A Camera Named Voodoo

OPEN DISCUSSION THREAD

Last weekend there was a massive iCloud security breach that unleashed upon the public scores of nude celebrity photographs.  There are many issues raised by this incident, but the one I'd like to talk about is this:  do cameras steal your soul?

When introduced to the technology, many non-Western cultures feared that a photograph could hold captive an essential part of a person.  Of course, it wasn't just photographs.  Many cultures believed that if someone possessed your likeness, they could in some sense control you... hence Voodoo dolls.

But it goes even deeper than that-- it doesn't have to be a visual likeness, it could merely be your name.  An interesting thing about the Abrahamic God-- the reason why using His name in vain is prohibited is because it was once believed knowledge of someone's name gave you power over that person.  Since you shouldn't feel like you have any power over God, you probably shouldn't get to use or even know His name (it's "Yahweh", by the way).

But names, photos, dolls... they do have a certain power, don't they?  We certainly act like it sometimes.  Having an old photo of a deceased love one or one far away helps us feel closer to them.  When we meet someone who knows our name when we don't know theirs, doesn't that feel vaguely dangerous?  And, geez, I don't want to even talk about somebody owning a doll version of me (maybe an action figure, 'cause that'd be totally rad, you know?). 

But these things are symbols, metaphors.  We treat them as though they hold some piece of us, whether it be good or bad.  It could be a photograph, but it could also be a flag or a diploma.  So what are the things in your life that have captured your soul?  And what do you do to capture the souls of others?