Paragons Design Journal #3
What Is "Paranormal"?
One of the great difficulties posed by paranormals is where to place the dividing line between “normal” and “paranormal.” So far as anyone has been able to determine, there is no clear, objective difference between a normal person (one without any paranormal abilities) and a paranormal who has broken-out and regularly displays paranormal abilities, other than the paranormal abilities themselves. All tests – physical or psychological – thus far show no discernable differences between normal and paranormal apart from the fact that paranormals can apparently do the impossible.
This means it is often unclear whether or not someone is a paranormal. For example, no recorded athlete had run a mile in under four minutes until Roger Bannister came along in 1954 and did it in three minutes and 59.4 seconds. He did something no human being was known to have done before that point: Was he a paranormal? Are all those who have broken his record since paranormal as well? Likewise, are genius-level intellects or people with extraordinary talents in art or mathematics paranormals? It’s difficult to say.
Generally speaking, the term “paranormal” is reserved for abilities clearly beyond normal human capabilities. Some even limit it to abilities or feats that violate scientific law as we know them, so-called “miracles” or “supernatural” powers. These are clearly paranormal. Other, lesser capabilities may be paranormal or simply peak-level “normal” abilities.
One consequence of the unclear division between normal and paranormal has been the theory that all humans (perhaps even all living or thinking creatures) have at least the potential for paranormal abilities, that is, we are all “paranormal” to one degree or another. Paragons just have an unusual or nascent talent for tapping into this buried potential. This theory is common among evolutionists who believe paragons are a new stage in the development of intelligence or life, and religions with theology claiming some sort of spiritual “evolution” or personal development can lead to paranormal abilities.
Another effect of the vague nature of paranormals is the so-called “stealth paragon,” someone who has paranormal abilities and either conceals them, appearing normal, or doesn’t even know about them! Such paragons probably had a “quiet” breakout and were able to pass off their experience as the rush of a peak-experience, or a freak one-time stroke of luck, or something similar. Their powers are also presumably subtle enough to go undetected; stealth paragons tend towards enhanced normal abilities and things like unusual inventiveness, or the like, rather than overt miracles.
Given these things, the exact number of paranormals in the world is difficult to determine with any certainty. The assumption is they are relatively rare, approximately one in a million or so, perhaps less, perhaps a bit more. Until there’s a clear means of detecting them, other than the exercise of paranormal powers, there’s no way to know for sure.
Breakout
Paragons experience what is commonly called a “breakout” when they first manifest their paranormal potential. Breakouts seem to most often occur as a reaction to some powerful stimulus where the latent paranormal feels intense, primal emotion—terror, rage, lust—pure fight-or-flight survival instincts. A few paragons who’ve had “quiet” breakouts say they came from experiencing true bliss or through peaceful meditation, but generally breakouts are dramatic and forceful.
A breakout often happens in reaction to a situation that provokes the necessary emotions (and their associated bio-chemical reactions). In particular, near-death situations commonly trigger breakouts in latent paranormals; the powerful rush of fear, excitement, adrenaline, and such “pushes” the latent to breakout and become paranormal.
Origin Chasers
Given what is known about breakouts, some people try to deliberately trigger a breakout and become paranormal by inducing situations and feelings associated with a breakout. They figure, under the right circumstances, they will manifest paranormal powers if they have the potential (and, according to some, everyone has the potential to varying degrees). Such people are known as “origin chasers” or sometimes “sparkers,” trying to “spark” an awakening in order to become paranormal.
Unfortunately, the kinds of situations associated with breakouts can be extremely dangerous, and some origin chasers believe they have to be as genuine as possible in order to work. So a “life-threatening” situation with no risk of actual harm isn’t enough. Some origin chasers try extreme sports: Things like skydiving or bungee jumping, but self-proclaimed experts believe you have to jump out of a plane or off a bridge without a parachute or a cord to catch you, an all-or-nothing risk for glory.
Naturally this results in multiple deaths or even more permanent injuries each year from failed breakout attempts. The darkly humorous joke this is truly “evolution in action,” but authorities and mental health professionals worry about and warn against the dangers of origin chasing, trying to educate the public about the risks of trying to provoke a breakout and the complete uncertainty regarding paranormal potential. In some cases, extreme origin chasers have been hospitalized or institutionalized for refusing to stop attempting to become paranormal and endangering themselves and others.
Spark Parties
An extreme example of the origin chaser phenomenon is the so-called “spark party,” an event where a group of origin chasers or thrill-seekers get together and cooperate to try and provoke a paranormal breakout (and often have some fun and excitement in the process).
The prototypical spark party is either a group of young people (teens or early 20s) who engage in either “extreme sports” or 24-hour parties (complete with heavy drug and alcohol use) to push their endurance to the limits, or cults using either “arcane” rituals or suicide-pact methods to facilitate their “ascension” to a “higher state of being.” In all cases, the results are usually tragic, ending in one or more deaths, with the survivors psychologically scarred by the experience. Some spark parties have killed all the participants.
What’s worse, on a very rare occasion, an origin chaser or spark party is successful in producing a true paranormal. Those who study paragons believe this is simply a matter of random chance: Someone with the right paranormal potential is exposed to the necessary stimulus to breakout. The problem is there’s no way of knowing who has latent potential until a breakout actually happens, so origin chasing remains incredibly dangerous. The rare successes only encourage hopeful would-be paragons to continue pursuing their dream, even if it means risking their lives: better a slim chance to be special than a lifetime of mediocrity, they claim.
