3 ms·
“people have a natural desire for what drugs do” Define “natural”. I don’t think any mature, temperate, and healthy human being desires to use or abuse drugs,
by lo_zamoyski 3y ago
“people have a natural desire for what drugs do”
Define “natural”. I don’t think any mature, temperate, and healthy human being desires to use or abuse drugs, and even if they have a genetic predisposition to abuse (like some alcoholics), they know to avoid the so-called near occasions of sin that put them at serious risk of using. Obviously, I don’t mean everything with psychoactive properties is bad. Having some chamomile tea or a cup of coffee or a beer is fine in moderation. But drug use as we commonly mean it is drug abuse by definition, as the corruption and distortion of mental faculties for a thrill (or to escape) is intentional and intrinsic. So I find the very notion of a “vibrant positive drug culture with good drugs” in this context incoherent, or subject to such a restrictive notion of “good drugs” (which is also partly a matter of dosage) that it becomes as banal as pipe smoking forums or beer clubs.
- nataliste 3y agoI'm curious: are you formally Catholic? And if so, how did you arrive there?
- radlad 3y agoI do not understand how you could say "I don’t think any mature, temperate, and healthy human being desires to use or abuse drugs, and even if they have a genetic predisposition to abuse" followed by "Having some chamomile tea or a cup of coffee or a beer is fine in moderation." Caffeine - and especially alcohol - are absolutely addictive drugs. Alcohol especially has many negative effects on society, and is in a similar class as GHB, benzodiazepines and even opiates. Drinking alcohol IS using drugs, even if society has accepted this drug. Coffee is a stimulant, just like Adderall (i.e. speed) and meth. Weed is another pervasive drug that's used by many mature, temperate and healthy humans. And frankly, I would argue the same of psychedelics and MDMA. I don't know how you could even argue otherwise besides "no true Scottsman."
- Auracle 3y agoA lot of people are incapable of realizing other people are different from them. If you could give the entire population each their own “happy button” a significant portion would be hitting it all day long, ignoring everything else in their life. Those on HN are largely not the same type of people.
- pixl97 3y ago> Those on HN are largely not the same type of people. I mean, fair number of them have a 'happy button' of insane work loads and work hours. Of course those people consider work abuse acceptable and totally not a drug at all.
- zarzavat 3y agoThis definition of drug abuse as thrill seeking or corruption of facilities is overly broad as it would cover a lot of normal behaviours. Drug abuse can be identified with drug addiction. If you get blind drunk once on your stag night, that’s not abuse, if you do that every night salaryman-style then that’s a problem.
- int_19h 3y agoLook at historical human societies - how many of them did not have some kind of socially accepted psychoactive drug?