by Luke Eastwood, reposted from Luke’s Substack
Recent developments within electronic technology have given me cause for concern, not least because of the frantic pace of change, with little or no thought given to ‘safeguards’ as we hurtle ever faster into the digital age.
As someone who learned Basic programming on an Apple II computer back in 1979 (thanks to my mathematics teacher) I gained a good understanding of how computers work and what they can achieve, at a very young age. I later went on to study computing at university, but ultimately I spent only a brief time period in that line of work. While I was still a student, my interest in spirituality grew and I explored many different religions and spiritual paths, looking for answers and a cosmology that resonated with me.
I suppose that I have a rare or unusual perspective, given that I have a long history in both alternative spirituality (Druidism in particular) and within the realm of computers and information technology. While these machines are wonderful tools for communication and many other things (I am writing this on an Apple Mac) I certainly feel that in terms of actually truly experiencing the spiritual life – computers and spirituality are mutually exclusive.
I would have hoped, at least, to see some thoughtful and careful analysis of development of the last decade or so, within Druidry/Druidism and within the wider Pagan and Spiritual community in general. However, from what I have seen so far, at least in terms of public reporting, there appears to be little or no opposition to the onward march and even overtures regarding the embracing of such concepts as Virtual Reality and AI within Alternative Spirituality.
Neo-Druidry (modern Druidism) is generally accepted as steeped in a love of and connection with nature, the elements, the animal and plant kingdom, the Earth itself and the realm of Spirit, including that of invisible forces and of the dead (ancestors). Along with some other alternative spiritual paths, modern Druids are often linked with the environmental movement, which has blossomed since the 1960s onwards, both in general life and most certainly within the esoteric arts.
So, given the above, I find the near silence from the ‘leaders’ of Druidry, and New-Age Spirituality in general, on the subject of the potential dangers inherent in recent technological progress (and its very real impacts on society and the Earth) to be both strange and deafening in its conspicuous absence.
Consideration of social and cognitive impairment
While science and knowledge has been historically part of the remit of ancient Druids (so we are taught) that has been very much in the context of the natural order of the world and based in a physical and spiritual reality, as opposed to an artificial construct. We now find ourselves in the borderlands of a new world – a world of digital existence, which by its very nature is entirely artificial.
Philosophically and ethically, one could argue a good case for druidic opposition to Virtual Reality, Augmented Reality, Digital Immersion and the use of Artificial Intelligence to replace formerly human tasks and human cognition. There is strong evidence to suggest that use of social media, mobile devices and artificial intelligence all have negative effects on the human psyche, on behavioural patterns, cognitive and learning ability and social interaction.
Also there is now substantial scientific evidence to suggest that the reading of physical books is far superior to reading on mobile devices (such as phones), in terms of readers’ comprehension, retention of information, and deep cognitive processing. Not only, this but attention spans seem to be in free-fall, as a result of excessive social media and mobile device use – a phenomenon that has come to be known as “brainrot”.
These factors alone should, in my opinion, be sufficient cause for deep concern with regard to the uptake of new technologies, with many of these factors being vastly exacerbated when a fully immersive digital environment (Virtual Reality) is added to the equation. This is sufficient reason for a moratorium, and I have not even begun to expound on the ecological impact.
The ecological devastation of digital life
For all of known human history, up until the development of valve technology (and later the development of silicon-based transistors), humans have had to depend on their own ingenuity for intellectual pursuits and cognitive functions. The advent of computers changed all that, although initially very slowly. Up until the success of the Internet, most modern humans had not made use of computers and where they had done so, it was usually very limited in scope (e.g. certain workplace functions). Once the Internet was no longer a fad (that might simply fade away), it became clear that it would be rolled out worldwide, with a large level of uptake, even in poorer countries (perhaps via shared access).
Even the data services required to ‘run’ the Internet, circa 2000CE were quite considerable, with a vast multitude of computer servers needed to provide continuous access, 24/7. All of these servers use considerable electricity, metals and plastics and also they produce lots of heat (that needs to be removed) and eventually the redundant serves contribute to the ever-growing mountain on non-biodegradable human garbage.
Move forward just 25 years and we find ourselves on the cusp of a truly digital existence, where Virtual Reality is no-longer a pipe-dream but a realistic notion that is soon to be rolled out to the public. Already AI and Augmented Reality (AR) is being embraced through mobile devices and smart glasses etc. All of this new technology requires orders of magnitude greater in terms of natural resources – metals, plastics, water, land acreage and most of all, electricity at staggering and Earth critical proportions.
I would have though that the catastrophic environmental impact of AI and VR was quite obvious, especially to the ecologically minded Druid, but it seems that at present that I am in a small minority who see the dangers of embracing this burgeoning threat to our fragile environment. As recently as February 2025, Deborah Rose Hālani (a member of the Anglesey Druid Order), said The Mabinogi should be given a futuristic makeover using virtual reality, to ensure the medieval collection “survives generations to come”. She is not alone within Alternative Spirituality in applauding and encouraging the embracing of technology of unproven benefit and very definite detriment to the both the environment and human health.
While I applaud her desire to preserve the work known as “The Mabinogion”, it is already widely available as a physical or digital book, in Welsh and other languages. Hālani is quoted by the BBC as saying “Why can’t we digitally immerse ourselves in our mystical mythologies in a space dedicated entirely to them?” I would like to point out that these stories were written down from oral traditions on the 12th century and are considerably more available now than they have ever been before. These stories reflect a naturalistic mindset, one that is steeped in the Otherworld and of the physical world of nature.
Such cultural heritage can certainly be transformed into TV series and feature films or the subject of documentaries (as was done with Homer’s Iliad), but none of these are virtual experiences, they are not an attempt to create a fully immersive facsimile of real life, which can only be achieved by the heights of ecology crunching and mind-altering artificiality.
We have been here before
There are parallels here, to past events – namely the early 19th century Luddite movement of the Industrial Revolution and the division of the Amish (from 1862 onwards) into the Old Order Amish and Amish Mennonites. In the case of the Old Order Amish, their objections to new technology (electricity and the motor car) were not economic (like the Luddites) but based of their spirituality and interpretation of Christianity.
The Amish metaphorically drew a line in the sand, in essence stating ‘this far and no further’. While many people may find their stance quaint, bizarre or even laughable, I have to admire their adherence to the principles they hold dear and their determination to adhere to their values, irrespective of what mainstream society choses to do or what it thinks of them.
As collective humanity, I believe we are experiencing a pivotal moment in human history, similar to what occurred when the Amish made their decision to turn their back on modernism. As a Druid I find myself in a similar situation – faced with an ethical choice on whether or not it is morally right to embrace the new innovations of our age.
Covid – a paradigm shift
For understandable reasons the massive expansion of remote communication and remote working brought about a huge paradigm shift. People that had never been interested in the Internet became familiar with communications technology and applications such as Skype, Zoom, WhatsApp and others.
The lockdowns all across the world forced people to isolate and seek communication and interaction through electronic means as a substitute for ‘real world’ activities. While I availed of online meetings within the Druid and Esoteric communities, I was certainly of the opinion that it was a necessary but very poor substitute for the ‘real thing’, outside in nature. This was a compromise I was only willing to make on a temporary basis, for the duration of the crisis.
While I understand that the internet and Virtual Reality offer accessibility to the disabled, the isolated and maybe to the financially disadvantaged, it probably should not become a replacement for ‘real world’ interaction for most people. Even if virtuality has become highly normalised due to Covid, I strongly feel that it most certainly should not be the case, particularly in the realm of ‘Earth Based Spirituality’ and those paths that profess to be ‘close to’ or ‘connected with’ nature.
Imagination – crushed by digital life
This may be a rather emotive subheading, but in truth one of the most significant problems of digital media is its ability to replace the human imagination. Obviously, television went some way towards implanting visual representations of ideas, stories and information, which once seen, seem to permanently replace what would have otherwise have been uniquely visualised by individual people. Digital media homogenizes experience, deleting and replacing the imagined scenarios, typically constructed by the mind when we read a book (for instance). Imagination is a crucial part of learning, creativity and, of course, spirituality. Evidence shows a negative reductive impact on cognition, especially in children, with significant developmental implications.
Just because we can…
Some may argue that we are always challenged by new technology and that it is just ‘progress’. While it is true that the onward march of technology is relentless and seemingly unstoppable, we do have a choice about what we embrace and what we reject. A case in point would be that of J. Robert Openheimer, the leader of Operation Paperclip – that led to the development of the first atomic bombs, unleashed on Japan by USA in 1945.
Charged with the unenviable job of producing the first ever Weapon of Mass Destruction, Openheimer had this to say as the first successful detonation occurred:
“We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed… A few people cried… Most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture the Bhagavad Gita; Vishnu is trying to persuade the prince that he should do his duty, and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form, and says, “Now I am become death, the destroyer of worlds.” I suppose we all thought that, one way or another. “
Clearly regretful, he none-the-less felt that they had no other choice than to pursue this aim to completion, presumably to bring to an end World War 2. Today we still live the legacy of that technological marvel – the great fear of nuclear annihilation experienced throughout the Cold War and also our current concerns about planetary destruction, should World War 3 ever occur. To my mind the statement “just because we can, it doesn’t mean we should” is particularly relevant today, both in terms of nuclear weapons and the rollout of reality warping VR, AR and AI. We are not obliged to go down a certain road in the way that Openheimer was, as far as this area of life is concerned – we have a choice.
No going back?
Julius Caesar famously crossed the Rubicon River with the 13th Legion in 49BCE, to march on Rome – an act that he knew would lead to a civil war (fought against Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus / Pompey the Great). The phrase “Crossing the Rubicon” Is still in use today, in reference to passing a point of no return. Similarly, the phrase alea iacta est (”the die is cast”), attributed to Caesar just before the crossing, has much the same meaning.
I suspect that, if we cross this Rubicon, into the digital world, embracing Virtual Reality experiences, perhaps even in parallel with ‘real world’ experiences, then eventually VR will be so expedient and convenient that we will forget the call of the wild and of nature itself. For many reasons I choose to reject all of this, in part because I believe that there will be ‘no going back’ but also because this whole realm is not real – it is illusory. The entire thing is a construct – an electronic illusion, designed to simulate what is a very real and tangible physical world.
We are physical and spiritual creatures, we are not designed to live within an electronic illusion, nor do I think that we should ever do so! If we enter into the arena of life controlled by AI, living within constructed VR and AR environments, is there any coming back from this?
A call to arms
The fate, the future of humanity hangs in the balance. We have not yet committed ourselves to this technocratic and virtual future, we still the opportunity to abstain, to opt out. For how much longer will we have that choice? Corporations and governments seem to be hell bent on throwing us into an untested, unknown and possibly catastrophic future. While some leading pundits in the technology and science communities are sounding alarm bells and calling for caution and a possible moratorium on this ‘progress’, where are the alarm bells from our spiritual communities? I am sure there are some like-minded people across all religious and spiritual paths who share my concern, but so far, their voices are extremely muted.
I see this time as an opportunity, a “call to arms” so to speak, in which we must fight to take back control of the future of humanity – away from the Oligarchs, the technology overlords, and the overly ambitious governments, who would prefer not to apply any brakes to this hurtling juggernaut.
The implications for the future of humanity are far too significant to ignore this issue. Spirituality aside, the consequences of a jump ‘feet first’ into digital life seems utterly reckless to me. As far as the spiritual life is concerned – I see no place in our future for Digital Spirituality, such a term is an oxymoron as far as I can tell. Of course, it is not for me to decide what others choose to think or to do – but let this be a rallying cry for common sense, for reflection, for due diligence and for some careful consideration of what being a Druid (or any spiritual person at all) actually means and entails. Let it be also be a general rallying cry for re-evaluation, pause and careful consideration of what humanity’s next steps are. Whether or not this technologically dependent life is for us, is a clear and mutually exclusive dividing line that all of us must confront at some point – each of us will have to live with the consequences of which direction we choose.
Luke Eastwood is a graduate of City University in London, he has worked for financial institutions and publishers in London and Dublin. After ‘dropping out’ and retraining in horticulture he began his career as a part-time author, he currently lives in the west of Ireland. Luke does not use AI. You can read more of his work at https://lukeeastwood.com