Self-Alienation in Xenopoetics

The term "xenopoems" implies an estrangement or otherness in the medium of language itself. While poetry has long been considered a means of artistic and philosophical expression, xenopoems disrupt the communicative function of language by introducing a form of radical exteriority. In these works, language becomes alien—not merely in the sense of being foreign, but in terms of its very structure and mode of signification. This notion evokes Derrida’s theory of deconstruction, where language is seen as inherently unstable and fraught with undecidability. Jacques Derrida famously argued that meaning is always deferred, a process he termed différance: "There is no outside-text" (Il n’y a pas de hors-texte). This points to the inherent otherness within language itself. Xenopoems, in this view, operate at the extremities of this linguistic instability, forcing the reader into an experience of estrangement. The "xeno" prefix here not only refers to the other but also to an alien or foreign presence within the self—a kind of linguistic self-alienation. Kenji Siratori's Blood Electric serves as an exemplary case where language breaks down into what can be considered xenopoems. His experimental narrative, often fragmented and non-linear, destabilizes traditional linguistic forms, creating an alien atmosphere within the text. This style confronts readers with their own linguistic limits, reflecting Nietzsche's assertion that “We are unknown to ourselves, we men of knowledge” (On the Genealogy of Morality). The xenopoem destabilizes subjectivity by revealing the alien within—the incomprehensible nature of language and self-identity. If xenopoems reveal the alien nature of language, self-alienation uncovers the alien within the self. This existential state refers to a condition where individuals feel disconnected from their own identity or essence. It is a central theme in existentialist philosophy, particularly in the works of Jean-Paul Sartre and Martin Heidegger, who viewed alienation as a fundamental aspect of the human condition in modernity. Sartre, in his Being and Nothingness, suggests that self-alienation is an inevitable consequence of the individual's confrontation with freedom and the absurdity of existence. The realization that one's essence is not fixed leads to an alienation from the very core of one's being. In the post-human context, this existential self-alienation is intensified by the proliferation of technology. Donna Haraway's Cyborg Manifesto highlights the fluidity between human and machine, creating hybridized forms of existence that blur the boundaries of identity. The cyborg, as Haraway suggests, represents a dissolution of traditional categories, including the self. In a world where human bodies are increasingly enhanced or mediated by technology, self-alienation no longer remains a psychological phenomenon but a physical reality. The incorporation of machines into human subjectivity, from neural implants to prosthetics, further estranges individuals from a sense of organic selfhood, leaving only traces of the human amidst an alien technological landscape. This alienation reaches a new intensity in the form of alien sex dolls. These hyper-realistic, synthetic companions are emblematic of the self-alienation fostered by contemporary consumer culture. The alien sex doll represents a profound shift in human relations—a literalized form of the alienation described by Marx as the commodification of the human body in a capitalist economy. Here, the alien sex doll serves as an objectification of desire, removing any emotional or spiritual connection between subjects. Slavoj Žižek, in his critique of modern capitalism, writes, "In our postmodern society, the ultimate commodity is subjectivity itself, our innermost thoughts, desires, and feelings." The alien sex doll is not merely a reflection of fetishized desire but represents an externalization of the self's alienation from authentic human relationships. The uncanny valley phenomenon, where the almost-human appearance of the doll induces discomfort, serves as a metaphor for the alienation of the self in post-human relationships. The doll is an alien presence masquerading as a human companion, a physical manifestation of self-alienation through technological mediation. While alien sex dolls are often considered through the lens of consumerism and fetishism, they also prompt a critical ethical inquiry into the nature of human relationships, particularly in relation to technology. Post-humanist theorists like Rosi Braidotti argue that the fusion of human and non-human elements opens new possibilities for rethinking ethics. In her work, Braidotti suggests that post-humanism challenges anthropocentric ethics, forcing us to reconsider the moral status of non-human entities, including technological creations like alien sex dolls. From this perspective, alien sex dolls are not just objects but participants in a new ethical landscape. They force us to reconsider the very boundaries of subjectivity and objectivity, blurring the line between person and thing. In this context, the alien sex doll could be seen as a tool for the exploration of self-alienation, where individuals engage with the 'Other' in an entirely new way, mediated by technology. This evokes Levinas' ethics of the face-to-face encounter with the Other, though here, the Other is radically transformed through technology.