"since when did smoking weed make you smarter?"

[magickpencil]

here's a cringe-inducing "review" of C. Casteneda's The Teachings of Don Juan - A Yaqui Way of Knowledge that i found on amazon.com
quite indicitive of some peoples' ideas on entheogens

This so-called "Way of Knowledge" is certainly not a "Way of Wisdom." Before we delve too deeply in these ideas of "becoming a man of knowledge" and all the wacky implications of "alternative realities," let's not forget that knowledge is one thing, and wisdom is quite another. Knowledge is knowing about things - facts, you might say. Wisdom, on the other hand, is knowing how to apply these facts in a sensible way to our own lives. Whenever something like this comes around, we must ask ourselves this question: Is it really wise to throw commonly held, proven, and traditional wisdom in favor of some new, "revolutionary" claims to knowledge?

As far as I am concerned, this don Juan is little more than a 20th century witch-doctor who has smoked too much weed for his own good. Whenever you read an author who is proporting that hallucinogenic drugs can give you knowledge, remember this little tidbit of proven, scientific, empirical information - drugs kill brain cells. His theories of overcoming the "4 enemies" are certainly intriguing. That is, they hold a great deal of truth in any aspect of life, for any human endeavor. The problem is, the endeavor that is undertaken in this book is experimenting with illicit drugs in order to "understand" an ambiguous form of "knowledge" and "reality" that we do not ordinarily percieve. Well of course! When you get yourself high, you hallucinate and see weird stuff. So do people with mental disorders. It's called a disorder for a reason, folks.

While this book may be readable, intriguing, and at times fascinating, I don't buy into a bit of it. Books about Mexican drug-lords posturing as wizards and wiseguys are not for me. I'll stick to the classics, thank you very much - to quality literature that has proven itself to be true over the span of time.

The 1960's were a period of temporary insanity in our culture. In 2006, we've learned the error of our ways, grown up, and sobered up. Let's leave this experimental nonsense where it belongs: in the funny farm.

see the original review and follow-up comments here

 

[magickpencil]

and a nother, which i personally felt compelled to respond to

This book talks about Castaneda's use of the halucinogenic cacti named Peyote. It is dangerous to take mind altering substances, and something one should take ligtly.

There are MUCH better and more importantly "SAFER" ways to go into an altered state of consciousness (fasts, thirsts, meditation, listening to a drumming tape, etc).

This reviewer thinks Mr. Castaneda used too many mind altering substances because in this book, and in "The active side of infinity" Mr. Castaneda tells two different stories of how Juan Matus accepted to take Carlos as a student.

your comments aren't very well informed
peyote isn't nearly as dangerous as you're making it out to be - it is used indigenously by people of all ages, used consistently throughout life without ill effects
there are no studies showing that hallucinogenic substances are detrimental; uniformed, irresponsible use of hallucinogenic substances is dangerous, just as uniformed, irresponsible use / abuse of ANY substance is potentially dangerous
the methods you mention are all powerful means of reaching altered states, but no method is "better" than any other, only different

the original review and follow-up comments can be found here

 

[spice]

It has been over 20 years since I have read this book, but I am almost 100% sure that smoking weed was never emphasized, not even once.

If I remember correctly, Don Juan was smoking MUSHROOMS.

Also, most people have long since come to the conclusion that these stories are metaphorical, and allegorical, in nature.

Guys like this reviewer are the kind of people that take the bible literally.

He obviously was out of his depth in attempting to review realms he was ignorant of.

 

[restin]

apart from the fact that this is an uninformed comment...

Knowledge is knowing about things - facts, you might say. Wisdom, on the other hand, is knowing how to apply these facts in a sensible way to our own lives.

Not true. Knowledge is the own perception of reality. Facts are -philosophically- a cheap answer for truth/reality/knowledge.

Also wisdom is NOT how to apply knowledge. Intelligence is....wisdom is far deeper. I can't even explain it.

When you get yourself high, you hallucinate and see weird stuff. So do people with mental disorders. It's called a disorder for a reason, folks.

He watched "shining" and "fight club" too much ................

 

[Brugmansia]

Cannabis didn't made me neccisarily smarter.

But I developed myself some eyes that could detect more hypocrites, liars, manipulators, spindoctors and it gave me a deeper access to the mind's of other individuals. And no, this is no way the misperception of my own vision. But a more sophisticated vision which provides me some valuable benefits.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

remember this little tidbit of proven, scientific, empirical information - drugs kill brain cells.

This is just another example of someone claiming to be on the side of science, while in fact simply being ignorant of the real facts. Denouncing something as "unscientific", or claiming something else to be "scientific", is an easy way to appear informed and rational and thus convince the uninformed reader.

It could be proven that "most drugs don't kill brain cells", just as it could be proven that some (not all!) of the loony interests (such as ESP, healing and astrology) could be proven through randomized, placebo controlled, double-blind studies.

Dismissing something as proven, scientific and empirical, is the modern day equivalent of citing the Bible or the Vedas to make a point. It's a shortcut to credibility. Not genuine credibility though.

 

[GOD]

I was going to say "Thanks Caduceus that was a very scientific answer" but i thought people might missunderstand so i wont .............

Shaking your head kills brain cells . So does living.............

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

 

[GOD]

Looks like something from the american army or ultra right wing fundaMENTAL christians ?????

 

[Spores]

Hehe, reminds me of late uncle Bill, about bands who rock against drugs...
:twisted:

But funny how people immediately think after a person uses a few sentences, they automaticly think that person is right, or that he's smart without questioning what is said.

Ofcourse amazon isn't the greatest source for bright lights, although I must say the comments on the first piece we're quite nice.

 

[BrainEater]

it's called brainwashing.... or the intent of continuing the brainwashing that had taken place in the person saying it and presenting it as a fact that is "supposed to be a fact for everybody". (=maybe by saying it's scientifically proven, although that might not be the case, what in other words then would be talking shit)

i agree with what caduceus said about drugs and braincells.

the only thing that IS fact, is that different drugs have different effects on the different braincells of different people. but that's why responsible use is kind of essential with the use of some drugs, especially hallucinogenics.


peace.

 

[Sticki]

I think it makes people more articulate, Maybe giving the appearance of being smart :lol:

 

[ob-noxious]

Cannabis didn't made me neccisarily smarter.

But I developed myself some eyes that could detect more hypocrites, liars, manipulators, spindoctors and it gave me a deeper access to the mind's of other individuals. And no, this is no way the misperception of my own vision. But a more sophisticated vision which provides me some valuable benefits.

well said

 

[st.bot.32]

i think it's a great tool for exploring the senses, self analysis, creativity, self awareness in general.

also abuse of it has the potential to make stupid people stupider.

 

[Nihilamine]

Cannabis didn't made me neccisarily smarter.

I LOL'd (but in all seriousness, I agree with what you're saying)

 

[Psyolopher]

Well that article was full of crap! :lol:
Why bother?! :lol:
DRUGS KILL BRAINCELLS!
lol, not all drugs KILL braincells....obviously! :lol:

 

[druglessdouglas]

oxygen is the main killer of brain cells

 

[Psyolopher]

oxygen is the main killer of brain cells

OH NO!!!
IT MAKES ME STUPID!¨!!!!!
I COULD DIE!!!!! :shock:

*stops breathing*

 

[FluidDruid]

Most drugs found in the world are already harbored in the brain, and guess what. Without them you would be dead. So if drugs kill braincells, the entire human race is zombies.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

One shouldn't just focus on the number of brain cells. The amount of dendrites, which connect the brain cells to eachother, are just as important. You can stimulate the branching of dendrites very effectively, by consciously engaging the brain (study, reading, games, learning new skills). If cannabis, or any other drug, makes you experience the world in a new way, your brain will tend to grow more dendrites to understand what's going on. During a trip especially the brain is flooded with 'information', which may indeed stimulate the branching out of dendrites.

"Neuro-Scientists have recently discovered that even though neurons (brain cells) decrease with age, the dendrites (memory storage compartments of each brain cell) can be stimulated to grow more in number. This increases memory capacity. This growth is stimulated by "Whole Brain Learning", i.e., Albert Einstein played the violin to establish this hemispheric balance." (http://www.subdyn.com/memory.html)