When I was a kid, my world was made up of stories. It didn’t matter the source; Superman was on par with Jesus and He-Man. Every story was all part of the same fantastical tapestry, interwoven narratives that taught the same morals: be strong for the weak, fight for justice, and have big muscles and a tiny weird man-bra (that last one is He-Man specific). My head was in the clouds, where superheroes flew and God existed somewhere above me.
I love that Sandman and Blankets could function as stepping stones for younger you into a more expansive mindset and worldview...
The way that certain works can gently loosen the rigid one-dimensional hyper-conservative evangelical world view is a beautiful thing, and I love that you note this phenomenon.
Though my Trump supporting father would dub such works "propaganda", it is experientially clear that part of redemptive art's magic lies in its ability to alchemize seemingly opposing elements, like how Second Coming teases apart Jesus's empathic nature from father god's patriarchal/assholic.
As someone who was once deeply bound to conservative ideals yet an ardent fan of fictional worlds and stories, it's exciting to think about what works may have helped me walk away from the evangelical prison.
Incredible work! Thanks for this — I haven’t heard of Russell.
Great post and thoughts too, as usual. I look forward to the book and podcast.
I love that Sandman and Blankets could function as stepping stones for younger you into a more expansive mindset and worldview...
The way that certain works can gently loosen the rigid one-dimensional hyper-conservative evangelical world view is a beautiful thing, and I love that you note this phenomenon.
Though my Trump supporting father would dub such works "propaganda", it is experientially clear that part of redemptive art's magic lies in its ability to alchemize seemingly opposing elements, like how Second Coming teases apart Jesus's empathic nature from father god's patriarchal/assholic.
As someone who was once deeply bound to conservative ideals yet an ardent fan of fictional worlds and stories, it's exciting to think about what works may have helped me walk away from the evangelical prison.
I'll be thinking on that throughout the week...
Thanks!
~Soleil