Postcards from the cosmos: Cosmic spaces in alternative religion and conspiracy theories.

Abstract

If conspiracy theory is the narration of fears of existential dread, of a potentially apocalyptical plot against ‘us’, then we can understand alien conspiracies as a dread of the coming of ‘cosmological humanity’ and the end of ‘geostationary man’. In escaping gravity’s hold a terminal velocity is achieved by a species ready to mythologize, even sacralise, its achievements and to enchant the Heavens once again in terms more suited to the technological age. Virgiliu Pop’s astrosociology will provide a means for framing the uniqueness of post-Gagarin conspiracist spiritualities within the particular religious cultures of cosmic humanity whilst Raymond Williams’ concept of structures of feeling will be drawn upon to understand the cultural significance of these spiritualities.