The Nature of Man in the Light of Spiritual Science

GA 68d — 16 December 1905, Munich

4. Brotherhood and the Struggle for Existence

Report in the “General-Anzeiger der Münchner Neuesten Nachrichten” of December 17, 1905

C. Th. “Brotherhood and the struggle for existence”. Dr. Rudolf Steiner, the well-known speaker of the Theosophical Society, gave a lecture on December 15 [= 16] in the Prince's Hall of Café Luitpold, in which he discussed the above topic from a theosophical point of view. The Theosophical Society regards it as one of its tasks to work for the brotherhood of mankind, for the ideal of universal love. So the speaker was led to choose the above topic. In a lengthy exposition, he sought to show how, according to the theosophical view, the development towards a separate existence in the struggle for existence must be followed by the gradual overcoming of egoism through devotion to other beings in the higher consciousness of the spiritual connection of all beings in the divine being, from which everything has emerged. We have grown out of the whole, we must grow back into the whole. According to the theosophical ideal, the brotherhood of man must also be an inner one. We must recognize the soul of others and seek to give ourselves spiritually to our neighbor. In this way, people who are already at one in the highest thoughts of reason and intellect must be led upwards to harmony. Egoism has led people to toil, love will lead them to salvation. - The lecture, which was received with approval, was followed by a lengthy question and answer session.