Theos-Talk Archives (April 1998 Message tl00033)

Bart:
>        Once again, I will not talk of the laws. However, I feel that
>mind-altering drugs have extremely limited use in evolution. By and
>large, they mimic chemicals in the brain, only more concentrated.
>Certain drug-induced mental states mimic mental states that can be
>reached by meditation or other self-induced means. They can be used as
>initial guideposts (when you feel that way without the drugs, you know
>you are going in the right direction). However, by and large, they are
>used with selfish purpose in mind; feeling good. However, the mechanism
>of addiction works that once one takes something to feel good too much,
>then eventually, one needs it to feel normal. In the meantime, side
>effects step in, or worse, one chooses even stronger substances to
>retrieve the good feeling that one can no longer get with the previous
>substance. If one does not break the cycle, the result is stagnation at
>best, and self-destruction at worst.

You're exposed to NYC, you can see this in action.  I've observed effects
of addiction in others and have often observed recreational usage of drugs.
That is why I agree with you on this.  Granted, maybe there's a small
percentage that are able to use drugs in a spiritual way, but for the
general population, your description is more accurate.  I have one
question.  What is your stand on alcohol, another mind-altering but legal
drug?  To me, if one takes a certain stand on drugs, then one has to take
the same stand on alcohol.  I get a chuckle at parents who drink like fish
but will go into a panic if they caught someone smoking pot in their house.
The only difference I see is the legality of it.

>By and large, one removes onesself
>from the breeding pool, or at least the active parenting pool, and by
>doing so, improves the condition of humanity. Therefore, evolution in
>action.

Ouch, Bart!  Why not go further and say that there should be no laws
whatsoever.  Let humans govern themselves.  Chuckie would love that.  We
don't have to have traffic laws.  Whoever approach the intersection the
quickest and has sharp hand/eye coordination, will survive the traffic.
That means we can get rid of all the slow folks, the old folks, the
inexperienced drivers, and the daydreamers.  I would opt for a military
tank, myself.

Thoa :o)