Lessening
2094: Lieben Oracle V1
A transcription from the recollections of the Mater Machine Lieben. The one tenet of Idless life is a disassociation with any outward labels or identifiers. To enjoy the freedom of Idless culture, one is expected to eradicate their past. This is their only honour. It starts with conversations, travelling at the back of the Idless caravans and on the outskirts of various Grids. Once someone makes the decision to become Idless, they are to collect all Babylon assets, deeds, items and identification. Deeds, shares in stocks, expensive items are either sold off or donated to the Idless Co-Operative. Goods are spread amongst those who have need, and a vehicle is chosen, either to be shared with another Idless grouping or to be built bespoke for the new initiate. Idless hackers and Cleansers scour the internet and various databases, and erase all trace of the Idless' existence in Babylon's tide. No articles or social media posts, no criminal or employment records, no online videos or photos which displayed the person's name or face, or the sound of their voice. Complete erasure. This emptiness of labels becomes the bedrock of a new creation: A chance to live an anonymous but fulfilling life of collective good and travel. A symbolic fire is lit in the Grid's communal hearth. There, any symbols, documents, ident cards or chips from their former lives are placed onto the fire. Books, journals, photographs, memory sticks, all of it is placed upon the fire. While the pile combusts, the person's former name is spoken for the last time: Never to be whispered, thought of, or provoked again. The new Idless takes a moniker of their own design, one without ego, without attachment to their former selves. Another Idless repeats the name. Then another, and another until all in attendance welcome their new member. As the embers of the past burn, the new Idless is meant to sit and meditate, eyes on or near the blaze. This is the Last Contemplation, and is conducted alone. The embers of the fire die, and are disposed of (with any matter destroyed by another Idless in the Grid). The person is a fully fledged member of the Idless and given the same deference as those born into the counter cultural movement.History
Id-Lessening manifests both in the digital realm of cyberspace, and in the physical realm at the Grid Communal Hearth.
An act of silence and fire.
How could one have zero identification and reject corpocracy and nationalism, if they had birth certificates, passports, a credit card? The Lessening became a practical application of faith.
Execution
The dissolving of one's previous identity and cleansing of a newly chosen identifier, through a literal bonfire and through the erasure of the person from databases & governmental records, eliminating their presence both online and in a geographical location.
Complete anonymity is the result.
After integration with Babylon, an Idless must go through this cleansing process again, before rejoining their Grid.
Components and tools
- Fire Pit
- Computer Deck
Participants
- The Lessened
- The Hacker
- The Grid Hearth
Observance
This is a joining ritual.
What is the relationship of idless people with Babylon Autorities? Are they recognized as idless and left alone? Considered illegal immigrant and detained? Or given a temporary new id, because nobody can't go around without one? Good article to open my curiosity regarding your books, I will add them to my reading list :-)
Usually Babylon tries to 'rehabilitate' or detain the Idless until they can get an Idless to sign a contract. We see this in action in Emptiness at the Centre. Idless are considered more and more radical & terrorist as the timeline goes on, so while at first it was 'eh, cut 'em loose', it becomes something more dangerous. Thanks!