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Technopaganism

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An example of modern merging of ceremonial magic and technology; a videoconference allows participants to practice the ritual when not physically in person

Technopaganism, as defined by Victoria Dos Santos, is "a term encompassing a variety of practices and expressions related to contemporary paganism, popular culture, and spiritual pursuits in digital environments."[1] The Internet, for instance, is considered by some technopagans to have spiritual significance or unique magical applications.[2][3] Techno music may also be involved in technopaganism. Modern tribal and urban primitive movements such as cyberpunk, urban shamanism and rave culture are associated with electronic dance music.[citation needed]

Definition

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Technopaganism is concerned with spiritual and magical aspects of technology and, sometimes, the interconnections between technology and society. Dos Santos classified technopaganism into two types: the first pertains to the adaptation of various neopagan currents to online environments (e.g., via virtual communities or collaborative software), while the second comprises a body of neopagan beliefs and practices greatly influenced by information and communications technology and "deeply merged with cybernetic culture".[2]

A notable instance of technopagan adaptation of neopagan practices is the creation and distribution of virtual Books of Shadows and sacred texts through the Internet;[2][4] similarly, virtual world platforms such as Second Life and VRChat[2] are used to connect with others and conduct rituals.[5]

Beliefs

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A common element of technopaganism is the adaptation of neopagan beliefs, such as animism, to technology and cyberspace. Dos Santos writes that a fundamental aspect of technopagan animism is "a dialogic relationship with the digital environment itself."[2]

In a 1995 Wired article, technopagan Mark Pesce describes how, upon first using NCSA Mosaic, he realized that the World Wide Web was the first emergent property of the Internet: "It's displaying all the requisite qualities – it came on very suddenly, it happened everywhere simultaneously, and it's self-organizing. I call that the Web eating the Net." He went on to create VRML, with one of his motivations having been to bring about a spatial dimension of the Web.[3]

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In the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the major character Jenny Calendar is a technopagan.[6]

American Gods by Neil Gaiman marries traditional ideas of gods as a form of egregore with the results of progress and new technology on society leading to the creation of the "New Gods".[7][8]

References

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  1. ^ Dos Santos Bustamante, Victoria Vanessa (2022-06-06). Technopaganism: A semiotic approach to digital religious phenomena. iris.unito.it (Thesis). Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  2. ^ a b c d e Dos Santos, Victoria (2023-11-03). "(Techno)Paganism: An Exploration of Animistic Relations with the Digital". Religions. 14 (11): 1382. doi:10.3390/rel14111382. ISSN 2077-1444 – via MDPI.
  3. ^ a b Davis, Erik. "Technopagans". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2022-10-08.
  4. ^ Cowan, Douglas E. (2005). Cyberhenge: Modern Pagans on the Internet (illustrated ed.). Psychology Press. ISBN 978-0-415-96910-9.
  5. ^ Warren, E. E.; Ellwood, Taylor (2021-10-07). TechnoWitch: Ancient Wisdom, Digital Tools. 978-1-7345786-2-1. ISBN 978-1-7345786-2-1.
  6. ^ "I, Robot... You, Jane". Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Season 1. Episode 8. April 28, 1997. The WB. I, Robot -- You, Jane - Buffy Episode 8 Transcript. Ms. Calendar: Mm. I don't have that kinda power. 'Technopagan' is the term.
  7. ^ "American Gods Explained: A Guide to the Old Gods and New". Collider. 5 June 2017.
  8. ^ "Why Neil Gaiman's American Gods is so iconic". 27 April 2017.

Further reading

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  • Erik Davis. TechGnosis : Myth, Magic & Mysticism in the Age of Information. Harmony, 1998. ISBN 0-517-70415-3
  • Mark Dery. "Deus Ex Machina: Technopaganism," in Escape Velocity: Cyberculture at the End of the Century. Grove/Atlantic, 1996. ISBN 978-0-8021-3520-9.
  • Raven Kaldera and Tannin Schwartzstein. The Urban Primitive: Paganism in the Concrete Jungle. Llewellyn, 2002. ISBN 0-7387-0259-5
  • Lisa Mc Sherry. The Virtual Pagan. Red Wheel Weiser, 2002. ISBN 978-1578632534
  • Christopher Penczak. City Magick: Urban rituals, spells and shamanism. Weiser, 2001. ISBN 1-57863-206-4
  • Steven Vedro. "Digital Dharma: Expanding Consciousness in the Infosphere". Quest, 2007. ISBN 978-0-8356-0859-6.
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