Sure, if you're reading it as a book about motorcycle maintenance. In that regard, I also found the bit about a seized bolt having exactly the value of the enti

Sure, if you're reading it as a book about motorcycle maintenance. In that regard, I also found the bit about a seized bolt having exactly the value of the entire motorcycle until you're able to free it very helpful—it helps with the frustration realizing that it's not just a stupid tiny bolt getting in the way of your progress, it is, in fact, a $3,000 bolt. But, of course, it's not a book about motorcycle maintenance. Whether or not Persig's ideas and philosophy jive with you personally is another question, but it's certainly unfair to say that the bit about a beer can shim represents 90% of the value of the book when so many others (myself included) clearly extract a lot more value from it.