should Pike be audio?

[Imakegarb]

Greetings!!

A Lodge Brother of mine got me to thinking. Is Pike, particularly his Morals and Dogma, suppose to be listened to and not read?

My Lodge Brother recently got a Kindle or some such device (I'm fuzzy about these things; I'm one geek who does not play with the toys) that will read books to him (text to audio). He says he's been listening to Morals and Dogma and he's understanding it better and getting way more out of it than ever he did before.

That reminded me of the 19th Century love for lectures and poetry readings and dramatic productions. Folks paid money to go to such gatherings, much as we pay for stand up comedy today. Annie Besant got her start on such lecture circuits. Much of the Rev. George Oliver's books were compilations of his lectures. Some of Pike's work, such as his "Meaning of Masonry" clearly was meant to be read aloud to an audience.

It always has puzzled me why folks have trouble reading Pike as I find him very delightful. When my Brother mentioned this to me, it occurred to me that when I read, I tend to internalize it. I really do "hear" it, if in an inner way.

All of which has lead me to wonder: Is M&D written to heard?

[LetterandHalveIt]

I'm not sure whether Brother Pike intended for all of his work to be read aloud, but I certainly think his dramatic and esoteric style lend themselves to it. I do know that there are some Brothers and profane readers who put down M and D after the first few pages. Im almost halfway through it and though I find myself going back to certain passages to make sure I really read what I thought I just did, Im not really having a hard time with him at all. I know there is also a new interpretation of his masterwork out called M and D for the 21st Century, which holds out that its more modern language and the turning down of the brightness of certain passages of Bro Pike's purple prose makes if far more accessible for the original. I was given this updated version as a gift and its next on my reading list, so we shall see.

[Imakegarb]

I hear you on the first few pages thing. M&D reminded me quite a lot of "Lord of the Rings" in that respect. The first ten pages or so of Tolkien's Magnum Opus are as rough to plow thru; and just as worth it

Going back and re-reading is an excellent way to read Pike. A Brother on another forum observes that books by Pike, and other stellar Masonic authors, seem to rewrite themselves while they're on the shelf. And, so, you see something each reread that you did not see before.

[omega369]

I have read a bit of Pike, but not too much. I feel that he doesn't really connect with me, even though I am of the esoteric type. It possibly could be his writing style and like Bro Karen here I also do intermalise the Masonic and Mystical texts that I read. A particular good author to read like that is Wilmshurst, I like him, he connects. As does Ward, although I haven't read his stuff recently (although its on my todo list).

[Fire Mist]

Pike is 19th c and very deep..... I know with 18th c documents it is always easier to understand if read out loud. The accents are a bit different and come across in the writing of the 18th c. a bit differently due to spelling oddities.

Though languange spelling is more standardized in the 19th century, the mode of speech is still an old pattern. He has some very deep and wandering thoughts through. Enough so, I've not taken the time to read it in entirely. I have been thinking on why I am reluctant to pick it up to read thoroughly.

I have decided that I think it is often easier to visualize a 'story being told' through the ears rather than on printed page. I think it has something to do with the language center of the brain and the relation to the visual center. Hearing the story allows the eyes and that part of the brain to turn inward to understand more deeply.

Utterly deceptive twaddle speech?

I don't know, but it is my intention to read the text to myself on MP3 and see.