Sunday, February 04, 2018

Picture Consciousness and Rudolf Steiner and YouTube

A number of people who are significant to me find value in the life and writings of Rudolf Steiner.  I had attempted to read one of his books a few years ago but just have not been able to get through it.  A friend recommended to me a book by Gary Lachman about him and so far it looks to be helpful and full of insight.  Here is a quote lifted from my Kindle of interest to me.

Steiner was captivated by a kind of picture book whose figures could be moved by pulling a string. He tells us that he and his sister spent many hours with these, and that through them he took his first steps toward reading. In later life, Steiner would argue that a kind of “picture consciousness” formed the type of consciousness of human beings during their “Old Moon” incarnation in the distant past, and that in the future, this would return and be integrated with our current rational consciousness to form a new state, what he called our Jupiter incarnation. One area his childhood toys certainly did influence was Steiner’s system of education, which employs similar picture books in its kindergartens.*

Seems to me that "a kind of 'picture consciousness'" that he projects to arrive in the future has now come to us, first with Television, then the internet, YouTube, and how we make use of the easy capture of photos and videos with our cell phones.  I should review what Marshall McLuhan said about this.  I think it squares with his thought.  Who we are, how we think, what we are even capable of perceiving all depend on the communication technology that we use.  The communication technology we use forms us.

Does this relate to  why I have so much trouble reading and understanding poetry?

*Rudolf Steiner: An Introduction to His Life and Work (Lachman, Gary)
- Your Highlight on Location 281-287 | Added on Saturday, February 3, 2018 5:24:00 AM


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