World Wide Soul: Post-Identity and Network Spirituality
Electronic workshops in computing January 1, 2024 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.14236/ewic/pom24.2 via OpenAlex
Summary
Online posting can be understood as a machinic beyond in which networks amplify the proliferating potential of memetic egregores—collective thought-forms. Posting like a machine means relinquishing a monolithic identity to build multiple new ones, as if trained by the collective intelligence of online rings through swarms of collective posting. This practice questions traditional copyright frameworks while celebrating appropriation, spontaneous collaboration, post-authorship, and performative identity. Encapsulating concerns such as extinction, love, and collapse, these communing rituals embody the noosphere—a collective consciousness or interconnected network of minds. Network spirituality thus proposes new modes of being within emerging conditions of planetary existence.
Study at a glance
| Design | theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key finding | Online posting as a machinic beyond fosters memetic egregores and network spirituality, proposing new modes of being through collective, post-authorial identity formation. |
Abstract
This essay engages with online posting as a machinic beyond, observing how networks increase the proliferating potential of memetic egregores. What is like to post like a machine? To relinquish monolithic identity and build new multiple ones, as if trained by the collective intelligence of online rings via collective posting swarms, questioning traditional copyright frameworks while celebrating appropriation, spontaneous collaboration, post-authorship and performative identity. Encapsulating concerns such as extinction, love and collapse, these communing rituals embody the concept of noosphere – a collective consciousness or an interconnected network of minds. Sprawling in multiple and disperse egregores, network spirituality pro-poses new modes of being within the emerging conditions of planetary existence.