“Astonishment is the proper response to reality.” — Terence McKenna There’s a certain feeling—a feeling that’s also kind of an experience and an idea and a way of seeing. This feeling is central to my perspective and my shifting identity, my perpetual becoming. And I always want to articulate it, but I can never seem [...]
“Man is a mystery. It needs to be unravelled, and if you spend your whole life unravelling it, don’t say that you’ve wasted time. I am studying that mystery because I want to be a human being.” ― Fyodor Dostoyevsky I’m guilty, I confess: I love quotes. In our meme-saturated, sound-bite culture, it seems almost [...]
Timothy Leary was an extraordinary man. An American psychologist and writer, Dr. Leary was an iconic figure during the counterculture movement of the 1960s and 70s. While some folks dismiss Leary as a fanatic due to his well-documented usage of and advocacy for psychedelic drugs, I think doing so is entirely foolish. Take a closer [...]
Most people drift through days robotically, feeling vaguely lost and dissatisfied. They filter through the system, doing what they’ve been told to do, living out cookie-cutter lives, and distracting themselves whenever possible. This may sound like a cynical viewpoint, but I’m afraid it isn’t. I’ve definitely been one of those people for periods of time. [...]
I broke my neck in a skiing accident last week, and it was both an awful and profound experience. I was in beautiful Crested Butte, CO, spending a few days on the slopes, coasting about without a care in the world. It was delightful while it lasted. Unbeknownst to me, a near-death experience was waiting [...]
This world contains a colossal amount of scary, evil nastiness. Helpless children are gunned down with increasing regularity in our schools. Real, honest people face constant discrimination because of the color of their skin pigment. Innocent civilians are murdered daily because of wars over whose God knows best. Dedicated life partners are denied marriage because of a natural [...]
As humans, we’re hardwired to crave praise and acceptance from those around us. This is why the majority of us are endlessly bent upon imitating one another. We have this innate drive to be accepted by our fellow man, so we conform to the image of ourselves we feel will be greeted most receptively by [...]
Words are the building blocks of the world. Words are powerful beyond measure. This is why Fascist regimes burn books and why corporations pollute mass media with subliminal promotions of popular ideology. Words make us who we are, and if you aren’t conscientious of how words are directing your life, you’re likely a slave to [...]
Lies are all around us. No, I’m not some paranoid conspiracy theorist. I am, however, addicted to knowing the truth. And guess what? People are lying to you. All day, every day. TV shows are lying to you. Politicians are lying to you. Music artists are lying to you. Advertisements are lying to you. You’re lying [...]