The History Hour

What is Modernity? - Part 2

Ancient world of the Greeks, Romans and Israelites, are first sketched, and the Middle Ages of Christendom.

In these first four episodes of The History Hour for the Winter 2008 Season, host Charles Jeanes introduces the question, “What is ‘modernity’ ?” and “Why and how did Western civilization make the first progress into The Modern Age and modernization of its societies?” Jeanes, with a historical-materialist and eccentric-marxian philosophy of history, analyses Western civilization in pre-modern times. The ancient world of the Greeks, Romans and Israelites, are first sketched, and the Middle Ages of Christendom. The Barbarian Invasions and the end of Roman order in Western and northern Europe from 400 to 600 A.D., are investigated briefly. Jeanes asks, what was the “medieval” mentality and mindset? He describes a little of the deep background of Judaism and the life and times of Jesus of Nazareth, and the origins of the Church in the era of Saul of Tarsus and the Gospel writers. Jeanes sketches the theory of the progression of Consciousness in the work of Dr. Clare Graves and Dr. Don Beck, “Spiral Dynamics.” Each episode of The History Hour also has some review by the host of current local news and international events. Jeanes is particularly attracted to issues of Nelson and federal politics, and Canada’s Afghan Mission.

Download MP3 of this Episode (24.8MB) - 1:13:21