Cyber-Esoterism

Are you a Normie or a cyber-Pneumatikoi?

Esoteric (adj. [from Late Latin esoterĭcus, Greek ἐσωτερικός, derived from ἔσω "inside"])

Esoterism typically refers to a secret knowledge that often pertains to ancient mysteries and rites, hidden from the majority and accessible only to the "initiates," those who have the desire and discipline to delve into it. It is usually associated with spiritual or philosophical doctrines based on the idea that certain truths are veiled in symbols, which require dedication to be decoded.

In the Discourse of Poimandres (Corpus Hermeticum I), the mystical vision is represented as the beginning of spiritual and intellectual awakening, through which the initiate becomes aware of a deeper reality of the world and the universe.

"All at once everything opened up before me, and in a great vision I saw the infinite. Everything became clear."

The path of the initiate, particularly in Gnostic philosophies such as the one presented in the Corpus Hermeticum, has the goal of reaching an (inner) truth that can awaken one's spirit and consciousness.

"If you do not return to heaven, your destiny is to be devoured by chaos and suffering. [...] But if you purify yourself, you will rise above the heavens and know the Creator."

After some reflection, I think that the path towards so-called “Individual Sovereignty,” as discussed by James Dale Davidson and William Rees-Mogg (The Sovereign Individual: Mastering the Transition to the Information Age, 1997), which I extended to the concept of the "Digital Übermensch," could also be considered a kind of cyber-esoteric initiation path. And as tradition dictates, it is an individual, arduous, and solitary path.

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Don’t be a Normie

In the esoteric context, the "profane" is someone who does not have access to the mysteries and esoteric knowledge. They are unaware of the principles governing the universe or themselves, and live their life in ignorance. This ignorance is not just seen as a lack of information that can be filled, but as a spiritual and intellectual condition of someone who has not yet begun a path of awareness or awakening.

In Valentinian Gnosticism, humanity is divided into three categories:

1. The Hylics (Hylikoi, from Greek hylé, meaning matter): the lowest level of humanity. These individuals are completely identified with the material world and its illusions. They have no interest or ability to spiritually awaken and are subject to passions, instincts, and the laws of the earthly realm.

2. The Psychics (Psychikoi, from Greek psyché, meaning soul): individuals who are aware of the spiritual dimension but have not yet reached true enlightenment. They are oriented toward faith and adherence to belief systems, as in the case of those who passively follow organized religions.

3. The Pneumatics (Pneumatikoi, from Greek pneuma, meaning spirit): this category includes those who are able to fully awaken and understand spiritual reality in all its fullness. The pneumatics have an innate capacity to receive and comprehend gnosis (salvific knowledge), which allows them to transcend the material world and achieve unity with the divine.

If we relate these categories to the modern and cybernetic world, we could say that the Hylics, or the profane, are the so-called Normies.