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LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

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Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#61
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…

Thank you. Those are some cool drawings and the painting definitely deserves that frame.

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#62
post #39
post #31

Let me chime in here with some personal experience. I am pretty much addicted to marijuana in terms of working and enjoying it. That is, I don't really enjoy programming nearly as much compared to when I am a bit baked. Mind you, I can work.. but it feels like such a chore (not always but I'm talking typically). There are a lot of us like this. As for LSD.. I have had many revelations while tripping, some I've had to…

> You set out to write a bash script to move some files, you suddenly realize an amazingly better way to do bash scripting, which makes you realize some basic change in the OS that would make UI 1000% friendlier, then you realize we shouldn't be using computers at all, then you realize you are here on earth for a purpose and you are wasting your life then your buddy is like--YO you're spacing off and the chain of thi…

Right; you shouldn't be writing bash scripts while tripping :)

I was just giving an example many people here would be familiar with so I could actually go through examples of each 'new level.' The whole thinking pattern goes on over and over starting with new 'seeds' to abstract from.

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#63
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What things have you tried?

Nothing major... About a dozen different strains of magic mushroom, lsd, pot a few times, and opium once. I don't smoke hardly ever, but I do try to trip a few times a year.

I think pavel_lishin is asking what things have you tried while on mushroooms - you indidcated that you plan out what you want to do and 'try'.

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#64
post #46
post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

How do you know? Have you solved every problem there is to solve? And of all the problems you have solved, have you done so in the most elegant and efficient way possible?

If I haven't solved every problem there is to solve, is my assertion less true? Is your argument "There are problems in software engineering that can only be solved by dropping acid?" The best programmers in the world -- those who work together to solve the most complex and aggressive problems asked of the human mind -- are those who come to work every day, solve problems, and write code, and go home. They don't spen…

Those who, drop acid are curious. They try, they search, and sometimes they find some new ways of thinking.

They won't be exceptional programmers because of this, but being a professional and still being curious is not something hardly imaginable.

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#65
post #56
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Prove it. You made a statement; burden of proof on you.

I'm sorry. You're asking me to... enumerate every single problem in software engineering? I don't see the point. How about we take one of the most impressive, extreme cases of software ingenuity: launching the Space Shuttle. http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/06/writestuff.html "But how much work the software does is not what makes it remarkable. What makes it remarkable is how well the software works. This software…

"And they don't take LSD."

Says who? The article says 260 people worked on that part of the code. I'm sure they're all security-cleared and background-checked up the wazoo, but i'd wager that more than a handful of those 260 have had psychedelic experiences at some point.

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#66
There is a theory that the connection between the right and left hemisphere of the human brain has been diminishing over generations (The ancients used to audibly hear the voice of the gods, which was likely the right hemisphere, but that ability diminished around 4-5000 years ago).

I wonder if all these psychadelic drugs are doing is enhancing the communication between right and left, or perhaps suppressing the left such that the right takes greater charge? The left does, after all, have very narrow focus as opposed to the right, which processes greater but less focused patterns.

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#67
post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> You set out to write a bash script to move some files, you suddenly realize an amazingly better way to do bash scripting, which makes you realize some basic change in the OS that would make UI 1000% friendlier, then you realize we shouldn't be using computers at all, then you realize you are here on earth for a purpose and you are wasting your life then your buddy is like--YO you're spacing off and the chain of thi…

Please remind me not to ask you to write any scripts for me.

Why? eof's comment was wonderfully open and honest, but jpk's response was true. In the description, it's not clear that the script even got written. Would you accept this result if you had hired a freelancer to write the script?

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#68
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…

These are wonderful and thank you for showing them. The images speak more powerfully than simply saying "yeah LSD helped me out."

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#69
post #57
post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If I haven't solved every problem there is to solve, is my assertion less true? Is your argument "There are problems in software engineering that can only be solved by dropping acid?" The best programmers in the world -- those who work together to solve the most complex and aggressive problems asked of the human mind -- are those who come to work every day, solve problems, and write code, and go home. They don't spen…

It can't be justified, that is all. I don't know that there are problems that can only be solved only by taking LSD, but neither can I categorically say that there aren't any at all, as you just did. How do you know? That is what I asked, and you haven't answered me. You're making assertions about the best programmers in the world that you can't possibly back up. How do you know that some of them don't take LSD?

[deleted]

Re: LSD: The Geek's Wonder Drug

#70
post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What things have you tried?

Nothing major... About a dozen different strains of magic mushroom, lsd, pot a few times, and opium once. I don't smoke hardly ever, but I do try to trip a few times a year.

As Mr. November pointed out, I was more curious about the sorts of tasks you set out for yourself.
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