What do drugs do then? — Agent Smith

To make life more bearable and/or for fun. Most people are not Aldous Huxley.

To make life more bearable and/or for fun. Most people are not Aldous Huxley. — Tom Storm

:up:

So, I have problems in life. I add one more to my list: drug addiction! Oddly, the drug dependence brings relief equivalent to having solved all my problems! Go figure! Fact is stranger than fiction!

Hedonism in full bloom!

Of course some people use drugs without developing addictions but it is a real risk - especially if that drug is crystal meth or heroin... Do you smoke cigarettes?

Do you smoke cigarettes? — Tom Storm

Occasional smoker since the 90s, chain smoker since 2011. One foot in the grave.

I used to smoke a couple of packs a day - loved it. Quit 15 years ago. I always found that those moments having a smoke on some back staircase, or on a balcony somewhere involved a kind of contemplative act and some fruitful ideas were born this way. Now I contemplate with cups of tea....

Quit 15 years ago — Tom Storm

Way to go! It doesn't look like I'll be able to quit anytime soon. It's kinda an interesting life for people like me (not really role model material if you know what I mean). Knowing that I don't have much time left keeps me on my toes and motivated. I just set a target for myself a few moments ago: Nirvana! :sweat:

And I'm at a place in my life where I desire having a clean clear mind more then anything and so if I take something that alters my state of being i actually get frustrated — MAYAEL

It really depends on what we deem "good" or "bad." What many may call "clean and clear" is actually an amalgam of unquestioned beliefs, values, and habits that embody themselves in "normal" behavior. Being briefly jarred from what we consider ordinary, "normal," etc., can be very beneficial indeed.

The line between "drugs" and "medicine" is a very thin one, too. I doubt very much you'd be against medicines.

In any case, I'd be careful about extrapolating from your own experiences to such a general degree.

Check out Thelonious Monk, Yusef Lateef and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Miles Davis of course.

I find sugar the most addictive and alcohol the least useful. — Xtrix

You can douse somebody with alcohol and set them on fire. The fire won't last long, about the same amount of time as any dish that they sat aflame in an authentic Greek restaurant, and the person won't suffer serious burns, only will lose his eyebrows and chest hair. And he or she will have a lifetime of fun regaling this story to the uninitiated.

There must have been smoke, for me, for any kind of drug but for alcohol, which I rather like smokey as well. Smoked tobacco far too much, but that was in the past. I miss pipe smoking; tobacco, I mean, though pipes were otherwise useful as well. I always wanted to meet the Peyote Man, but it seems projectile vomiting is required for a meeting with him, and I do like to appear insouciant when introduced to anyone. I can't think of a way to give that appearance while vomiting.

I do like to appear insouciant when introduced to anyone. I can't think of a way to give that appearance while vomiting. — Ciceronianus

:lol:

The water pipe or 'nargile', is my tipple of choice. I have a nice one at home which I use with Turkish double apple tobacco or with Syrian lemon mint. It is very mild compared to the stuff mentioned here. Those, for me, I found not to be conducive for thinking, but the water pipe aids in concentration and when reading I tend to stop every paragraph to note new ideas down. Purely the large quantities of nicotine I guess for an otherwise non-smoker, but it works.

:up:

I don't drink, smoke, do drugs, or even cuss. My only vice is lying.

I used to smoke weed fairly often many years ago. The best thoughts I got from it was when I stopped smoking it after days of abuse. The ‘wakeful’ feeling of stopping after short burst of excessive use were quite profound.

When people talk of cannabis as being ‘inspiring’ are just fooling themselves. It makes you feel like you have a ‘new’ thought but if you’d been sober you can be pretty sure the thought would’ve been FAR better. Maybe there is something to say for ‘opening a door’ to a different perspective? There are better drugs to take. Psychedelics are probably the most beneficial as well as being potentially the most dangerous.

>>>It really depends on what we deem "good" or "bad." What many may call "clean and clear" is actually an amalgam of unquestioned beliefs, values, and habits that embody themselves in "normal" behavior. Being briefly jarred from what we consider ordinary, "normal," etc., can be very beneficial indeed.

The line between "drugs" and "medicine" is a very thin one, too. I doubt very much you'd be against medicines.

In any case, I'd be careful about extrapolating from your own experiences to such a general degree<<<



? Well generally speaking extrapolating from your own experiences is much better than copying somebody else's extrapolations from their experiences which is what most people tend to do these days as opposed to experiencing a thing themselves and then rendering their own conclusion

so although you see it as unwise and perhaps dangerous to do I see it is safer than the norm that people tend to rely on which is pseudo-knowledge at best.

And I was referring to drugs that alter a persons state of mind aka "get you high"

I've had my fair share of those in the past and do not desire to escape reality using any of them anytime soon
Because I'm at a point in my life where having a clear mind and experiencing life free of influence is all the drug I want .
I guess you could say I appreciate life, or that I'm "high on life" although I don't experience an abundance of joy or happiness , I suppose the most accurate emotional state I could lable it with would probably be Nirvana or one of those other eastern impossible to obtain follow the guru but never quit reach it type states
? .