Quite by random accident I am in the middle of two classic books:- “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience” by Mihály Csíkszentmihályi and “Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Repair: An Enquiry into Values” by Robert M. Pirsig. A moment’s reflection will quickly reveal the easy connection between the two: motorcycle repair for the enthusiast can indeed be a Flow experience. But I realized that the connection is a bit deeper.
At first I couldn’t quite understand and hence agree with the “Quality” thing that Pirsig keeps going on and on about. But, I am starting to think he is talking about what is today fashionable among certain intellectual circles to call “taste”. As in, so and so has good taste in AI model architecture research, or investing thesis and so on. Both concepts get at an (as yet) undefined element that certain extraordinary people posses or can access, that leads to breakthroughs. Others, even experts, can do really good work, but either that work goes waste or is derivate or incremental in nature.
Both authors talk about “care” as an essential element, both to achieve a Flow state in one’s work as well to produce work with Quality. One needs to care to do anything worthwhile. When something is done with care it shows. Sounds obvious. But is lamentably rare.
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