March 13, 2023
Use this article to explore the parallels between the offerings made to the gods of human mythology and the offerings we make in other, secular contexts.
Free Article: Free Inquiry February/March 2023
Discussion:
1. Fidalgo suggests that every time we produce content on webpages, from posting a selfie on social media pages, to live streaming on Twitch, we are “offering ourselves” to the gods of these platforms in hope that we will receive some sort of justification or reward for our efforts.
What has the experience of using these online platforms been like for you? Alternatively, if you do not use them, what have you noticed in others?
2. The author makes a comparison between religious priests and social media “influencers.” The comparison hinges on their parallel attempts to “maximize our relationships” with the gods “without making any promises” that one’s efforts will be worth it in the end. Discuss the similarities here. How might skepticism help navigate these spaces?
3. In both the religious and technological sacrifice, Fidalgo identifies a very human need to justify one’s existence. Discuss how both religious leaders and virtual platforms take advantage of this need. Does one need to make sacrifices in order to find meaning in life?
About the Author:
Paul Fidalgo has been Editor of Free Inquiry magazine and Executive Director for the Council for Secular Humanism – a program of the Center for Inquiry – since 2022. He previously served for ten years as CFI’s communications director, during which time he wrote the daily news roundup The Morning Heresy.