11–20 of 46 posts
How do we know that reality itself isn't a mass hallucination?
Why a "mass" hallucination? Are you sure you aren't the only thing "out there" asking this question to yourself?
(TBH this should probably be titled HOW people hallucinate)
I've held this theory on my own after experiencing geometric shapes while hallucinating after smoking a lot of marijuana years back. I sat down closed my eyes and experienced an intense feeling of flying through what I can only explain as the starfield screen saver from Windows but with colored 2D shapes heavily dominated by hexagons of various sizes. During that experience I realized that I might be experiencing the…
I've held this theory on my own after experiencing geometric shapes while hallucinating after smoking a lot of marijuana years back. I sat down closed my eyes and experienced an intense feeling of flying through what I can only explain as the starfield screen saver from Windows but with colored 2D shapes heavily dominated by hexagons of various sizes. During that experience I realized that I might be experiencing the…
I've mentioned this before on HN, but I don't understand why SAH is seen as a "solid" theory. Psychedelics might increase some cognitive or perceptual faculties, but McKenna never gives any physical mechanics for how this could possibly lead to genetic alteration, i.e. how it creates any selection pressure for intelligence.
Is this 'hallucination' though? Or just some weird stuff happening in visual processing? I underwent some very serious periods of sleep deprivation (Army) and our 'hallucinations' were of a totally different kind: having conversations with people that were not there, seeing things that were not there, misidentifying people whom you know really well who are right on front of your face, taking on different personalitie…
If you stay partially aware as you fall asleep, you’ll see a ton of geometric hallucinations. It’s just the way things work.
I've held this theory on my own after experiencing geometric shapes while hallucinating after smoking a lot of marijuana years back. I sat down closed my eyes and experienced an intense feeling of flying through what I can only explain as the starfield screen saver from Windows but with colored 2D shapes heavily dominated by hexagons of various sizes. During that experience I realized that I might be experiencing the…
I got older and started seeing psychedelic art and such, and was like "Ah, others see this stuff too."
I never got into the voodoo/mysticism that is often peddled. Always figured it was some sort of light penetrating the liquid layers of my eyes still still, or something. Illuminating them just enough to make out that, but not the rest of the physical world.
How do we know that reality itself isn't a mass hallucination?
That raises interesting questions about what is real and what is not, but also questions about how much of reality is really the residue of culture and worldview.
Is this 'hallucination' though? Or just some weird stuff happening in visual processing? I underwent some very serious periods of sleep deprivation (Army) and our 'hallucinations' were of a totally different kind: having conversations with people that were not there, seeing things that were not there, misidentifying people whom you know really well who are right on front of your face, taking on different personalitie…
That sounds like deliriant hallucinations as opposed to psychedelic hallucinations. Deliriant drugs (such as Nutmeg, DPH, Datura, etc.) produce a completely different hallucination experience compared to psychedelics. Often times after taking these people do not even realize they are hallucinating everything that is happening (conversations, other people, going places) until they suddenly realize they have been simpl…
It's also very scary once you do realize that you've been having a conversation with 'nobody' (or a 'ghost' is what one might think) for quite some time - it adds quite a degree of neuroticism.
On a funny/scary note - the weirdest of all is seeing two people apparently 'having a conversation' ... but upon closer inspection you find they are just taking turns talking near gibberish at one another. All of the manner, body language and tone of a 'conversation' but really, it's just two temporarily crazy people mumbling ... with automatic weapons. Thankfully with no live rounds in most situations :)