Thank you very much for your feedback on my project proposal. I appreciate you raising these important points.
At first glance, the connection between technology and occult or magical references might seem unconventional. But there is a the deeper philosophical and historical connections between these seemingly disparate fields. The example of Johannes Trithemius is a good illustration of how occult ideas influenced the development of cryptography. Johannes Trithemius known as the first cryptographer in the modern sense. His books, Steganographia, a seminal work in the realms of cryptography and steganography, which was initially presented under the guise of a magical text. This connection illustrates that the boundaries between the mystical and the technological have been intertwined since the inception of cryptographic thought. It also suggests that current digital protocols can be viewed as the modern evolutions of ancient alchemical and mystical practices.
The proposal posits that there exists a philosophical continuum from ancient alchemical practices to modern digital protocols. Both realms strive to transform the mundane into something of greater value—whether turning base metals into gold or raw data into meaningful insights. This transformational process reflects a shared underlying urge for external augmentation and the invocation of higher powers or principles.
I understand your concern regarding the potential association with pseudoscience. However, I would argue that many historical movements, such as mysticism, while not strictly scientific, have significantly contributed to cultural progress. Many early scientific innovations owe a debt to esoteric knowledge. It’s important to remember that Newton devoted a substantial portion of his time to alchemy. Drawing connections with esoteric elements may not seem as straightforward as rocket science, but it is not necessarily pseudoscientific.
Between pseudo-scientific superstition and scientific technocracy, there is a huge grey area, where could be a fertile ground for innovation and creativity. From an artistic perspective, the analogous processes of designing smart contracts and conducting energy exchange rituals demonstrate a shared foundation of external support and higher intervention. The project intends to encourage a cross-pollination of ideas between ancient mystical practices and contemporary technological solutions, find a middle ground between the purely scientific and the esoteric, exploring how these seemingly contrasting thought forms can influence each other and potentially lead to new creative solutions in the digital world.
You raise a valid point about cryptocurrency striving for mainstream acceptance. However, the quest for mainstream acceptance raises important considerations about what constitutes the “cultural mainstream.” I would argue that mysticism has played a pivotal role in shaping societal norms and cultural movements. If we look back at the 20th century, mysticism help to explore new social and cultural concepts. Its experiments covered a wide range of areas, including women’s rights, free concepts of body and sexuality, self-exploration, anti-colonialism, etc… Several important cultural movements, such as symbolism, surrealism, post-modernism, also had their roots in mysticism. Most recently, the New Age movement in the 1980s significantly impacted mainstream culture through its influence on literature, music, and art. The terminology in cryptocurrency itself – forge, mint, ETH – already demonstrates existing tendencies of connecting with alchemy and esoteric traditions. That’s to say, esotericism may not hold a position in the cultural mainstream currently, but it definitely could serve as an ignition key for new cultural movements. Therefore, integrating these mystical perspectives could enrich, rather than hinder, cryptocurrency’s cultural impact.
Your suggestion to highlight specific magical traditions is well-taken.
I agree that various sub-groups perceive and interact with the concept of protocols through their own mystical frameworks. In the microscopic level, it would be interesting to draw the parallels between these ancient practices and the principles governing digital interactions today.
As we move from the micro to the macro perspective (the project aspires to create a “holographic” depiction of digital protocols), the project will illustrate how these diverse views coalesce into a unified system underpinned by digital protocols, thereby fostering a new order and culture shaped by these technological tenets.
At the end of my reply, I also list some of the relevant references. I am available for further clarification on the proposal. Thank you so much for your comment.
Eliade, Micea. 1978. The Forge and the Crucible. University of Chicago Press.
Principe, Lawrence. 2013. The Secrets of Alchemy.University of Chicago Press.
Principe, Lawrence. 2011. The Scientific Revolution: A Very Short Introduction. Oxford University Press.
Szulakowska, Urszula. 2011. Alchemy in Contemporary Art. Routledge.