Drugs

[Jim T]

"Some people use drugs to deeper explore their own consciousness and/or spirituality."

While I'm in favor of legalized drugs, that's a load of crap. People may tell themselves that's why they are taking drugs, but people are always lying to themselves aren't they.

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While I'm in favor of legalized drugs, that's a load of crap. People may tell themselves that's why they are taking drugs, but people are always lying to themselves aren't they.

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Actually, it's not a load of crap at all. See my example in that paragraph. However, most people do not use drugs as a means to explore the universe or understand their lives better. Most people, especially Americans, use drugs to get high and nothing else. There are exceptions to this, though they are few and far between.

[Jim T]

"See my example in that paragraph"

Yes, and people used to believe that they could tell the future from their dreams (and some people still do). Just because you believe that you are 'gaining a better understanding of the universe' by doing hallucinogens doesn't mean you are doing so. In fact it likely means that you know believe some ridiculously false nonsense.

'Learning about yourself' by doing drugs is just as idiotic as 'learning about the universe' by doing drugs IMO.

It's their belief that what they are seeing is spiritually important, that they are seeing certain things for a reason. Just because you do not share this belief does not make it any less valid. If you don't feel that this is acceptable, that's fine, because what works for them does not work for you, and vice versa.

[flatline]

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'Learning about yourself' by doing drugs is just as idiotic as 'learning about the universe' by doing drugs IMO.

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This is quite the ignorant statement. People can learn a lot about themselves by doing hallucinogens. It can be our only way to see things from a perspective other than our normal one.

[Aytumious]

[ QUOTE ]
"See my example in that paragraph"

Yes, and people used to believe that they could tell the future from their dreams (and some people still do). Just because you believe that you are 'gaining a better understanding of the universe' by doing hallucinogens doesn't mean you are doing so. In fact it likely means that you know believe some ridiculously false nonsense.

'Learning about yourself' by doing drugs is just as idiotic as 'learning about the universe' by doing drugs IMO.

[/ QUOTE ]

What about learning about yourself through meditation? Many religions that stress meditation as a way to better ones understanding of oneself also recognize the value of certain substances in facilitating a meditative experience.

[cielo]

from www.m-w.com

drug:

1) : a substance recognized in an official pharmacopoeia or formulary

(2) : a substance intended for use in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease

(3) : a substance other than food intended to affect the structure or function of the body

(4) : a substance intended for use as a component of a medicine but not a device or a component, part, or accessory of a device




I think you are asking about definition #3 here.

A quick comment on the definition. It is interesting that Merriam and Webster stipulate, "a substance, OTHER THAN FOOD..."


m-w goes on to define food as,

"1 a : material consisting essentially of protein, carbohydrate, and fat used in the body of an organism to sustain growth, repair, and vital processes and to furnish energy;"

Interesting that some foods such as chocolate, tea (there are probably others) have caffeine (a drug) in them even when it is not added.

I guess this is not really answering your question though. Just showing the line between food/drugs may not be so clear.




So this is really a question of health right?

You ask

Philosophically, why should one do or not do drugs?


Well, why one "should or should not" do anything is dependent on where you want to end up. To which end do you aim.

This is also a question of moderation.

Do you want to to hallucinate? Yes? Then you SHOULD take drugs such as lsd and/or mushrooms.

Do you not want to hallucinate? No? Then you should not take hallucinogens(sp?)



To answer your question in a deeper way I can share my story.

I used to do alot of drugs, Now I don't do any "drugs". I was in an out-patient treatment program in high-school. I was required to attend AA meetings. Man did those suck. It is hardly a rational way of dealing w/ your problems. This is not to say that it does not work, just came across as very cheesy to me. However there are insightful aspects of those kind of programs. for example

1. Some meetings I attended did not focus on this or that drug, but rather on the function that our "drugs of choice" played in our lives and tried to show how unhealthy our imbalanced lives were.

2. uh, that's all i can think of right now

But i hear there is a program called rational recovery that focuses on being more rational, as opposed to "we have turned our addictions over to God, as we have defined him"




From my experience, drugs can do so much negative. In response to South American Shamen who can talk to their ancestors while hallucinating. COME ONNNNNN. And I talk to God when I am praying and he talks back. Are these verifiable claims?

I do however believe that there is room for moderate drug use in a healthy person's life. It just must be done for the right reasons and in the right ways. For me, however, based on my past transgressions, taking drugs again would be like playing russian roulette, just that the negative outcome, if it happened, would very far outweigh the positive, if it occured. so for me drugs = -EV

cielo

[hmkpoker]

hahaha

well someone's never had a good acid trip ^_^

[hmkpoker]

Many people who are interested in mind-expanding drugs are also interested in meditation or mysticism.

Wow, you have been brainwashed in school.

I am very risk averse, so I wouldn't touch anything unless I had researched it thoroughly and was convinced it was safe and expected it to be beneficial.

Magic mushrooms have very few negative effects except a slight immune system hit, and can leave you amazed at what you mind is capable of, as well as extra insight into any philosphy that emphasises not putting too much weight on 'facts' which are actually restricted by your perceptions.

And you can remember it all and bring new understandings into real life.

Bear in mind that some recent technological revelations involved designers on acid.