Episode 170 - The Choice Between Two Paths: Nature or Transhumanism
Born into a family of seekers and artists at a commune in Baltimore, Maryland, Maré Hieronimus spent her childhood surrounded by mystical teachings, a reverence for the earth, and a love of dance. An artist and dancer by training, she has kept traditional societal aspirations at arm’s length, instead listening to the call of her soul to live a creative life. At this pivotal time of transition, Maré believes we are being asked to choose between two paths – nature/divine and transhuman/anti-divine. In this episode we discuss those paths as well as the natural technology of the body, cultural structures around motherhood, how to connect to the wisdom body, our crisis in imagination, the importance of retaining our individual, sovereign nature, and more.
Maré is the author of three books: Path of Remembrance - Vision for a New Earth, Systems of Indoctrination and The Wild Rose of the Soul, and Majesty of the Wild - Writings on Freedom.
Maré Hieronimus
For anyone completely new to the idea of transhumanism, there is a lot out there about it in plain sight. Here is a quote from Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum:
“Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies will not stop at becoming part of the physical world around us—they will become part of us. Indeed, some of us already feel that our smartphones have become an extension of ourselves. Today’s external devices—from wearable computers to virtual reality headsets—will almost certainly become implantable in our bodies and brains. Exoskeletons and prosthetics will increase our physical power, while advances in neurotechnology enhance our cognitive abilities.
We will become better able to manipulate our own genes, and those of our children. These developments raise profound questions: Where do we draw the line between human and machine? What does it mean to be human?”
— Excerpt from Shaping the Future of the Fourth Industrial Revolution
Here’s a quote from professor of cybernetics, Kevin Warwick:
“Humans will be able to evolve by harnessing the super-intelligence and extra abilities offered by the machines of the future, by joining with them. All this points to the development of a new human species, known in the science-fiction world as ‘cyborgs’. It doesn’t mean that everyone has to become a cyborg. If you are happy with your state as a human then so be it, you can remain as you are. But be warned – just as we humans split from our chimpanzee cousins years ago, so cyborgs will split from humans. Those who remain as humans are likely to become a sub-species. They will, effectively, be the chimpanzees of the future.”
Do your own research and stay in the inquiry. Are these advances in the direction of the Divine human?