We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
These words are from the United States Declaration of Independence. They were conceived to guide the highest ideals for the social formation of the United States of America. It maintains that it is a "self-evident" fact that all humans are equal, and that this endows them with certain basic human rights.These are:
Right to life
Life requires a basic economic existence.
Right to liberty
Equality is the gurantee of a free social order or democracy.
Right to the pursuit of happiness
A meaningful and creative life is the foundation of a culture worthy of humans.
One central spiritual value, the value of equality, becomes a foundation for realizing human rights in the economic, political, and cultural spheres. Society should reflect these rights in economic life by allowing each person to meet basic needs; in the democratic political state by allowing each person to freely participate, and in recognizing the right to a meaningful life as an essential human need in the spiritual sphere. This threefoldness is inherent in the Declaration of Independence.
The words "self-evident" implies that this equality of the essence of human nature can be known through direct perception or intuition.
While America's founding intuition is colored by the European liberationists traditions, the American spirit is striving to create new economic, political, and cultural realities. A constant struggle exists between the old European hierarchal forms that deny any "self-evident" intuitive self-reference to truth. Rather, truth must be mediated by higher authorities. This authoritarian rule is an enemy to the American spirit which stands on creative, spontaneous forces of perception and active intuition.
The attempted suppression of the true American free spirit by the Bush administration to be replaced by authoritarian Republican party rule was recently defeated in the recent congressional elections. Bushes popularity is now measured in the 20's. The final Republican power in America will likely disappear in the next 2008 elections for a very long time.
With the end of the Bush administration which has subverted the American ideal for their own elite empiricist ambitions, will anything change? Will America work toward freedom and equal rights globally for all or exploit others around the world?
Is there an American spirit that needs to replace the strong European influence in the Anthroposophical Society of America and it's authoritatrian organization? Is the New York branch of the Anthroposophical Society with its nomination and free election of council members by the general membership an example of an American expression of anthroposophy? Here is a link to New York branch web site [1] where you can see the active participation of the members.
Compare this with the web site of the Sacramento branch [2] of the Anthroposophical Society. With a heavy European authoritative influence this branch does not allow members to participate in the nomination or selection of its authoritative council. You notice the results on the web site as it lacks community activity.
If this American spirit of creative "doing" with the ability to organize action is allowed into the Anthroposophical Society will there be a renewal effect?
The views of Tom Last are his own and in no way represent the views of philosophyoffreedom.com. This web site does not take positions on any issues but merely facilitates communication between participants.