Voting Station

Robert M. Pirsig

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Philosopher

The Resume

    (September 6, 1928-April 24, 2017)
    Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota
    Wrote 'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' (1974) and 'Lila: An Inquiry Into Morals' (1991)
    Proponent of the Metaphysics of Quality

Why he might be annoying:

    He flunked out of the University of Minneapolis.
    He spent several years in and out of mental institutions, undergoing electroshock therapy (1960-63).
    'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' was rejected by 121 publishers.
    It took him 17 years to write a sequel.
    He said he is disappointed that 'seriously thinking people' do not understand his ideas fully.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He scored 170 on an IQ test.
    His son Chris was stabbed to death in a mugging (1979).
    'Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance' became one of the all-time best-selling books of philosophy.
    New Yorker critic George Steiner compared his writing to Dostoevsky, Proust and Henri Bergson.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2021, Out of 11 Votes: 54.55% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 9 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 3 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 16 Votes: 56.25% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 12 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 6 Votes: 33.33% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 7 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 20 Votes: 55.00% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 27 Votes: 59.26% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 15 Votes: 53.33% Annoying