I recently saw this video about how belief systems work, it’s a good watch if you’re interested. It features interviews with experts from various backgrounds.
We like to think that we are rational, that what we believe is what is true. But we often believe because of our belief systems, and “how we believe” may be more important than “what we believe.”
One of the students that I taught some years back was a reasonably able student at the time. a few years later I came across him, and he was very changed - his speech had changed (he wasn’t able to articulate his words properly) and he seemed somewhat befuddled. It turns out that he had smoked a lot of weed. Whether that was the cause or not I don’t know, and I don’t know what other drugs, if any, he took. To my mind, your brain and its functioning is what makes you who you are, and differentiates us from other animals. Messing with it seems rather silly. And I say this as someone who drinks some alcohol, and has tried weed in the past, though not a great deal. Didn’t find it particularly good, TBH. Or bad. Just didn’t do much. But it is amazing that our brains work as well as they do, all things considered. Buggering about with it doesn’t seem to be a great idea.
At the same time though, many of the greatest artists and musicians that we admire created their best work under the heavy influence of drugs and/or alcohol.
Possibly. Though many others don’t. I’m not convinced it is necessary. Would those that did indulge have been unable to produce what they did? Perhaps, in some cases, but all? In any case, I’m not sure that it a recommendation - certainly not for most people, who can just get messed up.
Very true Steve. The Pot (showing my age) these days, as an example, is all grown from special seeds and is very high-test. In the 60s and 70s it was all just goofy mexican flowertops that one could smoke all night if they wanted.
Really very different now. I think initially, it was easier to import things like Thai Sticks because they were so much smaller and concentrated.
Chaps, this place has now been upgraded to The Grand Cafe henceforth we should behave accordingly and only sip from exquise wines and expensive coffees.
I have no idea of the ratio of drug-takers to non-drug-takers amongst geniuses. Hieronymus Bosch? Einstein? Darwin? Feynman? Bach? Vivaldi? Beethoven?
I suppose if you are willing to risk the long-term effects on your brain, and if you really understand these effects, then that is up to you. Sadly, scientists don’t fully understand these effects in many cases, and most of us have even less knowledge and understanding, so it is an uninformed decision.
My comments where only regarding myself and where by no means part of a for and against argument. At the time I gave up smoking pot I had a life, a house of my own and had recently met my life partner, my reasons for giving up where my desire to stop smoking tobacco.
After I had stopped though I realised certain things I thought where personality traits like a tendency to be anti social and a lack of ambition where nothing of the sort and where a side effect of smoking too much pot but that’s just me other people smoke pot for many years and do not suffer any side effects.
Extremely honest off you good on you
I’ve never touched recreational drugs had plenty off times when it was offered but never wanted to, I’ve had friends who have slipped into pot use and it changed them in to someone I didn’t know or want to know to be honest
Suppose each to there own and what point in life you are in
I’ve know people that have smoked weed for most of they’re lives and still (1) have a job and family (2) never ventured into any other harder recreational drugs, they’ve never progressed. Also think you’re right that some folk will get into trouble if they don’t seek it out it finds them.
My problem is that it’s not the weed weed of my youth, it’s way to concentrated now.
As this is a forum based on our love of music we should reflect on the many artists that were taken from us too early thanks to drugs and drink.
“I ain’t no saint, hell I ain’t no saint “
Not just artist and musos, these substances have left there mark on countless families as does gambling. But I think it’s the important to remember anything in the wrong hands can be dangerous. I’ve lost more friends to car accidents.