One of his beliefs was that Judaism still existing was a failure to assimilate.
Jewishness signified the very antithesis of spiritual progress and the epitome of modern debasement.’
Also:
One crucial stumbling block for English language readers is the anthroposophical tendency to delete racist and antisemitic passages from translated editions of Steiner’s publications.[341][342]
During the years when Steiner was best known as a literary critic, he published a series of articles attacking various manifestations of antisemitism and criticizing some of the most prominent anti-Semites of the time as “barbaric” and “enemies of culture”.[329][330] In contrast, however, Steiner also promoted full assimilation of the Jewish people into the nations in which they lived, suggesting that Jewish cultural and social life had lost its contemporary relevance[331] and “that Judaism still exists is an error of history”.
This bit feels very reminiscent of the “kill the Indian to save the man” type of racism that led to residential schools. Sure, he may not have thought there was an immutable negative quality associated with race, but he seems to have been a cultural supremacist.
Given that we now know that race isn’t real, I struggle to see the actual difference.
His belief that race and ethnicity are transient and superficial, and not essential aspects of the individual,[313] was partly rooted in his conviction that each individual reincarnates in a variety of different peoples and races over successive lives, and that each of us thus bears within him or herself the heritage of many races and peoples.
He presented explicitly hierarchical views of the spiritual evolution of different races,[315] including—at times, and inconsistently—portraying the white race, European culture or Germanic culture as representing the high point of human evolution as of the early 20th century, although he did describe them as destined to be superseded by future cultures.
Sounds like he held racist ideals, that were very influenced by scientific racism. But also contradicting himself as his other ideals of human individuality clashed with his own racism, so at times he ‘seemed opposed’ to racism.
I read all of the wiki article, not just the quoted parts.
But I’ve decided to pick this part out and say that out of context of the rest of the article, what would you conclude
Toward the end of his life, Steiner predicted that race will rapidly lose any remaining significance for future generations.[313] In Steiner’s view, culture is universal, and explicitly not ethnically based, and he vehemently criticized imperialism.[317]
In the context of his ethical individualism, Steiner considered “race, folk, ethnicity and gender” to be general, describable categories into which individuals may choose to fit, but from which free human beings can and will liberate themselves
I “found” this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rudolf_Steiner_and_race
I’ve never read that before, doesn’t appear racist , even opposing racism in much of the text.
One of his beliefs was that Judaism still existing was a failure to assimilate.
Also:
— Peter Staudenmaier (2009)
This bit feels very reminiscent of the “kill the Indian to save the man” type of racism that led to residential schools. Sure, he may not have thought there was an immutable negative quality associated with race, but he seems to have been a cultural supremacist.
Given that we now know that race isn’t real, I struggle to see the actual difference.
I’d say this was pretty on the nose
Sounds like he held racist ideals, that were very influenced by scientific racism. But also contradicting himself as his other ideals of human individuality clashed with his own racism, so at times he ‘seemed opposed’ to racism.
I read all of the wiki article, not just the quoted parts. But I’ve decided to pick this part out and say that out of context of the rest of the article, what would you conclude
I did. Thus my assessment.