Page 181 - Cyberculture and New Media

172 Cyborg Goddesses: The Mainframe Revisited
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creatures and phenomena in recent times and especially in science fiction
movies. My guess is that since the prevalent “god” concept possesses a rather
masculine quality there obviously happens to be a need to regenerate its
omnipotent female counterpart as a symbol of power. Therefore, alternatives
to the male worship figure develop. Within the current capitalist context, this
division brings along diversity and a freedom to choose. A selection of
alternatives alongside the main providers of belief although may appear to
provide diversity, may as well cater similarity, eventually all serving the
same purpose: a generous contribution to the shrine of the generic mainframe
program of the market economy.
While reconsidering the term goddess along Donna Haraway’s
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definitions of the cyborg in The Cyborg Manifesto, one realizes that a
cyborg as a utopic entity is beyond genders, conventional binaries, and is
devoid of any story of origin. In contemporary science fiction movies, female
types have enhanced, altered and shape shifting qualities. They look like a
female but they possess superhuman strength. In this respect, they show
resemblance to ancient goddesses in constant negotiation with life and death.
The presence of an alternative figure with the looks of a female and a
strength surpassing the male may appear as a challenge to the mainstream
masculine figure and “god.” However, the presence of an alternative also
means an opportunity for further choice, therefore an invitation to
democratization. In this respect, an alternative is equally valuable as the main
provider of belief. Furthermore, the image of a cyborg today has developed
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as an illegitimate militaristic offspring as Dana Haraway puts it. Yet the
cyborg’s goddess imagery is an acquisition from its ancient origins,
presumably all the way from the Cybele cult.
However, to recognize Cybele as a source of origin for the cyborg
goddess phenomenon is obviously a challenge to Haraway’s cyborg with no
origin. Specifically, the cyborg with no origin story is bound to undo itself. In
this respect, it appears as if it is less constrained than its counter-part.
However, the denial of an origin renders the idea of a linear sense of history,
and evolution look obsolete in time. If the cyborg is to be considered as an
entity, which has originated overnight, then the entire succession of
philosophical and technologic developments in time, giving way to the idea
of the cyborg is factually nullified. This can happen in a utopic condition
only. Therefore, Dana Haraway’s Cyborg Manifesto maybe read only as a
utopic philosophical construction: a further science fiction fantasy, which
will allow the reading of other texts. That is, the Cyborg Manifesto as a
fictive key of the science fiction world will help open the fictive side of the
locks and amplify the meaning process. However, Haraway’s proposition is
an inspiration in an unconventional, yet seemingly liberating way to the
world of fiction and meaning making. By this means, Haraway frees herself
from the probable ontological accusations of the scientific world as well as