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Written by Daystar Solander of the system of Wonderbeasts
Introduction: Hello world, can you hear me?
The alterhuman community doesn't talk about conceptual experiences enough. This essay aims to pave the way for a broader discussion of this way of being, so that others can begin to have the language to make sense of things like this, instead of struggling to put it into words. It is not intended to be a conclusive or final word on the subject, it is an entry point and only one person's way of thinking.
For a long time, myself and the two people in my subsystem (Solander) have struggled to understand the way we experience draconity. Make no mistake, I am--we are--a dragon. But the mark that our draconity left on us seemed to be different than how both therian and otherkin dragons have approached their identity. Since there is little to no draconic community left (a fact we mourn to this day), this was a worry we could not allay by talking to others.
Rather than being based in physicality--having phantom shifts, draconic instincts, and the like--our draconity seemed to be the product of culture, almost of the ideas of what dragons are, rather than any specific dragon in particular. Our draconity was not focused on a discrete entity. This is a term I will return to in the essay, so it's useful to define here. 'Discrete' is here defined as taking on or having a finite or countably infinite number of values. This in and of itself is a very draconic characteristic, ironically. Our draconity felt malleable, based on abstract ideas and stories in a very direct way that seemed unusual for dragonkin.
And then there was storytelling.
In the same way that my species is dragon, my species is also storyteller. This has consistently felt like an experience that goes over the edges of the map (which, luckily, is draconic territory). We are a Storyteller to the bone, it is intrinsic and fundamental to our sense of self. To take it out would even be to remove our draconity.
I don't believe that already existing alterhuman frameworks (eg otherkinity, therianthropy, heartedness) can be easily and directly translated over into the conceptual realm all the time. I've found it really hard to make sense of myself when thinking in an otherkin framework, and also that it has been hard to fit into an otherkin community when my approach is so different.
What is a Concept?
'Concept' is an inherently difficult word to define. Let's go with the dictionary definition first! Merriam-Webster defines Concept as 1. something conceived of in the mind and 2. an abstract or generic ideal generalized from particular notions. Historically and currently, within the community, the definition of concept has ranged far broader than that, and so in an attempt to be thorough but by no means conclusive, we understand Concept (in an alterhuman context) to be defined as
- The general idea or understanding of something
- A unifying idea or theme
- An abstracted understanding of something that exists in the world
- A symbol, metaphor, glyph, idea, archetype, role, persona, analogy, simile, signifier, sign, and other such things
- An abstract representation of something else, which may or may not have acquired additional dimensions beyond being the abstract representation of something.
- The way honeybees may not just be honeybees, but are also a human's understanding of honeybees, as the literary symbol of honeybees, as a religious and mythological symbol/character/concept, as an artistic symbol/character concept.
The problem with this definition is that it still does not include everything and everyone who has been using the conceptkin label at the very least. Anything can be a conceptual identity, anyone can be conceptfolk.
Viewed in this manner, I can say that my draconity based in being a symbol of the power of fantasy and myth, being an archetypal Other, and existing in dialogue to ideas of humanity as both monstrous and divine. These ideas, coalesced into a symbol, are things I live out in my day to day life.
Conceptfolk
The term I want to propose is an umbrella term, inspired by 'fictionfolk', which is inclusive of anyone and everyone who feels it applies to them. I don't want to set limits on this label, if it takes off; this is for all of us. But, in order to illustrate what and who could fall under this term, let's set out some examples, which are not at all exhaustive. I've chosen to go with experiences rather than labels, as I think it will make it clearer.
Being a concept, or conceptkin. This one, I think, is the most intuitive for people to understand. It involves being the concept of something, being the embodiment of a concept, identifying as a concept.
Embodying a role, profession, or archetype, or understanding yourself through the lense of an archetype, narrative, or trope.
Intimately associating yourself with a concept (eg an aesthetic or subculture).
Relating to, identifying with, caring deeply about, being affected strongly by a concept.
Basing your sense of self around a concept, so that, while you are not that concept itself, you are inextricable from it.
Feeling like a part of, a shard of a concept.
Feeling at home with a concept.
See: an incomplete list of alterhuman frameworks for more ideas.
I think conceptfolk can associate with the thing itself and also with the idea of the thing. Usually both at once. We are a dragon because we embody the ideas of draconity most resonant with us. We are a storyteller because we perform the role of storytelling, and because we identify as one. Conceptivity (is that a word?) is often an abstract, symbolic, non-literal thing which is anchored in the person embodying it in such a way that it becomes concrete, specific, and personal. It is as real, direct, and impactful as other forms of alterhumanity.
Proposals
In this essay, I have found myself using the term embodiment again and again. This being not the first time that I have encountered it in an alterhuman context, I should probably provide some background.
Within the Archetroper's Guild discord server, discussions around the nature of archetropy have begun to lay bare a different paradigm, which I think is more in line with conceptual alterhumanity. This begins with the concept of embodiment. In simple terms, embodiment is archetropy's version of what shifts are to many alterhumans. There are some key distinctions within this specific context.
First of all, there is no voluntary/involuntary or with/as divide in our emerging framework of archetropy. Archetropy can be both chosen and reinforced consciously and it is usually both an identification with and as the archetrope. The elimination of two very big stumbling blocks has lead to a really interesting discourse on what being your archetrope really means. That's where embodiment comes in.
Embodiment in an archetropal context
- A moment in which an archetroper feels uniquely connected to their archetrope, as if they have become part of a larger idea and act as its channel in the world.
- A life long process of aligning oneself with their archetrope. Aligning one's aesthetic, hobbies, career, values, interests, ethics with their archetrope in order to better embody their role socially and narratively.
See: moments of moreness (note that syncing is the word used here, but that I prefer embodying. I feel like both are terms to use and explore )
I believe this concept is more widely applicable to conceptual experiences (archetropy itself being one such experience).
The other term I wanted to bring up for discussion is an idea I circle around in the above list, too. In my very limited experience, conceptfolk tend to have a concept that they are oriented around in some way. Naturally, I suppose. This concept is something central, and acts as an organizing principle for this identity. It can be as general or specific as suits the user. I propose for this to be called a keystone or lodestone concept. I prefer lodestone, as the actual object is an magnetite-rich rock that was used as an early compass. Lode means "course-stone" or "journey-stone" in Middle English, which is very representative of the concept I am trying to express. I am sure that there are different metaphors that suit other people better than this one, and I would encourage people to experiment with their own terms, too!
A lodestone concept, therefore, is the central pillar of one's conceptual alterhumanity, the concept a person is oriented around. For example, my lodestone is storytelling. Being oriented around this concept, for me, has affected my life path and self identification. I am a storyteller and a dragon (a dragon being of the same stuff that stories are made), I write, I seek out roles involving communication, I try to create community, I read voraciously, I think deeply about narrative and symbolism. Not doing any of these things, as has happened in the past, feels like starvation. It's who I am.
Conclusion: Where do we go from here?
In this essay, I've tried to set out the fumbled beginnings at a project that I simply cannot carry out on my own: the creation of community. If you have read this and been struck by any of my ideas--positively or negatively, in agreement, in curiosity, in disagreement--I implore you to talk about it! I would love to read people exploring their own conceptivity, I would love to read people exploring why they aren't conceptfolk. My hope is that I've provided the initial tools to get the conversation started, and that this idea will flourish, but community is built by everyone.
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