Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: joint venture between co housing and waldorf school

[Sharon Villines (sharon]

On 8/5/03 9:27 AM, "Sue Pniewski" <SPniewski [at] Habijax.com> wrote:

> ... It is indeed true that the more the fair individuals die out the more
> will the instinctive wisdom of humans vanish."
> [Rudolf Steiner, founder of Waldorf Schools. Health and Illness: Volume I,
> p86. (1922) Spring Valley: Anthroposophic Press, 1981]

Born 1861, died 1925. It is important to place statements in historical
context. This is bad science but was characteristic of the honestly held
beliefs of this time. This was thought to be the "intelligent" understanding
of genetics. Instead it was a very limited, Eurocentric bias. But that
Steiner believed this does not mean his other ideas are equally erroneous.

> But Jewry as such has long since outlived itself, and has no
> justification any more within modern life of the peoples, and that it
> nevertheless has preserved itself is a mistake of world history, whose
> consequences have been inevitable."
> [Rudolf Steiner, founder of Waldorf Schools. from his review of "Homunculus"
> by Hammerling (1888) published in the German Weekly]

This comment also must be evaluated in context, geographically was well as
historically. What kind of "Jewry" was he familiar with? At this time there
was a very strong isolationism in many Jewish communities and a conservative
lifestyle that many of us are totally unaware. Even within the Jewish
community today there are criticisms of Hassidic communities which may be
the "most Jewish" communities we know in the US.

Context and the test of time are important in evaluating ideas. Steiner also
ate vegetables. Should we therefore reject vegetables?

Sharon
-- 
Sharon Villines
Takoma Village Cohousing, Washington DC
http://www.takomavillage.org

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