Therians: A Marginal Anthropological Phenomenon on Social Media with Philosophical and Religious Implications.
Keywords:
Therians, Identity, Posthumanism, AnthropocentrismAbstract
This article analyses the therian phenomenon as a contemporary anthropological manifestation linked to new forms of identity construction emerging within digital culture. Through a philosophical, religious and cultural perspective, it examines its possible symbolic connections with ancient traditions such as animism, totemism, shamanism and various zoomorphic representations found across different civilisations. The study contrasts these historical conceptions with current therian dynamics, understood as individuals who establish a symbolic and performative identification with specific animals, mainly through aesthetic practices, personal narratives and communities developed on social media platforms. Furthermore, the article reflects on the relationship between this phenomenon and contemporary critiques of anthropocentrism, anti-speciesist discourses, postmodern culture and emerging debates surrounding posthumanism and the transformation of human identity. It argues that, rather than representing a direct continuation of ancient spiritual practices, the therian movement constitutes a marginal cultural expression characteristic of digital societies, where self-perception and symbolic exploration of the self acquire new forms of representation.
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