Rudolph Steiner's Theory Of Materialism In The World

The Austrian philosopher and social reformer Rudolph Steiner believed that social and moral developments fell behind science and technology. He observed that society had become egotistical because they placed a primary emphasis on individual materialistic gain, therefore society had lost their sense of community. Steiner understood that individual spiritual development meant very little unless it spread through a community, which would lead to what he called “world community.” Society would ultimately “heal” themselves by transforming work from a commodity into a gift. The fundamental social law is working for others and not for yourself. Society would accomplish this law by embracing the teachings of Christ. It is through the teachings of

It was from this lack of purpose, in which the working class turned to materialistic thinking. In other words, they measured their individual worth based on their possession of material goods. Ultimately, this created an egotistical society whose main concern was the individual acquisition of a paycheck. People no longer so each other as friends or neighbors, but as competitors. Social materialism tried to solve this problem, but ultimately it could not fill the existential void of society. Steiner understood that a social and economic system could not be based on materialism because “those who work for their own sake will eventually succumb to egotism” (42). Thus he developed what he called “spiritual science.” Spiritual science allowed society to understand the body, soul, and spirit of human beings. Steiner stated that human’s know little about human’s, thus through spiritual science we could come to understand people and come to know our individual purposes. In other words, spiritual science could fill the existential void of society. Steiner also believed that spiritual science was a community building force. I believe that social and economic systems should not be based on materialism, rather they should have a spiritual foundation. The philosophy of Steiner reminds me of Neitzches belief that “God is dead.” Nietzhce observed that society devalued God and His teachings and was concerned where society was headed. Similarly, Steiner observed that society devalued spiritual principles and was concerned about the evolution of a society who based their social and economic systems on materialism. I find that society today, still bases their social and economic systems on materialism and that people have the same existential void that Steiner described in society nearly a hundred years ago. Perhaps God is not dead, but