Episode
The Lobotomy of History: Reclaiming Our Extraordinary States (w/ Jeffrey Kripal)
- Published
- Mar 25, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 3746
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- http://teamhuman.fm/feed/episodes
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Summary
Can we decolonize reality itself? Rushkoff is joined by Jeffrey Kripal, Associate Dean and Professor at Rice University, to discuss his book The Superhumanities: Historical Precedents, Moral Objections, New Realities Kripal argues that by stripping away the impossible parts of our history - visions, precognition, and altered states - we have essentially lobotomized the humanities, leaving us with a depressing, purely political version of ourselves. Together, they explore: The Secular Flatland: Moving beyond a strictly materialist worldview that reduces human beings to data points. The Vertical Dimension: Why extraordinary experiences are more common than we admit and how they serve as a first-person way of knowing the world. The Marketing Problem: Why the humanities should embrace the "Superhuman" to reclaim their transformative, ecstatic power. Reality Hacking: How literature and art function as non-specific amplifiers for consciousness. It’s time to put the weird back on the table and acknowledge that the human experience is far more fantastic than our current systems allow. Support Team Human for access to exclusive Q&As with Rushkoff, early show premieres, bonus webinars, live events, and more: https://www.patreon.com/teamhuman Follow Team Human with Douglas Rushkoff : Instagram: https:/www.instagram.com/douglasrushkoff YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@douglasrushkoff TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/douglasrushkoff Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/rushkoff.com Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy