Respect in Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

Elements of wisdom, as defined by Caroline Bassett, can be seen clearly in Robert M. Pirsig's Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. Although all four dimensions, discerning, respecting, engaging, and transforming are all evident in this story, the one that stood out to me as I read this week was the dimension of respecting. According to Bassett, this part of wisdom involves how the beholder treats others; he or she is compassionate to others and values seeing their perspective. These characteristics are seen in the nameless narrator of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. In the very beginning of chapter twelve, the narrator comments on the emotional state of his riding companions John and Sylvia. Instead of trying to "develop the[ir] characters" and relating them to his ponderings about Zen as he is tempted to, he respects something that Sylvia once said, "I don't like being an object!" (135). He explains that as a friend, he respect her by understanding that she is a human who does not want to be analyzed or put on display. The narrator may see great value in unpacking the characters of John and Sylvia, but he practices respectful wisdom by not doing so.

The respect that that the narrator of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance has for his friends demonstrates an angle of wisdom that I believe is often overlooked. It is this: people are often said to have wisdom when they are able to respect the perspective and beliefs of entire cultures that are not their own; little do they realize that respect must begin on a much more personal level. One is showing wisdom when they truly respect and empathize with their friends. It is just as wise to be a loyal, trustworthy friend as it is to be an advocate for other cultures. The narrator of this book demonstrates this well in the way he respects his friends. When giving an explanation for his decision to not talk about John and Sylvia, he says, "[t]hat's the way it should be with friends" (135). This is true. If one is not wise in the circumstances closest to him, how can he be wise on a larger scale? It is in the common, everyday occurrences and relationships where respect and wisdom must begin and be cultivated.