The Alphabet Versus the Goddess

In his philosophical nonfiction The Alphabet Versus the Goddess: The Conflict Between Word and Image (1998), Dr. Leonard Shlain proposes that the alphabet made our brains function differently from those of our pre-literature ancestors. The book has been praised by critics for transcending religion, illuminating old myths from across cultures, and its provocative subject matter. Shlain served as the Chairman of Laparoscopic Surgery at the California Pacific Medical Center, and he regularly lectured at the likes of Harvard University, the Salk Institute, and NASA Johnson Space Center.

Shlain’s thesis is that written language, and particularly the alphabet, changed human neurological function. These changes overhauled how the human brain processes information, in turn, influencing how society evolved. The written word is responsible, Shlain argues, for our conception of gender roles, societal conventions, and linear thinking. The Alphabet Versus the Goddess is not a criticism of language; instead, it looks at the way language is used, and how it could be used for the better.

Within this wider thesis, Shlain argues that the brain can be divided into two hemispheres: left and right, or masculine and feminine. Although neuroscientists typically do divide the brain into separate hemispheres based on gender traits, Shlain takes the argument further than ever before.



Shlain accepts the common belief that the right hemisphere is feminine, holistic, and creative, whereas the left hemisphere is practical, abstract, logical, and masculine. However, he blames our overreliance on the left hemisphere, or the masculine brain, for how we treat women, and associated feminine traits. This overreliance can be directly attributed to the introduction of the alphabetic word.

Shlain argues that each one of us relies equally on both hemispheres by default. Society, not nature, conditions us to overuse our left hemisphere at the expense of the right hemisphere. Traditional education teaches children to think linearly, by enforcing written language, and this deprives us of the chance to use our holistic brain capacity. We must find a better balance between hemispheres to use our minds efficiently.

Pre- and post-literate society can be divided into hunter-gatherers and hunters. The hunter-gatherer societies, the ones predating the written alphabet, worshipped both masculine and feminine deities. They prized both genders as being equally important. Hunter societies, such as the ones we live in now, shun the feminine to chase the strong, forceful, competitive characteristics associated with the masculine.



To illustrate his point, Shlain considers ancient cultures from around the world, comparing them to modern society. The primary resource Shlain studies is the Old Testament. He explains that the Old Testament was the first alphabetic written work with a powerful influence over generations to come. The Old Testament is the foundation of the three monotheistic religions—Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. This is important to establish for numerous reasons.

First, these religions are not just monotheistic, but patriarchal. They are based upon a “Father,” or a masculine creator, who can only ever be identified as “He,” never “She.” Second, this male creator has no clear image. This means that the deity is all-encompassing and abstract to inspire fear and control.

Third, these religions, founded on nameless, shapeless “He” figures, depend upon written laws and scripture. These religions are almost entirely based on rules dictating what followers can and cannot do. The feminine, on the other hand, has no set written rulebook; societies based on pre-Old Testament religions are far freer. They worship imagery, encouraging visual depictions of their goddesses. Shlain notes that the Old Testament goes so far as to reject any influence of goddesses, which is telling.



By considering the roots of the Old Testament before religions applied their own interpretations to its teachings, Shlain’s book transcends religion. The Alphabet Versus the Goddess is not a religious critique. Instead, it proposes that codified religions, or religions based on the written word, are directly responsible for the rise of the patriarchy. Given that the three religions discussed are profoundly influential, the written word has arguably changed how we think.

Critics of the book find it interesting that Shlain’s book predates the rise of social media and the Internet. Social media sharing, including photography and other visual mediums, balances out our overreliance on the written word. The World Wide Web offers a new means for us to express ourselves without resorting to the alphabet and its associated patriarchy. It also creates a global language.

Although social media is beyond the book’s scope, Shlain considers what the rise of television, photography, and art means for our society. We use different neuro-pathways to process visual and artistic information, and these pathways inhabit the right hemisphere. Shlain is hopeful that we will strike a better balance between the masculine and the feminine; perhaps the modern rise of social media proves him right.