Crosswords1 min ago
Time To Stop Accepting Mind Alteration?
292 Answers
I have been considering the effects of drugs - all drugs - and the reason people use them.
The conclusion I have reached is that every single person who uses any kind of drug - tobacco, cannabis, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, does so in pursuit of a level of mind alteration.
Only the amount consumed, and the desired effect vary, the initial reason is identical throughout - to alter the mind's perception of the present.
Now this can vary from a glass or two of wine at the end of the day, or at a party, or a cigarette to 'calm the nerves' right through to the desired temporary oblivion of a large dose of heroin.
Of course, as a culture, we have absorbed the first examples as simply cultural norms, accepted and even encouraged, less so the last one which remains illegal.
But my point is, the subliminal desire to alter the mind to whatever degree is present in all of them.
Now the first argument would be - 'I drink because I enjoy the taste ...'.
Fine, then you can drink non-alcoholic wine or beer and not notice any difference can't you.
But no, we persist with 'acceptable' drugs because we, as a culture, accept that mind alteration is an acceptable thing to have in our society.
My question is - is it acceptable?
Should we not look at educating children and young people - the adults of tomorrow - that mind alteration is actually not a good thing at all, and is in fact creating a false reality, and leading to death through dangerous driving, liver damage, psychosis, and all the other results of ingesting drugs.
Drugs are not good, and we should be looking at getting rid of them as acceptable in society.
Thoughts please?
The conclusion I have reached is that every single person who uses any kind of drug - tobacco, cannabis, alcohol, cocaine, heroin, does so in pursuit of a level of mind alteration.
Only the amount consumed, and the desired effect vary, the initial reason is identical throughout - to alter the mind's perception of the present.
Now this can vary from a glass or two of wine at the end of the day, or at a party, or a cigarette to 'calm the nerves' right through to the desired temporary oblivion of a large dose of heroin.
Of course, as a culture, we have absorbed the first examples as simply cultural norms, accepted and even encouraged, less so the last one which remains illegal.
But my point is, the subliminal desire to alter the mind to whatever degree is present in all of them.
Now the first argument would be - 'I drink because I enjoy the taste ...'.
Fine, then you can drink non-alcoholic wine or beer and not notice any difference can't you.
But no, we persist with 'acceptable' drugs because we, as a culture, accept that mind alteration is an acceptable thing to have in our society.
My question is - is it acceptable?
Should we not look at educating children and young people - the adults of tomorrow - that mind alteration is actually not a good thing at all, and is in fact creating a false reality, and leading to death through dangerous driving, liver damage, psychosis, and all the other results of ingesting drugs.
Drugs are not good, and we should be looking at getting rid of them as acceptable in society.
Thoughts please?
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I hear what Andy is saying, it would be interesting to see results.
But,...it will never happen voluntarily, as life as we know it, is very stressful to a lot of people, and not coping very well. So it is no wonder/ understanable, that a lot of people want to take mind altering drugs, lgal & illegal, unfortunately.
I seen this quote today from Keanu Reeves;
"The truth is, we don't struggle with depression, we struggle with the reality we live in"
But,...it will never happen voluntarily, as life as we know it, is very stressful to a lot of people, and not coping very well. So it is no wonder/ understanable, that a lot of people want to take mind altering drugs, lgal & illegal, unfortunately.
I seen this quote today from Keanu Reeves;
"The truth is, we don't struggle with depression, we struggle with the reality we live in"
Without a doubt the best drug I ever did was Ayahuasca. I had the absolute privilege of being administered this ethno-psychedelic by a genuine Quechua shaman in the jungles of the upper reaches of the Napo River in Ecuador in 1994.
I was never quite the same afterwards in the very best way. It gave me deep insights into my nature that took me a long time to fully understand. It was so beautiful.
Other people who participated in the same brew said nothing happened for them while others just vomited it out again.
I was never quite the same afterwards in the very best way. It gave me deep insights into my nature that took me a long time to fully understand. It was so beautiful.
Other people who participated in the same brew said nothing happened for them while others just vomited it out again.
pasta - // 11:19...that's most of the regular members of AB then. All held to such high esteem. //
If the 'regular members of AB' consisted entirely of the three or four to whom I refer, it would have died years ago.
I know, and I suspect that you know as well, that they are a tiny minority, an irritant, nothing more.
If the 'regular members of AB' consisted entirely of the three or four to whom I refer, it would have died years ago.
I know, and I suspect that you know as well, that they are a tiny minority, an irritant, nothing more.
roy - // If we educate children from nursery onwards to develop a sense of respect for themselves, and others
_________________________
Do they not get taught to have respect for themselves and others?
Shocking... the teachers need educating, it seems. //
No, they don;t get taught, not to the level that they need.
That's because nursery and primary education are under-funded and constantly messed with my successive governments.
Nursery education specifically, is staffed in the main by minimum wage youngsters who vaguely think they like children, but have no understanding of how they think, grow, and learn.
If nursery education was revered and funded in the way that university education is, the problems we have would disappear in two or three generations.
But students vote, toddlers don't, so no-one really bothers with them.
_________________________
Do they not get taught to have respect for themselves and others?
Shocking... the teachers need educating, it seems. //
No, they don;t get taught, not to the level that they need.
That's because nursery and primary education are under-funded and constantly messed with my successive governments.
Nursery education specifically, is staffed in the main by minimum wage youngsters who vaguely think they like children, but have no understanding of how they think, grow, and learn.
If nursery education was revered and funded in the way that university education is, the problems we have would disappear in two or three generations.
But students vote, toddlers don't, so no-one really bothers with them.
davebro - // In A-H's world we would all be frolicking innocently in sunny uplands free from any depressing or corrupting influences. Unfortunately real life isn't like that & never will be however much you educate or legislate. //
It's not 'my world' - it is an abstract question for people to consider, nothing more than that.
It's not 'my world' - it is an abstract question for people to consider, nothing more than that.
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