The blogs that I always get the most hostility for are about animal rights, and drugs. So I suppose I would like to say to those of you that do drugs, please feel free to disagree with me, but I would hope you will take this blog with as much self honesty as possible and I will try to do the same with any comments you offer me.
Most people are against drug use (when I say drugs I include drinking) for various healthy reasons which I endorse of course. It is more then clear that drugs are nothing more then choosing self indulgence over health. But the true reason I am opposed to drugs (in practice not in law) is not a matter of physical health, but mental health.
At one point I knew a girl that smoked weed from time to time, she was curious of course about why I didn't smoke. I replied with the usual response of "its not healthy" however she assured me that weed has very minimal health risks (which is entirely false, but I didn't know this at the time) I simply shrugged this off but later as I was by my self I had to truly ask "if a drug truly wasn't unhealthy or addictive would I use it?"
I pondered about this for some time, and the conclusion that I came to was no, I would not.
It is our consciousness that defines us as alive. It is our consciousness that defines us human. And the point of any drug is to alter that consciousness... to separate your self from reality.
I suppose I mostly just wanted to pose the question... that if your social relationships with people if founded on altering your consciousness... doesn't that imply that you don't honestly enjoy these peoples company? doesn't that imply that you are hiding from something? That your relationship with reality is not what you would like it to be? I can see no other conclusion other then this.
I had said before that the party scene sickens me because people do not go there to honestly enjoy each others company but to feed off each other. Everyone's intelligence and humanity goes to zero at these empty gatherings. Girls act dumber, guys get more competitive, and it all becomes nonsense. But then to add on top of that drugs? An alternation of consciousness? Everything that makes us human, and beautiful is destroyed.
I truly have to ask... what are you people hiding from? Do you hate your self so much that you fall to these pathetic and empty social gatherings? Do you hate your relationship with reality so much that have to find peace in separating your consciousness from it?
I don't do drugs, and I don't party because I enjoy sincere people and a sincere relationship with reality.
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8 comments:
I daresay that most people DO hate their relationship with self and reality. Drugs are one way to avoid dealing with it... religion is another.
I agree with what you have said mostly, but am left with a few questions. The stereotypical party scene is definitely like what you have said, mainly just a gathering of mentally unstable human beings trying to find a place to fit in. Though I'm not sure if i agree with you completely as far as drinking may go.
I myself don't drink, though i have many friends that do. None of whose relationships are based on drinking. Are you opposed to casual drinking among friends when an honest relationship has already been established?
Well yeah sure I mean... if i have a drink every 3 months its probably safe to say that it isn't a bad habit or significant problems. I think ultimately that is a pretty personal questions... but there does feel like there is something wrong with the fact that if you want to spend time with friends (peoples who's company you enjoy) why would you want to alter your consciousness?
It seems like something is wrong there... But of course I could be wrong, I have never been a drinker.
But hey thanks for taking the time to stop by!
Altering your perception if reality can be very enlightening, however, I agree that compromising your "self" with drug use leads to unyielding realities that one shouldn't be interested in persuing.
Interesting... would you mind giving some more information on this position that it is enlightening? I would be very curious.
Hello Chris,
It has been a long time. I was just casually browsing the net for intellectually stimulating material when I came across your blog. And I wonder, as I always have, how is it rationally possible for one to oppose the usage of drugs when that person has never personally used them? As for myself, I am a drug user. But I believe that the stereotyping is both correct and incorrect.
First let me explain. When you first met me in high school I regularly smoked weed, I was involved in the abuse of opiates such as morphine, I was also a regular user of adderall. The party scene back then was of course what you see as being an escape from reality and a deep hatred for myself and usually for those around me. But that was high school.
After high school I moved to love myself. I continued to smoke weed and after a grueling several months of writing and meditating about the things in myself which I find unlikeable. I began to notice that it was all the things that I did to be part of what I thought was "the cool people." I learned to discard these actions and began to develop my relationship with myself. All this while being a regular pot smoker. I was a high school drop out, and then I went back and got my diploma, not a GED.
I then began using hallucinogenics such as mushrooms and LSD. This is where things got really interesting. Because I have a group of friends with which we share many of the same ideals and attitudes towards our reality. Together we have shared so many genuine experiences, on and off drugs. We have spent hours debating politics, getting involved in our own civic duties, and my personal favorite, art. We have spent many evenings creating shared art, where on person starts a picture and then the rest of the group slowly adds on to it. Before doing this I had never found particular enjoyment from the creation of art, now I can spend hours (sober or not) creating works of my own. I gained an appreciation for a variety of music. And I also began to create my own music. All of this because of certain types of drugs. I have LSD to partially thank for where I am today. If not for one night of really intense conversation with some of my really good friends I would not be making the money I am earning right now. I am not bragging. But this means that I will be able to attend college to earn a degree in organic chemistry. I have also gotten more involved in politics and have attended rally's for various groups.
Understand however that I strongly discourage the use of drugs. But I also understand that there is a whole other side to the story.
Here is why I discourage their usage by most of our society. I found that people that use hallucinogenic drugs with the intention of escaping from reality have not only a bad experience but they have quite possibly one of the worst experiences they are likely to have their whole life. Here is why, these types of drugs do not allow you to escape from reality. They force you think about everything. There is nothing in yourself that can remain hidden while "tripping." And most party people are careless when it comes to drug usage. This is why groups like AA are in such high demand. But if you ever attend an AA group you will understand the type of person that becomes an addict.
As for me, I will still be a drug user for quite some time. t Although I do go for periods of drug celibacy to make sure that I am still on the path that I wish my life to take. I find that intermittent usage allows for direction. I also fight the war on select drugs which I have found only create problems for society. Drugs such as meth, heroin, or the likes.
More than likely I wont check back to this page to see your response so if you wish to contact me I am in your friends list on myspace.
Matt Sparr
That was a very insightful response, and its good to hear from you again.
But yes I openly admit that I am not an active drug user and perhaps that can make my observations less empirical.
I suppose the first thing I want to point out is that I don't believe there is anything morally wrong with doing drugs, your life is your own, and I do not believe in any positive obligations to non-existent entities such as "society" and so forth, only obligations to your self.
It is my belief that the most satisfying way to live your life is to have a healthy relationship with reality, the problem with things such as religion is that is forbidden to examine your values and perception of facts so your emotional health will never improve.
I suppose I see drugs as an extension of this. There is an unhealthy relationship with reality so you alter your mind to hide from the pain of that relationship.
However, if you have found drugs use to be a useful experience then I am hardly in a place to condemn you. This blog was something more for people to consider because as far as I can tell hiding from reality is the objective of most drug use.
Understanding your relationship with reality is fairly personal, but I suggestion I have to offer is to let go of the things that try to hold you back from pursing thing goal honestly. It seems to me that at least generally drugs is one of these things. However I am perfectly open to the possibility that drug use is not inherently self abusive.
I recently came accross your blog and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my first comment. I dont know what to say except that I have enjoyed
reading. Nice blog. I will keep visiting this blog very often.
Sarah
http://www.thetreadmillguide.com
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