Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance | Robert Pirsig

Why it is included: This book addresses the fundamental schism of the modern world: the split between the "Romantic" view (which loves beauty and hates technology) and the "Classical" view (which loves function and ignores the soul).

Pirsig argues that this split drives us crazy. He introduces the Metaphysics of Quality—a way of living where we bring total care and engagement to even the most mechanical tasks.

It is included because a thriving society will be high-tech. We cannot reject the machine; we must ensoul it.

Pirsig teaches us that the way we fix a motorcycle (or code an app, or build a house) is a spiritual act.

If we approach our technology with "Quality"—with care, presence, and love—we can heal the alienation between the human and the mechanical.