Hi all,
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Not only Harvard, with it¡¯s Centre for the Study of World Religions (CSWR) but also Silicon Valley were supposedly influenced by Theosophy.
Apparently Malcolm Harris talks about it in his book ¡®Palo Alto¡¯
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I haven¡¯t read the book (yet), but this is what ChatGPT has to say about it:
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Yes, Malcolm Harris does touch on the influence of New Age spirituality and its precursor, Theosophy, as part of his broader examination of the cultural and intellectual movements that shaped Palo Alto and its surrounding regions. He explores how these esoteric and spiritualist movements influenced the development of California¡¯s countercultural and later tech-centered ideologies.
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Specifically, he discusses how Theosophy ¡±a mystical philosophy blending Eastern and Western spiritual ideas¡± gained traction in California during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This movement laid the groundwork for New Age philosophies that later became prominent in the mid-20th century. Palo Alto¡¯s proximity to places like San Francisco and Big Sur, hubs for experimental spirituality, helped foster a blending of technological optimism with New Age ideas about personal growth, transcendence, and interconnectedness.
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Harris ties these movements to Silicon Valley¡¯s ethos, where many early tech pioneers embraced a mix of libertarianism, systems theory, and countercultural spirituality. He critiques how these ideas were appropriated into the capitalist framework, turning philosophies of self-actualization into tools for corporate innovation and labor exploitation.
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If this angle interests you, it¡¯s definitely worth diving into Palo Alto. Harris weaves these cultural movements into his broader critique of the region¡¯s history in fascinating ways.
I never realized this influence up till now.
If I¡¯m to believe ChatGPT, Harris also talks about Waldorf Schools:
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Yes, Malcolm Harris does mention Waldorf schools in Palo Alto, though not extensively. He discusses them in the broader context of alternative education movements that emerged in California, particularly in relation to Silicon Valley¡¯s elite and their approach to schooling. Waldorf education, rooted in the anthroposophical philosophy of Rudolf Steiner (which has connections to Theosophy), has long been popular among tech workers and entrepreneurs who are skeptical of mainstream public education.
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Harris critiques how these alternative education models ¡°often embraced by Silicon Valley elites¡± can reinforce social hierarchies rather than challenge them. For example, Waldorf schools emphasize creativity, holistic development, and minimal screen time, yet many of the same tech industry leaders who send their children to these schools profit from selling screens and digital tools to the masses. This contradiction fits into Harris¡¯s broader critique of the region¡¯s hypocrisy: while the tech elite often promote ¡°disruptive¡± technologies for others, they choose more traditional or even anti-technological educational methods for their own children.
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If you¡¯re particularly interested in Waldorf schools and their ideological roots, Harris doesn¡¯t go very deep, but his work does provide useful context for understanding their role within Silicon Valley¡¯s culture.
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greetings,
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Kokanje
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