LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug • Hacker News Board

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#231

Post by blankslate » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:06 AM UTC

blankslate wrote: post #197

I've taken enormous (read: irresponsible) quantities of psychotropics over the course of my life: psilocybin in particular, but I've had experiences with everything from pure LSD to exotic molecules without names. The intensity and resonance of those experiences are such that it's sometimes hard to reconcile with the small fraction of the population who have known them. It's an essential part, to me, of the human exp…

There are probably some people reading these discussions and considering taking an "hallucinogen" for the first time.

If you're thinking about it, please, do your homework. Thoroughly. As others have cautioned, drug use can catalyze psychosis, the permanent emergence of bipolar disorder, etc. Consider these risks as they relate to you in particular (your family history, etc) very carefully, and if you decide to go ahead, be sure you prepare with as much care, consideration and thoroughness as it deserves.

And if you do, I'd consider avoiding LSD unless you can guarantee its legitimacy and purity. Mescaline is readily producible from common cacti (San Pedro, et al), has a long history of safe use by e.g. native americans §, and will likely provide you with a more helpful experience. It's also much harder to take too much of than e.g. psilocybin or LSD, which are very easy to consume a psychiatrically dangerous dose of.

There is a wealth of information out there - some of it spurious, but much of it helpful. I would encourage wider use of psychedelics, but I strongly qualify this encouragement. Not everyone should try them: some people are irreparably damaged by their first trip, and I don't claim to be able to say why; nor will they reward being treated without the utmost respect.

That said, after almost a decade of abstinence from tripping, I discovered mescaline, and I intend to continue to use it up to a few times a year. Thus far I've found it to be an extremely rewarding and positive force in my life; I'm an atheist, but you could say it's my replacement for religion.

§ http://www.wired.com/medtech/health/news/2005/11/69477 - "Peyote won't rot your brain"

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#232

Post by tizoc » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:07 AM UTC

dkersten wrote: post #215

parfe wrote: post #3

In college I lived with artists. A few of their artist friends come over with big sketch pads, pencils and whatever else artists use. They all drop acid while telling me they can't wait to see their amazing creations once their minds are opened. I went out for a few hours and came back to find them all sitting around the living room. One sketch pad had a long black squiggle on it, the same design you'd make if you fe…

Not LSD related, but drug related: A friend of mine tried to program while on Salvia (I gave him the programming problem to solve: basically implement Solomon Golombs self-describing sequence) and as he scribbled notes on paper, he kept muttering phrases like "what is she saying to me now". We didn't check the results until the next morning, but it turned out he had figured out an O(1) closed form for the sequence -…

I just can't visualize anyone doing any kind of meaningful thinking while in the influence of salvia divinorum, or scribbling, the effect is just too strong and too disconnected from our reality. The only thing in your story that gives it a bit of credibility is this: "He claimed a woman told him the answer."

Anyway, not enough to convince me.

Edit: of course, I would like to know more :)

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#233

Post by thret » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:08 AM UTC

johnjhayes wrote: post #117

LSD is steroids for meditation. A cheat and a shortcut to the hard work. But it certainly seems to work ;-)

This is what I understand it to be, as per Doors of Perception. It is on my to-do list when I'm 70.

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#234

Post by guelo » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:14 AM UTC

1337p337 wrote: post #206

anonLSD wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People smoke cigarettes primarily because they are profoundly addictive, both chemically and psychologically. That confounds ordinary risk/reward analysis, and so I think it is a red herring here. Also, the "Hope you..." phrasing makes your comment come off as a bit sneering/condescending, just FYI.

When I am reading HN, it's almost always during time outside the office in the smoking area, or in front of my house, smoking a cigarette, like now. I would certainly agree that nicotine is profoundly addictive, and the cigarette as a delivery system equally so. It reduces anxiety (especially useful to smooth the effects of caffeine), acts as an apetite suppressant (long nights hacking can be interrupted by a five-mi…

FYI, for me, Chantix is a quit smoking wonder drug, it made it surprisingly easy for me to quit my 15 year pack-a-day addiction.

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#235

Post by obvanon » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:17 AM UTC

All of you people wondering why people often talk of "seeing God" and other mystical experiences while on LSD, here's the thing:

for the most part, those experiences are false

However, we tend to associate the parts of our life that are more contemplative with the religious or the supernatural. That is why the _descriptions_ are often religious in nature. That is, however, a limitation of our culture. Because we have traditionally delegated those states of mind to the idea of religions, of Church, of God and so on.

LSD will tear you apart and put you back together and you will be better for it. However, even if it was immensely important for me, do not take LSD, even if for this reason alone: it's illegal. I regret my LSD times for that reason alone. I think society is wrong in that regard, but I still like society and I am willing to put up with it being wrong once in a while.

If you want to experience the whole mind-bending experience, go study Philosophy. Read the complicated, boring, dreary stuff. Read Kant and formal logic and everything you can put your hands on. Whatever little thing LSD may have done to some people, Philosophy will do to you a thousand fold. It's the harder path, but it will give you skills that you can control at your will, and it will make you better in every area of your life, permanently.

Philosophy is the whole book to LSD's Cliff's Notes.

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#236

Post by drivebyacct2 » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:21 AM UTC

kgo wrote: post #198

anonLSD wrote: post #180

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm very positive on LSD in general, but even to me, "a year of regular LSD use", or any kind of "regular" use sounds extreme and dangerous. I guess I take it for granted that something so intense should be approached with a great deal of respect and caution. I do find it odd that people naturally "get" this for things like driving a car, hang-gliding, back-country skiing, skateboarding, parkour.... but often shut do…

Yeah, if 'regular use' is more than once a week for a year, that's a lot of LSD. Psychosis might not be the causal element there, a shitload of lsd might be the causal element.

LSD isn't effective more than once a week. If you took LSD two days in a row, it simply wouldn't do anything the second day.

http://www.quora.com/Is-there-some-sort-of-refractory-period...

I guess you could take it two, max three times a week.

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#237

Post by mattgreenrocks » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:23 AM UTC

kragen wrote: post #209

While I have great respect for many people whose lives have been changed for the better by LSD, I have never taken it. Many of the mind-expanding experiences they report are my daily experience. To quote Salvador Dali: I don't use drugs. I am drugs.

This underscores something that's been running around in my head for awhile. I'm almost certain that I had a previous worldview - one that was highly ordered and rational - was completely wrecked by the aesthetic experience. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, as re-writing your worldview is a scary process.

But I found a certain solace in the aesthetics: valuing individual moments more, breaking the spell of materialism, thinking deeply about rather abstract concepts, and not being afraid to embrace mystery when necessary. None of these require the aesthetic experience, they're just by-products of a mind that is being expanded. And they're quite similar to the insights of people on this thread who reported dropping acid.

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#238

Post by merloen » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:23 AM UTC

mattgreenrocks wrote: post #227

gbog wrote: post #213

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean no. It looks very wrong to me to think that art's primary purpose is to be examined. Am I the only one?

Nope. I think art's purpose is to change and mature you, if you let it. It's just that the Internet is home to a lot of people that believe rationalism is the only valid way to perceive the universe, when in reality it is just one way to do so. Personally, I found myself unhappy when I restricted myself to it. The universe seemed cold, empty, and cruel. I think a lot of people hit this stage and then just give up com…

I only meant "examine" as in "observe", "look at", "listen to", as opposed to "use", "run" or "execute". I never meant to make the universe seem cold or cruel. Sorry about that.

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#239

Post by blankslate » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:31 AM UTC

nandemo wrote: post #6

simonsarris wrote: post #2

Reminds me of Paul Erdős, who used amphetamines (think Adderall) for a similar purpose. After 1971 Erdős also took amphetamines, despite the concern of his friends, one of whom (Ron Graham) bet him $500 that he could not stop taking the drug for a month. Erdős won the bet, but complained that during his abstinence mathematics had been set back by a month: "Before, when I looked at a piece of blank paper my mind was f…

The difference is that amphetamines, though potentially addictive and dangerous, can actually help you do math or programming. I'm skeptical that people can code better (if at all) while on LSD.

I've played chess under the influence of psilocybin with a sober friend. I was massacred.

There are creative aspects to programming, and you might gain some insights that are applicable, but I'd save the implementation till you come down unless the dose was rather small.

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#240

Post by bigiain » Sat, Apr 30, 2011, 1:32 AM UTC

joelhooks wrote: post #42

parfe wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd be interested in seeing any scans you might have.

I'm a little hesitant, but it is hanging here on the wall so: http://i.imgur.com/mhg4c.jpg This was an 8 hour marathon of oil pastel madness. I was in my tiny apartment with 6-8 friends and literally spent the entire time engrossed in this thing. The background was the technique that I could never get back. This was a series of this basic type of drawing I did. There were 4 and this one I like the most. Gave one away…

They're really nice. Thanks for sharing.