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Old 07-13-2013, 02:02 PM   #1
Astromancer
 
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Default Occult/New Age centers of Transhuman Space!

Given that human belief in the supernatural always seems to survive and provide a living for those who exploit them for profit (and weirdly enough solace for many more) their will be new agey types in any realistic THS. So...

Where do your games occult poseurs and New Age weirdies hang out?

What are the major scams and/or delusions in fashion in these circles?

And who's skiming off the money and easy chances for memetic infiltration?

Thanks all.
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Old 07-13-2013, 05:37 PM   #2
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Default Re: Occult/New Age centers of Transhuman Space!

Online is probably still a popular venue for unusual social groups assuming they don't have an anti technology angle even if the members are few and far between (even off planet).
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Old 07-15-2013, 05:20 PM   #3
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Default Re: Occult/New Age centers of Transhuman Space!

I love the idea of some kind of secret web for true believers only. Which of course is just used as a way to push the meme in deeper and suck more money out of the gullible.

I could also see cults building in decayed urban centers. Not every place in the brave new world of 2100 is happiness and light. I can't remember if Detroit got a specific callout in any of the literature, but supposing the city continued its current trend of shrinking, that would leave what used to be the outer edges of the city a ripe playgrounds for dirty memes and street prophets using the promise of the divine to fleece the flock.

I could also very seriously see a current fleecer of the flock, the Right Reverend Creflow Dollar, taking advantage early and often of life extending technologies, and still be fleecing the flocks in 2100. Or Joel Osteen, who already looks creepily preserved.

I could also see an AI worshipping cult grow up quite easily. It would be simple for a rogue AI to perform that which seemed like miracles. You've hit hard times, but by the joyous blessing of the algorithms, your utilities have stayed on. Your unemployed son found work (because somehow somebody's email only contained his application and those of a few semi-reformed felons).
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Old 07-15-2013, 05:48 PM   #4
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Default Re: Occult/New Age centers of Transhuman Space!

My favorite is the sun cult founded by an astronomer in order to fund his observatory.
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Old 07-16-2013, 12:06 PM   #5
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Default Re: Occult/New Age centers of Transhuman Space!

Quote:
Originally Posted by ClayDowling View Post
I love the idea of some kind of secret web for true believers only. Which of course is just used as a way to push the meme in deeper and suck more money out of the gullible.

I could also see cults building in decayed urban centers. Not every place in the brave new world of 2100 is happiness and light. I can't remember if Detroit got a specific callout in any of the literature, but supposing the city continued its current trend of shrinking, that would leave what used to be the outer edges of the city a ripe playgrounds for dirty memes and street prophets using the promise of the divine to fleece the flock.

I could also very seriously see a current fleecer of the flock, the Right Reverend Creflow Dollar, taking advantage early and often of life extending technologies, and still be fleecing the flocks in 2100. Or Joel Osteen, who already looks creepily preserved.

I could also see an AI worshipping cult grow up quite easily. It would be simple for a rogue AI to perform that which seemed like miracles. You've hit hard times, but by the joyous blessing of the algorithms, your utilities have stayed on. Your unemployed son found work (because somehow somebody's email only contained his application and those of a few semi-reformed felons).
AIs would have a whole lot of ways of passing for angels. A rogue AI could con followers into keeping them secret and hidden from the (pick your groups name for the Secret Masters).
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Old 07-16-2013, 12:07 PM   #6
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Default Re: Occult/New Age centers of Transhuman Space!

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My favorite is the sun cult founded by an astronomer in order to fund his observatory.
That sounds both sneaky and viable.
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Old 07-16-2013, 01:44 PM   #7
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Default Re: Occult/New Age centers of Transhuman Space!

There was that thing in the Pyramid with the cult leader who only had bioroid duplicates of his followers.

The thought that comes to my is "Celestial Consciousness", a cult that holds that uploading into computers is only a stepping stone to uploading into "patterns of pure energy". And aliens have already done that and they're already here and guiding us to follow in their footsteps.
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Old 07-16-2013, 03:08 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by Astromancer View Post
That sounds both sneaky and viable.
In The Well, p77.
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Old 07-17-2013, 07:56 AM   #9
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That sounds both sneaky and viable.
The funny part is that he didn't intend to really start a cult. He just set it up as a religion in order to get favorable legal treatment. But would-be worshipers started showing up anyway.
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Old 07-17-2013, 09:55 AM   #10
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Default Re: Occult/New Age centers of Transhuman Space!

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The funny part is that he didn't intend to really start a cult. He just set it up as a religion in order to get favorable legal treatment. But would-be worshipers started showing up anyway.
I've met a "legitimate" believer in the flying spaghetti monster. There is no satirical idea too outrageous to have zero fervent followers.
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