Bamboo Towers of the Digital Forest

This essay draws a parallel between the Melanesian cargo cults and contemporary digital practices. Through the metaphor of bamboo towers and ritual gestures, it explores how the opacity of algorithms, the simulative nature of interfaces, and the need for social validation give rise to a new form of collective ritual. The text examines manifestations of this “cult” — from the pursuit of engagement on social networks to corporate jargon, education, and the crypto industry — and proposes a reflexive optic for understanding the digital environment without resorting to magical thinking.