Transhumanism, Ego’s Last Stand
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Transhumanism presents itself as one of the boldest stories of our age. It is the vision of transcending biology through technology, of upgrading the human, of entering a future where mortality itself is abolished. Its allure lies in the shimmer of possibility: faster thought, stronger bodies, longer lives, perhaps even eternity in digital form. For many, this story is exhilarating. It appears as the long-awaited triumph over nature’s limits.
Yet Psynapp, through the psycho-philosophical lens of the Institute for Meta-Cognitive Education (IMCE), approaches transhumanism not as fact but as myth. Not in the sense of untruth, but as story—an organised narrative that conveys values, anxieties, and aspirations. “Our personal story is best thought of as a working fiction, inspired by real events.” The same can be said of collective stories. Transhumanism is one such fiction, woven from threads of scientific progress and cultural desire, designed to soothe a restless relationship with Being.
This essay explores transhumanism from within the Psynapp frame. It unfolds in layers: from the mythic surface to the neglected depths, from the shine of machinery to the flow of consciousness. Each layer considers the assumptions that underlie the transhumanist narrative and contrasts
them with Psynapp’s principles of alignment, flow, and reality.
The Shiny Myth Behind Transhumanism
The myth begins with promise. The human, long vulnerable to decay, disease, and death, is imagined as stepping beyond biology. Genes edited for perfection, minds uploaded for continuity, bodies merged with machines for strength and endurance. A horizon of post-human possibility: infinite intelligence, indefinite lifespan, even escape from the planet itself
At the heart of this vision is a story of transcendence through external means. Where earlier myths told of gods descending, or souls ascending, the transhumanist myth places the ascent in silicon, circuits, and code. Salvation is technological; redemption is measured in terabytes and nanobots.
This myth comforts by offering escape from mortality. It reframes death not as an essential rhythm of life but as a glitch to be repaired. In this story, nature is not a guide but an adversary. The message is clear: biology has failed, but technology will succeed
Psynapp approaches this not with dismissal but with recognition. The story is powerful precisely because it addresses genuine fear and longing. Yet as with all narratives, the question is not whether it is true, but what it reveals about our conditioning. Why do we so easily accept the idea that to be human is to be insufficient?
Coming Home to Roost
The myth begins with promise. The human, long vulnerable to decay, disease, and death, is imagined as stepping beyond biology. Genes edited for perfection, minds uploaded for continuity, bodies merged with machines for strength and endurance. A horizon of post-human possibility: infinite intelligence, indefinite lifespan, even escape from the planet itself.
At the heart of this vision is a story of transcendence through external means. Where earlier myths told of gods descending, or souls ascending, the transhumanist myth places the ascent in silicon, circuits, and code. Salvation is technological; redemption is measured in terabytes and nanobots
This myth comforts by offering escape from mortality. It reframes death not as an essential rhythm of life but as a glitch to be repaired. In this story, nature is not a guide but an adversary. The message is clear: biology has failed, but technology will succeed.
Psynapp approaches this not with dismissal but with recognition. The story is powerful precisely because it addresses genuine fear and longing. Yet as with all narratives, the question is not whether it is true, but what it reveals about our conditioning. Why do we so easily accept the idea that to be human is to be insufficient?