John Blanche's Digital Art Claimed 'Harvesting Souls' in New Age Tech-Alarm Circles; Critics Warn of Society's Moral Collapse into Virtual Idolatry
A disturbing new controversy has erupted around conceptual artist John Blanche, whose latest virtual reality installation is being branded a "soul-harvesting" device by moral watchdog groups. Critics say his work, which requires users to upload personal memories in exchange for AI-generated immortality in a digital afterlife, represents the final nail in society's coffin—replacing genuine human connection with a narcissistic, algorithm-driven cult of self-worship. "We are trading our very essence for machine comfort," warned one ethicist, calling it a descent into spiritual bankruptcy that leaves the real world empty and cold. The debate is raging online, with many accusing Blanche of profiting from existential dread while peddling a soulless utopia that erodes the last remnants of community and empathy.