Writer, publisher and scholar Jeremy D. Johnson Joins Level 13 for a conversation on Dr. Jeffrey Kripal's 2011 book "Mutants & Mystics: Science Fiction, Superhero Comics, and Paranormal.  In this episode, we go over Prof. Kripal's basic premise that the stories we've been telling ourselves since the beginning of the human race all the way up to the science fiction tales of the 20th and 21st centuries represent a continuous message of paranormal origin, leaked to artists (of various forms) and disseminated through popular culture (in its various forms throughout history). Kripal breaks this transmission down into 7 levels of realization of what he calls the Super-story, meaning the higher ("super") story which encompasses the overarching message.  

And what is that message? The long answer is the 7th realization of the super-story, namely that we are not only "being written" by some higher force, but that we are, in fact, the writer or author of our own story, our own fate. 

Or, the short version: We are gods. Or perhaps God.  We haven't quite figured it out yet.  

Also, sorry about my microphone. Jeremy sounds great in this one, I sound like I'm broadcasting from a shark cage. We'll get that fixed for next time. 

Find Stephen T. Harper @ www.kingsXsaga.com

Follow Jeremy D. Johnson @Jdj_writes