Technoshamanism

As a person who grew up in a culture that has both Shamanic and Buddhist practices, I found the discussion of “Birdman” (2005) by Kim Jeong Han to be the most interesting. In his work, it questions and reflects some of the most prevalent ideas in Buddhism and Shamanism, which are the belief in Buddhism that “the self and other are the same,” and the Shamanic practice of experiencing others through the self, reflecting a similar idea. He describes the idea that the self and other are not separate. In this artwork, this idea allows people to feel and empathize with others more deeply, as he questions the life of a half-bird and half-human by realizing it is both at the same time.

Shanken’s idea at the end of the paper on Technoshamanism as an art for healing and a tool for sustaining life on Earth felt like a very compelling way to connect everything he discussed. I understand that technology, tools, and instruments are often rooted in hard science and mathematics, which can sometimes make them feel metallic or soulless. However, shamanic practice creates shared consciousness and connects indigenous knowledge with technoscience. To support his point, he also referenced Donna Haraway’s ecofeminist theories, where everything is seen as connected and originating from one. I think this strengthens his argument that shamanism shows we are all connected and part of one whole. It reminds us that we are spiritual human beings, rather than turning us into something like AI or abstract robots. In this way, he is saying that employing such tools (computers, AI) to create artistic experiences can help sustain life and support healing.