in the Covid era, we have already experienced a social synchronization toward the “good.” What is “good” was defined by the media to the exclusion of scientific discussion, and was politically imposed on all people without exception. What is “good” was thus removed from the power of responsibility of social togetherness grounded in ethical individualism. No one had a say! All were to obey the self-appointed and therefore anti-democratic authority! This lack of encouragement of individual responsibility, however, necessarily leads to the weakening of such responsibility. What can remain in its place is only an ethically weak egoism: This is the fruit of the Covid strategies caused by this synchronization of humanity toward the “good.” Egoism will remain strong, even if this “good” is
implemented in the most comprehensive way—for it will never be possible to abolish egoism, which thereby leads to the war of all against all. The fruitful contrast is: The peace of all in support of all. This is possible only if the individual is strengthened in his power of ethical responsibility, and if this inner strengthening is encouraged by education, social structures, politics, and above all by the media that is to become free in the sense described. Roland Tüscher was born 1961 in Switzerland and has four children. He is the editor and founder of Ein Nachrichtenblatt, which is a newsletter attempting to follow Rudolf Steiner’s perspective on modern member-correspondence. He is currently working on how to develop spiritual science individually from the very basic elements that Rudolf Steiner provided.
The Anthroposophy and Social Justice Project Applying the Transformative Insights of Spiritual Science to Social Healing
Mark McGivern and Robert (Karp) Karbelnikoff A powerful awakening of conscience is currently evident in North America that is seeking to bring about a new relationship of human beings to the earth through various ecological and climate-related initiatives, and of human beings to one another through various movements often associated with the term “social justice.” Once on the fringes of society, these movements have now become powerful mainstream forces shaping our day-to-day lives in deep and pervasive ways. As hopeful and timely as these societal shifts are, it is important to look beneath the surface to the worldview, principles, and practices that many leaders of these movements have adopted to realize their goals. Just as Steiner offered alternatives to the reigning political ideologies of his time, we feel similarly called to carefully discern the direction in which ecological and social movements are seeking to take society, and to ask ourselves questions such as: How can anthroposophy serve the healthy social impulses that are rising up in human souls at this time? How is Michael working, or not working, in these movements?
The mainstream social justice movement, for example, claims to offer a philosophy and method for redressing the wrongs done to groups of people that have long been discriminated against and marginalized by society. This movement shares with anthroposophy a “postmodern” stance toward social progress, i.e., it recognizes that the roots of the modern world lie in the Enlightenment period and that a new paradigm of social progress is required to deal with the overwhelming problems modernity has manifested. Unlike anthroposophy, which locates the source of these problems in the continued adherence of the modern world to materialism, today’s social justice movement has embraced a deeper connection with materialism to address these issues. For example: » The one-sided thinking produced by materialism has led the social justice movement to the perspective that “all knowledge is a construct of power”— made, not discovered. As such, truth and objectivity december 2023 • 69
