Zen and the Art of computer maintenance

Zen and the Art of motorcycle maintenance is one of my favourite books. What motorcycles are to Pirsig, computers are to me. He spent hours tinkering on the motorcycle and I spent hours tinkering on the computer (or network as the case may be). Pirsig demonstrates that motorcycle maintenance may be dull and tedious or alternatively an exciting and pleasurable. It all depends on the existence of inner attitude or kama. I equate computer maintenance to Information Technology (IT) in terms of this discussion. I have wandered onto this philosophical discussion on this blog because I need to express my disillusionment with the direction the Art of computer maintenance (IT) has taken from the good old days of the big iron, to the modern era of the clunky slingshot gadget. In reality it is not so much the gadget, but the people, process and partners surrounding it. I once stumbled across a saying, the source escapes me, “In extremes we evolve, in normality we maintain.” I initially thought this was a great saying as it encouraged a person to go all out and obtain what you want at all costs. It seemed to justify the 70 to 80 hours working per week, the never ending cycle of IT changes on week-ends and evenings, the extra tweaks and value adds, etc. B0110ck5! It is not possible to always put your family and yourself first at the expense of all else but it is absolutely incorrect to substitute and place your work first! To do that sucks the value and existence out of your life. Normality is desirable and is where we find enjoyment and satisfaction. Many people point out that in war situations, we find the most technological advances occurring. This might be correct, but truth be told no IT job should be a war zone. It is when IT is sold as such that I am driven to disillusionment. Peace and normality are the great motivators. If it is not there and we have not experienced it then we have no clue about what we are fighting for when the real battle should actually find us. I thus believe that the scales of life are balanced to good. That which is evil and bad is overcome. The development that occurs in extremes is evil. People become rude, unashamedly curse their fellow colleagues, ridicule, criticize and have behaviour that is borderline psychopathic. There is no loyalty and morale in this. Who would make sacrifices in such an environment? As Pirsig suggests, the key to a higher quality of life is a blend of the romanticism and mechanics – the good of Zen and the good of the Art of computer maintenance.