Dystopian Societies and Technological Threats to Humankind as Recontextualizations of the Myth of Cosmic Evil

Since its initial appearance in the Book of Genesis, the monster has taken many forms within different cultural contexts. During its time, the monster was seen as a symbol of cosmic, non-anthropomorphic evil. In recent years, rapid technological developments have allowed a further metamorphosis of the monster’s story. Creating artificial intelligence is one of the most prominent technological challenges, and the danger that this implies for the survival of the human race suggests that the idea of cosmic evil is more relevant than ever. I show how this idea still informs, on one side, certain visions of dystopian societies dominated by technological elites and, on the other, existential risks to humankind raised by increasingly intelligent technologies.

Keywords: cosmic; evil; technology; Bible; dystopian narratives; existential risks.