Entheogens in Modern Culture

The use of enthoegens in today's society has widely been considered by most as the act of "social deviants" and generally looked down upon by people. However, I believe that this stigma is patently false in most regards and should be reevaluated in order to better understand the complex relationship between humans and pyschoactives, and to better understand ourselves whether we have used drugs or not.

In order to understand why some people turn to drugs, though, we must look at the world we live in. We are born into a world that is constantly pushing the its boundaries closer and closer into the individual. For example, let me pose the question, "what does it mean to be human?" You might answer to be a good person or perhaps to serve your community in some way. While both these answers are obviously generalizations, they do highlight the influence the world has had on you. You see, we are constantly being bombarded with how "the world" defines what humanity is and should be. We are brought up in a modern culture where the individual discovery is systematically being overshadowed by the belief of the many. The fact of the matter is that humanity is far too special and unique to be defined by anyone else but the individual living it. No matter how hard the world might try to get it right, it will never be able to, and it is dangerous for the future of society for it to continue to try.

We see evidence of the world's mechanisms at work through television, magazines, how we are brought up, etc. The exact idea that the world is using is what I consider "normalization". That is to say that we are being called more and more to achieve a level of "normalcy" within our belief systems and lifestyles. We are caught up in this wave of Hegelian compromising that we were brought up believing to be the best course toward finding the truth. The idea that taking one idea and its antithesis on a spectrum, then finding the median between those two ideas will lead to something closer to the truth. We also see this idea almost worshiped in the political arena, as those who advocate compromises to achieve a result as true modern heroes for the most part. However, I believe that the continued dissemination of this belief is in itself destructive toward the individual and the root of decay in society. It is difficult, however, to disassociate from these ideas since they are all around us and have been since we were born.

It is for that reason that people turn to entheogens. It can be a form of escapism, sure. It could be considered a way to attack society, yes. But, to look at it solely from that point of view is akin to looking at an iceberg and seeing only what is above the water. These actions are rooted in a deeper need, a need I believe was stolen originally by the world. The need to be able to define for ourselves individually what it means to be "human". Ultimately, I believe, that the use of drugs is born out of the calling to find out for oneself what it is to be part of this great humanity and to discover oneself in that.

To explain, let's take a look at why people start using drugs in the first place. For the most part, people are enticed with the idea of an experience where things are intrinsically different from what they're used to. Such as if they're from a broken home, they start using to try to make things different on a personal level rather than suffering from what may be an unchangeable fact of the other. Perhaps even, they are simply curious what it feels like to be "high" or to be "tripping". Maybe they're bored with life. All these and others I see as stemming from the same basic need, the need for the individual to understand what they are. The most important thing in this life is defining what it is to be "alive". In this light, entheogens should be classified in the same regards as religious experiences, near-death experiences, life-changing experiences, etc. These are powerful tools at our disposal for discovering who we are, what we are, and certainly shouldn't be censored to the extent that it has. However, as with all tools, it can be abused too.

The proper use of entheogens, I believe, should be toward the benefit of the user, both body and mind, and not harm the other. It also seems to me that this is the state of equilibrium achieved through the natural mechanisms of the body. Using X as an example, if you take it within the generally recommended amounts, then you will undoubtedly achieve a level of self-discovery that you weren't aware of before about both how your body operates and how your mind functions. Not only that, you will achieve through this a degree of separation from the world that allows you to more fully view what is around you and what you might have taken for granted. It is this disassociation of the world that is paramount in separating ourselves from the definition of humanity given to us by the world and allowing us the chance to form our own. That is where the self-discovery happens. Society only sees the use of drugs as just a way to temporarily heighten or distort the functions of the mind and body, which is true, yes. However, dig a little deeper, and we see that this in turn causes us to unravel ourselves from the world and see it in a different light. Whether or not that is a more true light or not doesn't really matter either because it is the time of separation itself that instigates self-discovery.

It is true, though, that if you take X every other night, you're going to start to feel a back-end to the experience. This is what is breaking the equilibrium of the body, forcing it to exist in a separate plane for too long, thus taxing it to the breaking point. This is drug abuse. Your body is the ultimate guide in telling you when it's okay and when it's not okay to use. The more negative effects you must endure in order to use, the experience begins to turn hostile toward you, and needless destruction begins to take place. Humans are unique and individual, and they are also sacred and destroying oneself is far from a sacred act. The tightrope is tricky but it can be managed. The goal of entheogens is to discover the answer to the question "what does it mean to be human", and while that answer is different for each person, there is one answer that it is not. It is not to destroy oneself or another out of malice or ignorance or accident. When that becomes the sole future of a life, then it is time to rethink what actions are leading one toward this.

I believe that this is the current drug culture in modern society. Not some group of social deviants and miscreants determined to snuff out their futures, but a group of people dissatisfied with the definition of humanity given to them by the world. We seek another definition, one that is born within us, one that is more true to us like it should be. There are those who abuse this search, but they are not the majority. Entheogens are a gateway into a new world. That world can be scary, it can be addicting, but it is also important in understanding what we are. We must lose ourselves from this world in order to discover sometimes who we are. We are worlds within ourselves, and thus, we must define ourselves. Entheogens help by not giving us mysterious and deep epiphanies about the world we live in, but a chance to engage the world we are. The treasure is found within.

From my own experience, I treasure the memories of former drug use. They are mystical, enlightening, and entertaining in some ways. I did my research though, and I never put myself or those around me in jeopardy. My mindset was always seeking how to transform this experience into something I could learn from, even if the lesson wasn't that important. I considered it a valuable alternative medicine to deal with the sickness the world had given me. This is, of course, purely personal, and, as said before, each person is unique and special. In fact, many don't even need drugs to disentangle themselves from the world or to define humanity for themselves. But, some do, and I don't think that's a bad thing. As for my own answer that I found about what it means to be human, well, let's say that it is sometimes necessary to take chances in order to progress, but even if you lose out on a gamble, you can use that to your advantage later, always. As always, I'm open for questions and discussions, I think it would be a fun debate.