On Aug 23, 2010, at 11:13 PM, Michael Pollak wrote:
> On Mon, 23 Aug 2010, Dennis Claxton wrote:
>
>>> That sounds fascinating. Can you remember where he develops that?.... Being a careful historian, Ginzberg sticks very closely to his local case and what he can back up with evidence. But in the introduction he gives several indications that he personally believes the complex of beliefs behind Benandanti practices are part of a tradition that at one time spread all over Europe and which was continuous back to pre-Christian times.
>>
>> I think he does believe that. How does that not square with the idea that demonizing those practices is part of the transition from medieval to early modern?
>
> Because the demonization would have been there in the ancient and middle ages too. So demonizing those practices wouldn't distinguish the transition to the modern.
Leonard Shlain's "The Alphabet vs. the Goddess" is worth reading. The central contention is that this ties to the recurring rise of written (and especially alphabetic) literacy and the associated, recurring suppression of images / women / sensuality - and that it isn't limited to Xnity or even to the Abrahamic tradition but can be observed throughout history in many different cultural contexts. The argument is broad and boldly speculative, and reaches a disappointingly naively optimistic conclusion, but the book is extremely thought provoking and an enjoyable read. Before starting it I expected to just skim and maybe find it vaguely interesting but probably nutty; by the time I'd finished the first couple of chapters I was fascinated, and by the time I finished the book was convinced he's onto something of profound importance.
Here's the publisher's blurb from the website:
"
In this groundbreaking book, Leonard Shlain, author of the bestselling Art & Physics, proposes that the process of learning alphabetic literacy rewired the human brain, with profound consequences for culture. Making remarkable connections across a wide range of subjects including brain function, anthropology, history, and religion, Shlain argues that literacy reinforced the brain's linear, abstract, predominantly masculine left hemisphere at the expense of the holistic, iconic feminine right one. This shift upset the balance between men and women initiating the disappearance of goddesses, the abhorrence of images, and, in literacy's early stages, the decline of women's political status. Patriarchy and misogyny followed.
Shlain contrasts the feminine right-brained oral teachings of Socrates, Buddha, and Jesus with the masculine creeds that evolved when their spoken words were committed to writing. The first book written in an alphabet was the Old Testament and its most important passage was the Ten Commandments. The first two reject of any goddess influence and ban any form of representative art.
The love of Mary, Chivalry, and courtly love arose during the illiterate Dark Ages and plummeted after the invention of the printing press in the Renaissance. The Protestant attack on holy images and Mary followed, as did ferocious religious wars and neurotic witch-hunts. The benefits of literacy are obvious; this gripping narrative explores its dark side, tallying previously unrecognized costs.
Shlain goes on to describe the colossal shift he calls the Iconic Revolution, that began in the 19th century. The invention of photography and the discovery of electromagnetism combined to bring us film, television, computers, and graphic advertising; all of which are based on images. Shlain foresees that increasing reliance on right brain pattern recognition instead of left brain linear sequence will move culture toward equilibrium between the two hemispheres, between masculine and feminine, between word and image. A provocative, disturbing, yet inspiring read, this book is filled with startling historical anecdotes and compelling ideas. It is a paradigm shattering work that will transform your view of history and mind.
"
From: <http://www.alphabetvsgoddess.com/>