UNDERSTANDING OF HUMAN DIVIDUALITY IN POLITICAL METAMODERNISM

Abstract

The understanding of the dividual nature was presented from the point of view of political metamodernism founded by Hanzi Freinacht. A transpersonal perspective puts in the center the (transin)dividual – a member of more developed and complex societies. The monographic works of the author were analyzed for the use of the concept of dividual, which was developed in postmodernism and further borrowed by metamodern theorists.

Therefore, an attempt to understand the versatile nature of dividual and dividuality outside the postmodern discourse was made. Dividuality was conceptualized as subjectivity synthesized at the intersection of collective and individual, considering the influence of postmodern digitalization in combination with the transpersonal view of human sociality in metamodern society.

Dividuation is the up-to-date form of subjectivation, which turns the individual into a dividual. The difference in the understanding of dividual and dividuality in political metamodernism and postmodernism was demonstrated. The theory of dividuation, the specific foundations of which could be traced in the works of Hanzi Freinacht, was analyzed.

The definition of “dividualism” was suggested. “Dividualism” was viewed as a trajectory of consolidation in “the listening society”, members of which develop together spiritually and psychologically. “Dividualism” includes not only the (in)dividual’s ability to endow life with meaning but also to do so by taking into account the interconnectedness with his fellow citizens.

In contrast to the implicitly negative understanding of the dividual put forward by postmodernists, the description of the dividual’s potentially positive features was offered. This positivity might be realized if the dividual could have managed to recognize and organize its/his/her dividuality to express it. Knowing one’s dividuality is considered to be a difficult but favorable task for organizing existing “self-images” or for their expression.

Finally, reflections on being trapped in the dead-end integrative practice were presented.