The Chemicals Of The Present
Sunday, March 7th, 2010The use of chemical substances to enhance our lives is a notion that creates taboo ideas of drug use. But using the properties of items that grow around us is a common feature of everyday living. Herbal medicine such as liquid zeolite, ellagic acid, fish oil and zinc are often used to improve different aspects of our lives and assist our well being. This use of plants and natural flora to help us can also be viewed in the indigenous cultures of the Australian or Canadian Aborigines, Native Americans, as well as African cultures. Nowadays, however, the idea of taking certain chemicals has grown to be taboo due to the effects on the mind they are proven to have. Can there be benefits to using these drugs?
Many chemicals are added to drinks and foods for their basically drug-like qualities. The use of taurine in energy drinks, for example, is a well known chemical additive used to enhance the alertness and energy levels of the drinker. While such drinks are quite legal, they’re not recommended for young people or pregnant females, and doctors advise against having a large amount of these kinds of liquids, if at all.
Along with the natural chemicals in the drinks, they are also very high in caffeine. This is a substance which has become incredibly popular. The fact is, however, that drinking a large quantity of coffee or energy drinks will cause a reaction in the body that is highly similar to that given by speed or known toxic chemicals. The difference, it seems, lies in the view our society has of such chemicals.
This taboo has not always been the case, however. While hallucinogenics are now seen as some of the most harmful chemicals it is possible to take, the properties of natural drugs such as ayuhuasca and psilocybin mushrooms was often used in the shamanic rituals of native peoples.
The idea of starting use of hallucinogenic drugs to receive the wisdom held by indigenous peoples is a tempting one. But it needs to be remembered that psychedelics were used by indigenous peoples as part of a larger relationship with nature, these were “local plants” just as animals were local food and everyday life was a local widescreen entertainment system. How can the life-changing capabilities of psychedelics be fully realized within such an unnatural environment as the one we live in, beyond the momentary high?
The answer is that with any chemical, it cannot be thought that drugs will be the complete answer. It’s only through a wider understanding of ourselves and our connection with the Earth that we can begin to explore deeper questions of what it is to be human, and how we can best use our limited time on this Earth. The negative reactions of all drugs can be easily viewed in those who regularly take them, and it’s vital to remember the dangers every kind of drug has.
