Silk Road forums
Discussion => Off topic => Topic started by: psychedelia on November 26, 2012, 10:19 am
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Tripping Makes a Comeback
"Turn on, tune in, drop out."
That phrase was popularized by acid advocate Timothy Leary during the counterculture 1960s and, while Leary and his followers have receded into the background, hallucinogenic drugs are once again popping up in mainstream books and television shows.
In his latest book, "Hallucinations," the neurologist and author Oliver Sacks best known for his book "Awakenings," which was later made into a movie, recounts his use of hallucinogenics during his neurology residency and postgraduate fellowship in the 1960s. Dr. Sacks said he wrote the book in part to defuse the stigma associated with patients who have hallucinatory episodes.
At various times, Dr. Sacks took cannabis, LSD and morning-glory seeds, and he once ingested 20 pills of Artane. While on Artane, Dr. Sacks hallucinated his parents' arrival in a helicopter outside his house but broke down in tears when he realized there was no helicopter, nor parents. When he returned to the kitchen, a spider on the wall greeted him with "Hello!"
"I was often a risk-taker and took high doses, and I was lucky to survive," Dr. Sacks, 79, said. "But I think I learned a certain amount and perhaps especially became able to understand some of my patients and their symptoms better."
Is popular culture glorifying drug use?
"One mustn't spread too much promise or magic about drugs," Dr. Sacks said. "One also has to be very conscious of their danger, though I think something like LSD is much less dangerous than say amphetamines, which can triple the heart rate or give you a stroke."
Dr. Sacks's book is just one example of a return to drugs in popular culture:
Steve Jobs
In Walter Isaacson's biography, "Steve Jobs," the late Apple co-founder expressed his nostalgia over an earlier, magical time in his life. As he was dropping out of college, Mr. Jobs experimented with LSD and became a Buddhist practitioner. He then trekked through India before eventually deciding to become a businessman with his "enlightened" experiences in tow.
"Taking LSD was a profound experience, one of the most important things in my life," Mr. Jobs said, according to Mr. Isaacson. Mr. Jobs went on to explain that LSD reinforced his priorities. He wanted to create "great things" instead of focusing only on making money.
'Fringe'
A special episode of this sci-fi television series—about a team that uses alternative science and techniques to investigate mysterious occurrences—shows characters taking LSD as a way to enter the mind of Olivia (played by Anna Torv) and save her from a foreign consciousness, William Bell (played by Leonard Nimoy).
The episode is partially filmed as animation to illustrate Olivia's subconsciousness. A bold change for "Fringe," the combination of live action and animation drew praise from critics and fans.
'Mad Men'
To bring their marriage into focus, Roger Sterling ( John Slattery, above) and his wife, Jane (Peyton List) go to a psychotherapist's apartment and take LSD during one episode. "And you say I never take you anywhere," Roger quips as he and Jane put the laced sugar cubes on their tongues.
Sterling is skeptical, but when he pours himself a drink, he hears orchestral sounds emerge from the bottle. Later, his cigarette shrinks between his fingers as he inhales.
When the trippy experience is over, Sterling faces the truth about his marriage—it's over.
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204846304578091243738426304.html
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The popularity of psychedelics goes in waves. There was an increase in the early 90s when the Grateful Dead started touring again but then Jerry Garcia died in 1995. I'd say there was small resurgence around 1999-2001 when ecstasy and raves got popular. Then William Leonard Pickard got busted and the availability of LSD dropped by 95%. I guess it's on the rise again.
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Not surprising, really. As states become more tolerant of marijuana use people begin to realize that if lied to about pot, perhaps other "addictive" drugs offer benefits as well. When such a large percentage of our population (baby-boomers) survived the 60's in one piece, it really adds to the notion that LSD, among other substances, are not as dangerous as described by the Government.
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I'd say there's an economic factor, like more unemployment more drug use, but I;think mixm8 is right, too.
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It's definitely made a comeback in the last few years, but today's LSD usage pales in comparison to decades prior. There were twice as many new American LSD users in 1970 as there are today, even though we currently have 100 million more people.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:LSD_annual_new_use_USA_1967-2008.png
There's still problems with availability, with only a few major LSD manufacturers still active. Like astor said, Pickard's arrest in 2000 is a testament to this fact- his arrest eliminated 90+% of the LSD in the United States alone. One fucking guy...
I'd say there's an economic factor, like more unemployment more drug use, but I;think mixm8 is right, too.
I disagree, in the past few decades, there were many times when the economy was worse off than it was today, yet LSD rates were still higher. I also don't think OP's article is very convincing. Just because LSD is getting more air time and pop culture references doesn't mean it's picking up steam in a real life setting. Availability is still the limiting factor.
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I didn't find the article very convincing either. There does seem to be a growing interest in LSD compared with the last decade; whether or not this will translate into increased usage is impossible to say.
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I hear a lot more about drugs on podcasts now, like it's becoming more and more accepted in main stream. I remember one of the ufc fighters Dan Hardy went to south america for an ayahuasca trip. They were talking about it on national TV like it wasn't a big deal. I think the hippie generation is finally coming into power and making shit happen, at least that's what I hope.
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I've heard that there are some new researches about psychedelic drugs, these days, specifically, LSD and Magic Mushrooms. I think that modern society slowly, start appreciate these magic tools we have in our hands, which our ancestors had been using and respecting for thousands of years...
CLEARNET
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_lysergic_acid_diethylamide#Modern_times
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IMO there will always be a demand for any drug avail. The more availability , the more users... the way I see it anyway.
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Reviving this thread to say that I really like the (mostly) positive depiction of LSD in "Fringe" (and have wondered how many of us occasionally trip while watching it - though it's not a great fit overall).
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LSD is not the only psychedelic. The recent phenomenon of the internet RC seller, offering all manner of tryptamine and phenethtylamine psychedelics, including 2C-x, DOx, NBOMe and xx-T, should not be underestimated. In general, psychedelics are far more available today than ever before in history, IMO.
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LSD is not the only psychedelic. The recent phenomenon of the internet RC seller, offering all manner of tryptamine and phenethtylamine psychedelics, including 2C-x, DOx, NBOMe and xx-T, should not be underestimated. In general, psychedelics are far more available today than ever before in history, IMO.
Of course, but positive depictions in pop culture are still a fairly rare thing. If SR or its fictional analogue makes it into the media, what are the odds that it'll be a straight up scare story? It still stuns me slightly listening to the Cabin In The Woods commentary when Whedon and co. say "Compare Cabin with (other film/filmmaker), which is the traditional takeaway that drugs, like sex, will get you killed in a horror flick. Here, it saves one of our heroes. We like drugs. Bring us drugs!"
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yeah there is hope!
Swiss pharma started manufacturing LSD and they use it to help cancer patients and other people with terminal illness. (i really hope a few hits of medical surface here too)
And other kind of experiments are back on track too. Giving it to alcoholics.
I think the future is shining bright with rainbow colors around the edges....