Time To Stop Accepting Mind Alteration?

[andy-hughes]

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?

[Ellipsis]

“I drink to make other people more interesting.”
- Ernest Hemingway

[royfromaus]

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.
__________________________

This is drivel because if my sole purpose of going out for a drink was to alter my mind, why would I dyk about with a dozen pints of lager that hardly registers, rather than dive straight into the pitcher of vodka-redbull?

[andy-hughes]

Roy, do you want to explain your rude dismissal, or mess about with semantics?

[royfromaus]

Your OP is rude (amongst many other things) but I'm not crying about it...toughen up man.

[gness]

Goodness. So many of your posts I could reply to, Andy but you are so pompously making assumptions about the rest of us I wouldn't know where to start.

[andy-hughes]

Roy, we have cross-posted - I said mind alteration is the reason, I did not say it is the only reason, I should to make it clear, have said that it is 'a' reason.

You could have simply made that point without being offensive.

[andy-hughes]

Roy - why is my OP 'rude'?

[andy-hughes]

Gness, great, don't bother then.

[royfromaus]

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.
____________________________________
Aye, I remember when some kids at school started smoking when they were 12...they gave the exact reasons you have laid out in the above andy.

[gness]

It's the pursuit word, Andy...that's the word that says so much about what you think of your fellow abers....which isn't really much judging by your recent posts.

[sanmac]

I really don't know why you people responded to the resident ah's original pontificating diatribe and then to his arrogant supercilious responses. Leave him alone and don't feed him the attention he so desperately craves...Please!

[Mamyalynne]

Sanmac, you've hit the nail on the head for me at least - I usually walk away muttering 'Why in earth did you bother?'

[Mamyalynne]

* on

[andy-hughes]

Gness, I fail to see why using the word 'pursuit' causes you a problem, it's an accurate term for what people who ingest drugs are doing.

And my premise involves the entire civilised world, not just the AB section of it.

[andy-hughes]

Goodnight sanmac and mamya.

[gness]

We should, Sanmac...we really should but it's a bit like a sort of care in the community thing.....we should help....but then as Mamya says....why bother.

[sunny-dave]

"If a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?

"If a cliche falls in an Andy Hughes forest of verbiage, but no-one replies - has it even happened"?

[Arksided]

Paracetamol.. anyone... (going cheap) I don't think my new gasses are working correctly :-)

[Arksided]

see what I mean... that would be Glasses

[douglas9401]

I can't be the only one who smells burning zeal, same as our friends who bring us the God stuff only higher and mightier.

Pretentious? Vous?