In this article, we analyze the current representations of an individual belonging to the religious subculture known as the Society for Krishna Consciousness on the Internet through the lenses of mediatization theory and globalization theory. The research draws upon the contributions of Krishnaite bloggers shared on the social media platforms “VKontakte” and “Telegram,” which were analysed using a hermeneutic approach. The analysis revealed that the representation of a member of the Society for Krishna Consciousness has experienced several noteworthy transformations, depicting a persona characterized by sociability and financial success, particularly manifesting themselves in entrepreneurship and charity. These attributes, alongside a perceived reduction in the emphasis on religiosity and its game like aspects from the viewpoint of contemporary Krishnaites, enable the author to express the essence of the Society for Krishna Consciousness as a transitional phase bridging the subcultural phenomenon and mainstream culture, thereby introducing the notion of “popsubculture”.
International Society for Krishna Consciousness; subculture; religious subculture; identity; representation; mass culture.