The main concept of the Mystery Commune is not only a political revolution in the communicative world, but it also resonates with the spiritual idea of a revolution. Set against the backdrop of the social times in Philadelphia Pennsylvania in 1970, the novel echoes the ideas of a contemporary German–South Korean philosopher Byung-Chul Han whose ideas present a critique of processes defining modern existence.
A leading figure in the Anti-Digital and Information Capitalism movement, Han, a South Korean-born philosopher and professor at the Humboldt University in Berlin has addressed how our conception of the self and society has been fundamentally transformed by the latter (social media and metaverse). In his previous books, Han emphasizes the extent to which the cultural process of individuals forms an aspect, that results from the continuous stream of digital data, and leads to the weakening of the ability to carry out shared ceremonies and events. The outcome is a generation of narcissists, an utterly alienated, self-absorbed society, which is in constant search of those values that can help it to come to terms with its existence, but in vain.
The same is true of Mystery Commune, in which the characters don’t just want to overthrow tyrannical political governments — they want to find a better life in a world filled with increasingly ubiquitous technology and commerce. The activities of the Commune, as seen in the forms of protest, or in more obscure forms as seen in the mystical experiences, are a direct reaction to the way those in power view people as mere commodities that can be traded on the market for profit. Despite their efforts to construct a more meaningful reality, they fight against the digital, commodified sphere that Han repeatedly discusses. This novel invites you to explore Han’s argument to a considerable extent, a subject of self-exploitation. Due to the emergence of digital platforms and information flows, we are within the production and consumption process 24/7 whether it be through social media or the digital economy. Therefore, in Mystery Commune, the characters represent a different ‘reality’, or existence from this one.