Stan Lee's Superhumans - ironically disturbed relationship to chi arts

[Owledge]

OK, I'll try to be relatively concise in conveying my point.

That show is about people doing extraordinary things, more or less like comic heroes. Some cases they show are really amazing feats of human beings (mostly uncommon alterations in people's bodies), some are a lot less impressive, and maybe the low point is when they show a scientist who genetically altered goats so that they produce spider-silk protein in their milk. Sorry, but what does that have to do with "superhuman"? Down to this level Stan Lee hypes people up - he seems to have no problem with that.

But then there are two cases that follow a common thread despite/because of how they're treated by the show.

First, a guy who claims he can punch people touchless - with his chi. It turns out that it only works with his students, and even a paranormal measurement team couldn't get conclusive measurements from their instuments. They conclude that it might be hypnosis, but still impressive, because it affects the target's vital signs. (That's actually not that amazing in the area of hypnosis.) Well, anyway, I really wondered why they had the guy in the show in the first place, because it was the only case that was far from being a total success.

And then, later into the series, they have a guy who can - at some distance - sedate various types of animals - whole herds, just by waving his hands around. He didn't even need their attention for that. Everything about that case indicated that it couldn't have been faked; It was genuinely amazing. And then the big WTF-moment when Stan Lee says the audience should decide whether that is superhuman or not. ... He never did that before. He always said someone is DEFINITELY superhuman, even if it's a pretty lame example.

The irony I suspect here is that in his perception, as long as it can be explained scientifically, it is superhuman, but as soon as it is actually mindboggingly amazing:
It can't be true, there must be a trick - better not make a definitive statement in case it was a trick and I look like a fool. I have no clue how he did it, so it is not convincing.
Something like that. It reveals even more the fake excitement, the facade. It has little to do with childlike amazement. It's almost as if he's dissing his own superhero comic creations.

It could also be related to the phenomenon "fear of the unknown". Some superpowers are just too scary for the self-limiting mind because of their implications. Better play it safe and keep the definition of "out there" 'in here', then we can all pretend to be dumbfounded and amazed by the wonders that are well within our comfort zone. There's a socially accepted way to make a fool of yourself, especially in TV entertainment, so people tend to do that instead of risking to be proven wrong later, which is a horrible social stigma.
I guess this behavior fits into the "bullshit"-phenomenon.

[9th]

 

For instance, the development of the power of my thoughts had been brought to such a level that by only a few hours of self-preparation I could from a distance of tens of miles kill a yak; or, in twenty-four hours, could accumulate life forces of such compactness that I could in five minutes put to sleep an elephant.

- Gurdjieff

 

and did you know that tenacious d even wrote a song about killing yaks with "mind bullets"?

 

[Ish]

He's pretty awesome! First one was the Stan Lee superhumans section - shows a group of bulls.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPVsrZe5Oe0

 

 

This is one from a japanese show - he puts all sorts of animals to sleep.

 

 

I bet the animals love it haha

Edited November 14, 2013 by Ish

[LeoViridis]

This guy is incredible. I've read somewhere before that qi can be used like that, although I've never seen it until now. Stan Lee sure didn't want to comment on it though, like you said. But I bet he and the guys from the show were really baffeled. I've seen one episode some time ago, where a guy they dubbed "Mind Force" demonstrated a telekinesis-like ability, which allowed him to make objects stick to his body. He said that he discovered he could do this after experimenting with yoga and meditations a decade or so before the show. They even mesured the guy in some university, with the help of some neuroscientist doctor. An interesting thing to see.

[Owledge]

I've seen one episode some time ago, where a guy they dubbed "Mind Force" demonstrated a telekinesis-like ability, which allowed him to make objects stick to his body. He said that he discovered he could do this after experimenting with yoga and meditations a decade or so before the show. They even mesured the guy in some university, with the help of some neuroscientist doctor. An interesting thing to see.

That one made a lot of question pop up in my mind. They didn't apply scientific scrutiny there either. It looked like he at least combined several techniques there, because the palms of the hands can be used for a suction-type effect and his eyebrow bones are quite distinct, so he might have supported the objects with his skull bone there. He might also have an unusual stickiness to his skin.

[LeoViridis]

That one made a lot of question pop up in my mind. They didn't apply scientific scrutiny there either. It looked like he at least combined several techniques there, because the palms of the hands can be used for a suction-type effect and his eyebrow bones are quite distinct, so he might have supported the objects with his skull bone there. He might also have an unusual stickiness to his skin.

 

True enough, but I don't think that just his brow bones or a sustion-type effect could support those object - they were pretty heavy. And he washed his hands and all that, so I don't think he could've faked it, they would have likely notice it. Even that neuroscientist said his vital signs change while he does that.