Indeed, if the person is able to drop from this space and bring with him some valuable cultural capital more times than not you will create a scene. A scene is a small group of people with the ability of dropping in and out of liminal consciousness are able to invent an exciting New application — a musical genre, a religious sect, a film animation technique, a political theory. Riffing off each other, they produce examples and variants, and share them for mutual enjoyment, generating positive energy into a series of liminoid experiences.
Liminoid states are a concept in anthropology that refers to experiences or situations that are similar to but distinct from the traditional concept of liminal states. Liminality refers to a transitional state in which individuals are in between two phases or statuses, such as between childhood and adulthood or between life and death. In contrast, liminoid states are voluntary, non-ritualistic experiences that are often sought out for personal growth, self-discovery, or spiritual exploration.
Liminoid states can take many different forms, including experiences of intense creativity, adventure, travel, or experimentation with psychoactive substances. They may involve a sense of loss of self, a blurring of boundaries between oneself and the world, or a sense of being in an altered state of consciousness. These experiences can be transformative, allowing individuals to step outside of their usual roles and identities and explore new aspects of themselves and the world around them.
One of the most famous examples of a liminoid state is the Burning Man festival, which takes place annually in the Nevada desert. Participants at Burning Man engage in a wide variety of activities, including art installations, music, dance, and communal living. The festival is intended as a temporary community that challenges traditional social norms and allows participants to explore new forms of self-expression and creativity.
Another example of a liminoid state is the use of psychedelic substances, such as LSD or psilocybin mushrooms, for spiritual or therapeutic purposes. Some individuals report profound experiences of ego dissolution, mystical experiences, and a sense of unity with the universe while under the influence of these substances.
Overall, liminoid states offer individuals an opportunity to step outside of their usual roles and identities and explore new aspects of themselves and the world around them. These experiences can be transformative, leading to personal growth, spiritual development, and a greater sense of connection to the world.
The new scene draws Disciples. Disciples contribute energy (time, money, adulation, organization, analysis) to support the people that are able to deop in and out of liminal consciousness. The Disciples totally love the New Thing, they’re fascinated with all its esoteric ins and outs, and they spend all available time either doing it or talking about it.
Liminoid experiences
In 1974, Victor Turner coined the term liminoid to refer to experiences that have characteristics of liminal experiences. A graduation ceremony might be regarded as liminal while attending a rock concert might be understood to be liminoid. The liminal is part of society, an aspect of social or religious rite, while the liminoid is a break from society, part of “play” or “playing”. Turner stated that liminal rites are rare and diminished in industrial societies, and ‘forged the concept of “liminoid” rituals for analogous but secular phenomena’ such as attending rock concerts and other liminoid experiences.
David Chapman Meaningness explains really well. If the scene is sufficiently complex, it remains a strictly geek thing; a weird hobby, not a subculture. If the scene is unusually exciting, and the Liminoid experience can be appreciated without having to expend too much time on the details, it draws the paradigmatic mind. People that are not able to drop in and out of liminal consciousness mind are appreciative, but not devotees like the Disciples. They show up to have a good time, and contribute as little as they reasonably can in exchange.
The liminal consciousness welcomes paradigmatic mind to the liminoid experience at first at least. It’s the mass of paradigmatic minds who turn cultural capital into a money. Creation, reception or whatever you want to call it is always at least partly an act of generosity; The people that are able drop in and out of liminal consciousness want as many people to use and enjoy their creations as possible. It’s also good for the ego; it confirms that the New Liminoid experience really is exciting, and not just a geek obsession.