Years spent at university can be challenging. One is confronted with the crowning achievements of a Mephistophelian society with libraries bursting forth a vast array of publications and findings. One endlessly memorises and regurgitates facts and points of view. This process, which occurs over years, can leave one feeling entirely exhausted and parched.
In my experience, there are three possibilities that tend to occur in response to such learning. Of course, it should be born in mind that these are extremes and generalisations, and other possibilities exist. However, in response to this learning, often students simply go to sleep – memorise what is needed for the exam, collect one’s degree and then promptly forget most of what was learned. While somewhat comical when observed from a distance, one result from this approach would appear to be the furthering amongst mankind of apathy. The call of this age to master materialism is not answered.
A second possibility results when the teachings offered at university are taken up by the student, who may even become a new professor, a brilliant technician, or innovator in some specialised field. Here again, while the student has mastered working with matter, materialism itself has not been mastered.
A third possibility exists between these two extremes. One can attempt to approach university with enthusiasm and a healthy open mind. One can learn to admire the methods and findings, yet understand their true relation to the human being. This can be summarised as confronting materialism consciously.
However, to learn to confront materialism consciously requires knowledge of its true nature along with the necessary will forces. Therefore, to enable students to begin to master materialism, conscious knowledge is needed of the nature, limits, and folly of matter. I do not see how the true nature of materialism can be known without knowledge of the spirit, as provided in anthroposophy.
This is why we decided to found the Otago Anthroposophical Student Association (OASA). We perceived the need for the existence among the student population of impulses emanating from an anthroposophical conception of the world. We hope that the OASA will expose students to knowledge of the human being and the cosmos that contains new conceptions, feelings, and will forces.
We are, however, aware of the immense difficulty that exists today for people to find the way to a path, such as anthroposophy. First, anthroposophy is not particularly well known (which can have advantages too). Second, there are so many other ‘paths’ and worldviews which, at first sight, promise more and sooner than spiritual science does. Third, the extreme materialism of this age engenders a certain cynicism, antipathy, or patronising smile, at the mention of the word ‘spirit’. Fourth, anthroposophy can hardly be explained in several hours, let alone one sentence in response to the question: “so what is anthroposophy anyway?” Fifth, students are often distracted by the lure of drinking, drugs, poor food, barren ideas, and endless assignments.
There are several factors which we consider important in running such a venture as the OASA. First and foremost, this must not be sectarian or dogmatic. On the other hand, the OASA must work to establish a genuine relationship to anthroposophy. Finally, the OASA must be contemporary, in that it must remain pertinent to our age.
Thus, the OASA plans to run activities which can accommodate the different ways in which people relate to an impulse. This might include: art classes, discussion groups on contemporary issues, study groups, work with anthroposophical meditation, biodynamic interest groups, and lectures and visits by anthroposophists in fields such as economics, education, medicine, and agriculture.
We have also recognised that undertaking these events is difficult if nobody knows about them, or the basis behind them. To address this problem, we have begun a small publication entitled Sophos In Our Time. This is to include commentaries on contemporary issues and upcoming events. Sophos In Our Time will be distributed both locally and electronically (contact us for copies).
People interested in joining, supporting, or finding out more about the OASA are strongly encouraged to contact either Simon Kuttner, Sabina Bacchus, or myself, Sebastian Suggate, (email: otago.asa@gmail.com). The OASA is affiliated to the Otago University Student Association and the General Anthroposophical Society in New Zealand.