars 201849min

#391: Micronutrients, Genetics, and Preventing Age-Related Diseases

#391: Micronutrients, Genetics, and Preventing Age-Related Diseases

When you think about diet and nutrition, you probably think about carbs, proteins, and fats. These macronutrients play a huge role in athletic performance and whether you gain or lose weight. But food...

27 Mars 201841min

#390: Why Insults Sting and How to Handle Them

#390: Why Insults Sting and How to Handle Them

Insults are a part of the human experience. We insult others and we get insulted back. Social media has only amplified our tendency to ridicule one another, and increased our likelihood of being on th...

22 Mars 201853min

#389: What It Means to Be a Quiet Professional

#389: What It Means to Be a Quiet Professional

We live in a time of hype and self-aggrandizement. But my guest today argues that what the world needs more of are quiet professionals -- people who’s only focus is to get the job done well. His name ...

20 Mars 201845min

#388: Why Group Culture Is So Important to Success

#388: Why Group Culture Is So Important to Success

Have you ever been part of an organization where everyone and everything just seemed to click? People are motivated and things get done. Contrast that experience with being part of an organization tha...

15 Mars 201845min

#387: Think Like a Poker Player to Make Better Decisions

#387: Think Like a Poker Player to Make Better Decisions

It’s been said that life is a series of decisions. But life is complex and filled with randomness and uncertainty. How do you make decisions when 1) you don’t know everything you need to know to make ...

13 Mars 201855min

#386: The Rise and Fall of the American Heavyweight

#386: The Rise and Fall of the American Heavyweight

With boxing on the wane in America for the past twenty some odd years, it’s easy to forget how much of a cultural juggernaut it was for much of the 20th century. Boxing was not only a common recreatio...

8 Mars 20181h 13min

#385: Learning How to Learn

#385: Learning How to Learn

When you study for a test or you’re trying to learn a new skill, what’s your typical approach? If you’re like most people, you might repeat facts over and over again or do the same task over and over ...

6 Mars 201841min

Populärt inom Utbildning

historiepodden-se
rss-bara-en-till-om-missbruk-medberoende-2
det-skaver
alska-oss
nu-blir-det-historia
not-fanny-anymore
harrisons-dramatiska-historia
allt-du-velat-veta
johannes-hansen-podcast
sektledare
rss-viktmedicinpodden
roda-vita-rosen
rss-max-tant-med-max-villman
rss-foraldramotet-bring-lagercrantz
i-vantan-pa-katastrofen
sa-in-i-sjalen
rikatillsammans-om-privatekonomi-rikedom-i-livet
rss-sjalsligt-avkladd
rss-beratta-alltid-det-har
rss-traningsklubben