The short, tormented life of computer genius Phil Katz (2000)

Post by labrador » Sun, Dec 11, 2016, 9:37 PM UTC

groovy2shoes wrote: post #116

labrador wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I tried it but it didn't do much. I've actually found Kratom, which also works on those receptors, to be a good alternative. You can't overdose on Kratom and when I use it I don't ever get the urge to drink.

So many benefits to that plant, and yet the various state governments have been in a hurry to criminalize it. What a shame that so many people who had been struggling with addiction and finally found an affordable, legal, and ostensibly safe relief in kratom, only to have it taken away without legislators giving it any real consideration.

Post by emmelaich » Sun, Dec 11, 2016, 10:37 PM UTC

reddytowns wrote: post #122

emmelaich wrote: post #106

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you must, I think it is more about the underlying cause versus the immediate cause. Of course you speculate whether he would have been an alcoholic if he hadn't had a lonely childhood and hadn't had someone so close to him that died.

There is no "underlying cause" that can definitely pointed to, that's just hubris. You can't know that if those things didn't happen he wouldn't have still become someone who would drink themselves to death, or that if something else happened, such as becoming devoutly religious, he might have been able to avoid it.

Post by pmoriarty » Mon, Dec 12, 2016, 3:37 AM UTC

labrador wrote: post #113

jnbiche wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, specialists have long hypothesized that there is a huge difference between "heavy drinkers" (usually in their teens/20s and who quit) and "alcoholics". Heavy drinkers usually overimbibe as part of their social circle (fraternities, etc.) whereas budding alcoholics are the ones drinking alone at home in their teens/20s.

There is definitely a certain class of heavy drinker that isn't a real alcoholic. Some people just like the effect, but get tired of it.

Post by prefectlyWrong » Mon, Dec 12, 2016, 4:23 AM UTC

babbage12 wrote: post #7

I just lost my best mate from university to alcohol. Growing up in Britain, this is not my first friend I've lost because of alcohol. I'm in tears... I've struggled with drinking too much myself, this hits very close to home.

Post by thomble » Mon, Dec 12, 2016, 4:10 PM UTC

babbeloski wrote: post #65

blinkingled wrote: post #16

For some people conscious existence is too burdensome, uncomfortable, full of anxiety, outright maddening or some combination thereof. You see this in everyday life too, albeit in benign quantities - watch a kid after you tell him he can do nothing for the next hour. I had read Phil Katz's story before and I read it again today - it wasn't any less painful the second time around. I think if we were to debug it - ther…

> For some people conscious existence is too burdensome, uncomfortable, full of anxiety, outright maddening or some combination thereof. Reading this gives me immediate anxiety. I have times during the day where just seeing things and being alive is almost unreal, like I can't deal with, and the thought of doing this for N number of years more is overwhelming. As I'm getting older life is just even more surreal, I so…