So I watched some of the suggested videos afterwards and I gotta admit: I was right with everything I said.
The thing is, Terence Mckenna really IS more knowledgeable than most of us, at least in his fields.
I disagree with him on quite a few things, but his core message is definitely not one of "follow me". His agenda is really just to get as many people taking drugs as he can, and for them to figure it out on their own. He preaches "Know Thyself", not unlike the many thinkers before him.
Consequently, he receives accusations of being an arrogant "Know-it-all" and as one who takes his biased view as truth, just as *all* the proper philosophers have been so minimized.
The philosopher's error of presenting his perspective as absolute truth is a common one, because to even have a perspective betrays the personal and subjective nature of it, that a philosophers works, ideas, perspectives are in the end a sort of personal memoir and biography of *his* life.
This error increases especially in the case of McKenna, who is dangerously close to being an idealist, so I can see how a nihilist such as yourself would find him distasteful.
I disagree with him on quite a few things, but his core message is definitely not one of "follow me". His agenda is really just to get as many people taking drugs as he can, and for them to figure it out on their own. He preaches "Know Thyself", not unlike the many thinkers before him.
Consequently, he receives accusations of being an arrogant "Know-it-all" and as one who takes his biased view as truth, just as *all* the proper philosophers have been so minimized.
The philosopher's error of presenting his perspective as absolute truth is a common one, because to even have a perspective betrays the personal and subjective nature of it, that a philosophers works, ideas, perspectives are in the end a sort of personal memoir and biography of *his* life.
This error increases especially in the case of McKenna, who is dangerously close to being an idealist, so I can see how a nihilist such as yourself would find him distasteful.
Believe it or not, but I felt bad after dismissing that guy so swiftly, so I was about to write a lengthy attempt of clarifying my feelings about what annoys me with this person, but you already did that ...
He makes some excellent points, but he believes in ... shamanism?
He displays a wide array of knowledge in biochemistry and anthropology, but he basically thinks that only with psychedelia you can achieve the state of true gnosis? Is he on drugs for saying that with a straight face?? Well, kind of a rhetoric question, really ...;-)
I'm glad you haven't fully fallen for this ... book-selling hoaxster, there, I said it, self-important ideologue, this arrogant, pseudo-enlightened snake oil salesman!
Who raises occasionally some very good points, nonregardless.
I'm listening to this man for the last one and half hours now, and does he ever encounter a problem which you can't solve with shrooms? I'm gonna stop now.
He makes some excellent points, but he believes in ... shamanism?
He displays a wide array of knowledge in biochemistry and anthropology, but he basically thinks that only with psychedelia you can achieve the state of true gnosis? Is he on drugs for saying that with a straight face?? Well, kind of a rhetoric question, really ...;-)
I'm glad you haven't fully fallen for this ... book-selling hoaxster, there, I said it, self-important ideologue, this arrogant, pseudo-enlightened snake oil salesman!
Who raises occasionally some very good points, nonregardless.
I'm listening to this man for the last one and half hours now, and does he ever encounter a problem which you can't solve with shrooms? I'm gonna stop now.
When I say that he wants more exposure to "drugs", I only mean plant-based drugs. He is an intellectual botanist; being interested in plant life in general, coupled with his interest in the mind and with the history of culture, he's naturally inclined towards those plants which produce neurological changes in the brain.
However, he speaks vehemently against the more destructive drugs, and even goes as far as to say that sugar and television are drugs.There are observable changes in the brain of a person watching TV, so this classification is not baseless.
However, he speaks vehemently against the more destructive drugs, and even goes as far as to say that sugar and television are drugs.There are observable changes in the brain of a person watching TV, so this classification is not baseless.
That's funny about the mushrooms. He even proposed a new theory as to why the early hominids' brain size virtually doubled: The monkeys were taking mushrooms in the grasslands.
"There are observable changes in the brain of a person watching TV,"
My life lied in shambles, I didn't shower or eat regularly anymore thanks to video games in my youth.
Yeah, like I said, good for him, good for ALL of us that we live the sheltered, luxurious lives we are accustomed to. He should express gratitude too, but he bashes real science and social progress in favor for his own hippie crap. ... aah, I'm angry!
My life lied in shambles, I didn't shower or eat regularly anymore thanks to video games in my youth.
Yeah, like I said, good for him, good for ALL of us that we live the sheltered, luxurious lives we are accustomed to. He should express gratitude too, but he bashes real science and social progress in favor for his own hippie crap. ... aah, I'm angry!
@35: We learned that in school, too! :) And I pay respect where respect is due ...
Until this day, I had no idea this theory was contrived so recently. But yeah, it's become part of our textbooks.
Until this day, I had no idea this theory was contrived so recently. But yeah, it's become part of our textbooks.
Chill :D
Mushrooms might help :D
Mushrooms might help :D
Are you friggin serious? The idea is taught in schools that psychedelic mushrooms could have catalyzed our evolution??
I am frankly appalled.
As for his "bashing social progress", not sure what you mean there.
I am frankly appalled.
As for his "bashing social progress", not sure what you mean there.
Wow, a conversation about Terence Mckenna?! any Bill Hicks fans out there? :)
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