“In times when there were no electrical currents, when the air was not swarming with electrical influences, it was easier to be human. . . .” - Rudolf Steiner, 1924
In my book, An Unorthodox Truth, I delve into one of the most transformative period of human history — from the 1800s to the 2000s. These two centuries have witnessed some of the most significant changes in our society.
To kick things off, I begin by taking you on a journey through the electrifying impact of electricity on humanity
The quote that opens this article is attributed to Rudolf Steiner, a renowned esoteric philosopher. He made this statement in the early 1920s, expressing how challenging it was to be human during a time when society was evolving, electricity was being discovered, and technology was rapidly advancing.
Steiner argued that being a human being was even more difficult despite the progress being made.
He was not alone in this sentiment, as other great thinkers of the time, like Carl Jung and Friedrich Nietzsche, also expressed similar thoughts.
Considering life was already hard in the 1920s, with the development of electricity and technology, how much harder is it now for us in 2023, a hundred years later? These questions we explore in the podcast “Intention as the Greatest Superpower of the 21st Century.”
Health is a crucial measure of societal strength. Unfortunately, millennials have experienced a negative impact on their health due to various factors. The 2008 economic crisis and the pandemic have adversely affected their financial health, while the screen-based nature of our society has significantly impacted their mental health.
This generation is experiencing more adverse effects on their health than any other generation. This trend is likely to continue and affect Gen Z as well.
Is it not then ten times harder to be human as our health deteriorates? Is it not then the reason why, for the first time, people are contemplating bringing life into this world, a topic I’ve been bashed on in my Instagram comment?
In this podcast, we explore various areas. We discuss Steiner and the world of the past. We also talk about how older generations observe our time and say things like, “If we had the opportunities that you guys have, we would do so much stuff.”
We examine why, despite having many opportunities, we do not accomplish as many things. Ultimately, we realize that our generation suffers from the lack of intention in our society.
Within the podcast, we delve into the power of intention and build upon our earlier podcast, “The Cost of Paying Attention.” Attention is the currency of the universe, and we must understand how we use it.
In today’s world, millennials are constantly bombarded with cell phones, social media, technology, and distractions. As a result, they have no time for themselves. This lack of alone time starkly contrasts previous generations who had all the time and all the attention in the world.
Due to having time and attention, they could make their realities come true.
“In times when there were no electrical currents, when the air was not swarming with electrical influences, it was easier to be human. . . . For this reason, in order to be human at all today, it is necessary to expend much stronger spiritual capacities than was necessary a century ago.
“But it does not occur to me to be reactionary and say something like: Well then, we must banish all these modern achievements! That’s not the objective. Modern human beings need the access to the spirit that spiritual science provides, so that through this strong experience of the spirit they can also become stronger in relation to the forces that accompany modern culture, the forces that harden our physical body and take it away from us.” - Rudolf Steiner, 1924
As the rest of Steiner’s quote goes, we cannot ignore or reject all the advancements that modern humans have made. In this material-dominant, science-driven world, we need to continually access the spiritual aspect of reality because spiritual science can provide us with a strong experience of reality. This understanding will help us become stronger in dealing with the challenges that come along with modern culture.
We cannot eliminate technology in our society, so the question is, how can we strengthen ourselves spiritually while living in this reality? Join us for this podcast hosted by me, Franklin O’Kanu. I hope it will be an exciting and enjoyable experience.
Thank you for your time and attention. Ashe.
References Mentioned In The Podcast
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