Please respond to one of the following questions:
A. On page 127 Pollan refers to marijuana as a "powerful symbol" and asks "did marijuana pose a grave threat to public health or was marijuana the only illicit drug in wide enough use to justify waging so ambitious a war in the first place?" (127). Marijuana continues to be in the news, particularly in terms of legalization of medicinal marijuana. What, in your opinion, does marijuana symbolize for general American culture? Do you think marijuana means different things to different groups? If so, what else does marijuana symbolize and for whom?
B. In a speech Pollan gave related to this chapter he noted: Andrew Weil calls this desire for changing consciousness the fourth human drive, after food, water, and sex. I think he is right. It certainly is a very widespread activity—a lot more widespread than we realize—and it doesn’t always involve drugs. In his first book,
The Natural Mind, which is still well worth read-
ing, Weil points out that kids love to change consciousness, and they do it by
swinging, and by getting dizzy. We do it with exercise and meditation and fasting
and thrill-seeking. We’re creatures, apparently, who just happen to like to fiddle
with our brain chemistry." He makes a similar point on page 139 of the chapter. Do you agree-is changing our consciousness a human drive? What evidence can you give in support of your answer? What evidence does Pollan give in his chapter?
Andrew Weil calls this desire for changing consciousness the fourth
human drive, after food, water, and sex. I think he is right. It certainly is a very
widespread activity—a lot more widespread than we realize—and it doesn’t always
involve drugs. In his first book, The Natural Mind, which is still well worth read-
ing, Weil points out that kids love to change consciousness, and they do it by
swinging, and by getting dizzy. We do it with exercise and meditation and fasting
and thrill-seeking. We’re creatures, apparently, who just happen to like to fiddle
with our brain chemistry.
Most cultures, curiously, prom
Use the comment function below to respond.
human drive, after food, water, and sex. I think he is right. It certainly is a very
widespread activity—a lot more widespread than we realize—and it doesn’t always
involve drugs. In his first book, The Natural Mind, which is still well worth read-
ing, Weil points out that kids love to change consciousness, and they do it by
swinging, and by getting dizzy. We do it with exercise and meditation and fasting
and thrill-seeking. We’re creatures, apparently, who just happen to like to fiddle
with our brain chemistry.
human drive, after food, water, and sex. I think he is right. It certainly is a very
widespread activity—a lot more widespread than we realize—and it doesn’t always
involve drugs. In his first book, The Natural Mind, which is still well worth read-
ing, Weil points out that kids love to change consciousness, and they do it by
swinging, and by getting dizzy. We do it with exercise and meditation and fasting
and thrill-seeking. We’re creatures, apparently, who just happen to like to fiddle
with our brain chemistr
Most cultures, curiously, prm
Marijuana is often used as a de-stressor. It is a social drug bring people together to laugh and hang out. In our society because it is considered a drug, a red flag automatically goes up and it as well as its' users are given a certain connotation. On this matter I dont think that you can give one opinion of the "American" culture because there are so many subcultures that have completely different views on the drug. You have the straight-edge group that wants nothing to with any drug and any kind of situation where they may be out of control of their bodies. To these people marijuana is a drug and it is looked down upon. Then there is the culture who has used marijuana in their youth, but has grown out of that "phase." To them it symbolizes a different time in their life. Then, the hippie generation both old and young who use marijuana on a regular basis and it symbolizes good times, friends, laughter. There is another group (not hippies) but still habitual users and this drug defines their lives. It allows you to identify with others, it is a common interest, an "in" among strangers. There is also a group of people who used marijuana as self-medication. They use it to de-stress, to forget about their problems, to be ok with their mediocre lives, which i dont think there is anything wrong with. Marijuana, while yes, considered a drug, doesn't pose threats. If anything (and this may just be my experience) it unifies. To me it is the symbol of a culture -- a culture that includes thousands of subcultures.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Pollan and Weil and do think that the desire to change one’s consciousness is universal. I think the only important thing to recognize is that this doesn’t have to be accomplished through the use of drugs, at least those acquired outside of the body. I believe that everyone is always looking for something more in their life, whether that “more” is happiness, understanding, simplicity, or any feeling they please. Many people find this feeling of “more” through religion, many find it through drugs, but the majority find it within themselves. As Pollan points out, Eskimos at one time were the only culture to not change their consciousness through the use of a plant, but this isn’t to say they never altered their minds. Adrenaline is one of the most powerful drugs and the human body creates and uses it. When an Eskimo hunter is about to catch a seal, there is most likely a rush of adrenaline sent into his or her brain, heightening the senses. Especially if the hunt is successful, the hunter would feel a mix of adrenaline and accomplishment that could be considered a natural high. Everyone has felt this feeling and enjoys it. Some people do drugs to get this feeling whenever they feel like it.
ReplyDeleteI think it is important to make a divide between people who recreationally smoke marijuana and serious drug users. I don’t think the serious users are looking for any feeling of “more,” but it has been with the addiction and a “need” for a substance. I also believe that there is a line between people who find a certain peace through religion, and extreme zealots, but this line is harder to determine, and it is most likely blurry. I think too much of one thing is harmful, but I also think trying something new to acquire certain feelings is not only acceptable, but a part of being a human.
I believe that changing consciousness is a human drive. People all over the world have been doing and all different age levels according to Weil and Pollan. We all seck something different and new experiences, changing our brain chemistry gives a rush, a new experience. People ride roller coasters to feel the aderline which can changes brain chemistry. Weil points outs that we change consciousness not just through drugs but all also some acctivites. Kids spin to create hullacinions- Weil. I believe that we seek them because it is a basic human desire, sleep, eat, sex, and changing consciousness. It cannot be fully explained it is just there and needs to happen. I think it could be related to our brains and the hard wiring up there that tells us want we want in terms of basic desires and things to live. What would a human be like if they never experienced any mind altering? Is it physically possible or impossible?
ReplyDeleteMarijuana has become an interesting phenomenom in American Culture. I feel that marijuana is used in many types of ways but mainly for social purposes in our culture today. Like Charlotte was saying its a way to get together with friends and hang out. Since marijuana is an illegal drug in America it makes it more desirable and people want to try it they want to go against American ideals. But over the years Marijuana has played a huge role in American culture: through movements, politics, and music as well many other things in pop culture. For example the Marijuana symbol first appeared in magazines in the 1930s for the marijuana tax act. During the 1960s and 70s was a huge time for marijuana especially amongst the hippies. The marijuana leaf started to appear as mainstream in artwork symbolizing peace and love. In the 1980s when Regan was president he became much stricter which led war on drugs along with other stuff. Then in the 1990s marijuana was legalized in CA and other states for medical use which is so important for diseases like AIDS and Cancer. Marijuana is looked at differently by many groups. I think for my parents and others who came out of the baby boom generation marijuana is viewed as not as big of a deal because they grew up during the time that everyone was experimenting and smoking marijuana. There are religious groups who embrace marijuana and others that associate it with the devil. So I think it just depends on your beliefs and in America there is such a wide range.
ReplyDelete2.
ReplyDeleteI think changing our consciousness is certainly part of human nature and drive as well as a part of our history as Pollan points out on page 128, the scythians invented something similar to smoking marijuana as early as 700 B.C so that they would “rise up and dance and betake themselves to singing.” Pollan also goes on further to state: “there isn’t a people on who doesn’t use psychoactive plants to a effect a change in consciousness, and there probably never has been (p. 139).” Perhaps it’s part of understanding our environment and synthesizing different forms of information, we still don’t know why we dream, maybe altering consciousness helps us understand the world around us in a different state of mind as well. But it’s not just human that actively seek out changes in consciousness, animals do as well even though it makes them more vulnerable to accidents and predators, which is not an evolutionary advantage but remains a common practic e(pg. 141). In fact, altering consciousness has been largely responsible for some of the greatest literary achievements and authors we still read today. Pollan points this out for several of the great authors of the Romantic era towards the end of the chapter, even believing it was crucial to the imaginative and generative processes of some authors.
Number Two:
ReplyDeleteit is interesting trying to answer this question as a person who goes to Eckerd College, and lives in Kappa at that. My tone may seem joking, but I am serious in saying that because of the prevalence of marijuana at this school, and how not a big deal it really is, I have to wonder if my own personal judgment is a bit skewed.
On page 174, Pollan writes: "The fact that witches and sorcerers were the first to exploit cannabis probably sealed its fate in the West as a drug identified with feared outsiders conceived in opposition: pagans, Africans, hippies."
Marijuana is a classic example of something that everyone understands once they have done it once. I would side with the quote about it being easy to attack because it is so widespread, not because it is a serious threat to public health. I have never seen it be a big health problem. The people I know who smoke the very most are not noticeably less healthy than those who never speak. Driving and smoking is not nearly as bad of a problem as drinking and driving has proven to be. Even cigarettes are way worse than weed. The most recent studies, by Harvard no less, have shown that THC actually retards tumor growth, and that there is no correlation between heavy pot smoking and lung cancer. http://current.com/items/89799784/marijuana_cuts_lung_cancer_tumor_growth_in_half_harvard_study_shows.htm
For many people, for the government, Marijuana represents a tangible something that they can use to incriminate people. For parents who never tried weed themselves, the same is usually true. The complete opposite is true for most people who have actually tried marijuana. It is a drug that is used much like alcohol. Everyone who is even an occasional smoker understands what's going on and just how ridiculous the hub-bub about marijuana really is. For some it is just a recreational, fun thing to do. Parents smoke with their children in many cases. For others, it is a medicine, and they are seriously helped by it in times of great pain. Many others use it in a more spiritual style, relishing the "deep" (Pollan, citing Carl Sagan, never quite seems to decide if these are, in fact, deep thoughts) thoughts than can arise during use. Marijuana definitely means different things for different people. The one thing that I would argue more than anything is that anyone calling it extremely dangerous and ruinous of society should take a closer look, maybe a more hands-on approach.
Marijuana has a negative connotation attached to it in the U.S. Although all types of people smoke marijauna, there is a stigma towards certain types. The interesting thing is that many notable intellectuals and smart people in general with important jobs, smoke marijuana. The public view towards Marijuana has changed so drastically since the 1970's, because of the war on drugs. Marijuana symbolizes different things, according to different people. The government wants it to symbolize laziness, stupidity, and a lack of motivation. But to some it symbolizes relaxation, meditation, and serenity. It is also very much a social drug. Rastafarians use Marijuana to get to a higher meditative state of mind, in order to reach Zion, or the promise land. Mostly pot is used recreationally, in a social manner.
ReplyDelete#1. in asking what marijuana symbolizes for the general american culture, we need to pick apart the age groups. I believe that for Americans of this generation (ages 14-35) marijuana is not seen really as a "drug" but more something that is used to calm the body or as a social thing such as having a drink. For the older generation, who I believe are not as familiar with the drug, I think they see marijuana as something dangerous and destructive to the mind and body. I definitely think that marijuana means different things to different groups. To some people who are not entirely familiar with it, it could be seen as something to be feared due to its unfamiliarity. But there are some people who smoke marijuana each day and need it to go to bed at night in order to calm their body and mind. There are also many studies that prove its medicinal advantages. Like Charlotte and Morgan said, to many people marijuana is not even seen as a drug. It is something that is used so frequently in some people's lives and for many has just become part of their daily ritual. Some people say that marijuana destroys minds, but being at Eckerd College and being around a lot of people that smoke marijuana I have come to see that some of the most intelligent people I have come to meet here smoke marijuana on a daily basis, sometimes a few times a day. Like Morgan said, because it is an illegal drug there are many people that thrive to use it simply because it is known as something illegal and the thrill excites them. I believe that legalizing the drug would diminish the amount that is used as well as help many people who do in fact need it for medicinal purposes.
ReplyDeleteA. I do think that marijuana means different things to different people, because if it did not, there would be no drug war! Of course to some it is vital to their daily life while others are so adamant about banning it that they will go so far as to “make exceptions” to the First, Fourth and Sixth Amendments. It is easy to answer the question in relation to what marijuana means to people my age, but its significance to those that are creating the laws that ban it and jail anyone who partakes, sells, or grows, is much more interesting. Aren’t these suffocating restrictions coming from the generation that revolutionized marijuana during the drug years? Why have they gone to such lengths to combat the use of marijuana in the United States when thirty years ago they would have undoubtedly protested any such restrictions placed on them by “the man?” I’m not sure how marijuana came to mean something so perilous to lawmakers from that generation, but it is definitely something to think about (in the time I have written this blog, I have seen two “above the influence” commercials on television………).
ReplyDelete1. I find that marijuana has a strong influence on American culture. Pollan talks a lot about the taboo portion of it. To us, Americans, we love to seek thrills, and the illegality of the drug gives people that high. I found it sad to read that so many people are in jail for it, when I personally feel that like the era of prohibition the illegality of marijuana will too pass. Why is it that our nation chose this drug to crack down on? It’s not addicting, it doesn’t harm people, and we’ve begun to prescribe it in some states for pain management. One of the few downsides I’ve heard of is that it may actually produce more tar than a cigarette, but this is because it’s not smoked through a filter. This problem could be easily addressed with legalization. With all of this debate, we’ve created marijuana into a sinful, yet pleasurable experience.
ReplyDeleteAs for which cultures within America see and use it as a symbol, I could write a whole paper on the topic. Walking through downtown Manitou, CO over spring break, it was blatantly apparent I was in a town that believed in the use of marijuana. The streets were lined with hemp stores that sold “tobacco” pipes, copies of magazines such as High Times, or Cannabis Cultural Magazine. This is where the hippies, those who still believe in the 60’s, and all the “liberals” retreated from the vast counterpart of its neighboring city Colorado Springs which is full of conservatives and churches on every corner.
Another city in Colorado that’s nationally famous for its citizen’s use of marijuana is Boulder. Jokes are passed around the state that you receive a contact high as soon as you step into the city limits. These jokes are not far from truth. I speculate that this culture has appeared due to the vast amount of college kids (CU Boulder is placed downtown) and the eco-friendly, caring about nature, outdoorsy, liberalists that reside there. Many Eckerd students from Colorado quickly passed around an article right after 4/20 about the sheer number of people that joined together either in the quad at CU (the article estimated 10,000) or at a nearby park (a smaller gathering). The article also mentioned that the cops surrounded the group to make sure nothing got out of hand, but did not hand out citations. They were purely there for the safety of the smokers. Link: http://www.dailycamera.com/news/2008/apr/20/cus-420-pot-smoke-out-draws-10000/ The best part of Boulder is that people want to be there. It’s widely known that you have to be well off to live there, and be able to maintain the Boulder lifestyle, because it’s in such high demand.
There are so many other groups that use marijuana as an icon: teenagers, college students, hippies, etc. It’s definitely something of high debate in our nation, and I think we may see it legalized within our lifetime.
Throughout our history, both as a colony and nation, America has struggled with its relation to the hemp plant. In the early years of colonization hemp was grown as a domestic product being used for the production of rope and clothing. After the civil war domestic production of hemp came to a stop due to the increase of imported material. In the 19th century marijuana became a popular ingredient in medical products and became a fad in Europe. But this is when the United States became conflicted about its uses of the marijuana plant.
ReplyDeleteEarly in the 1900s the drug marijuana became associated with Mexican immigrants, and a negative link was formed between the fear of newcomers and the recreational use of the drug. During the great depression more fear of the unknown and the possible links between violence and crime to the drug cause 29 states to outlaw marijuana. Pop culture and governments fueled the fire surrounding marijuana use. The film Reefer Madness became popular and inspired multiple misconceptions about the drug. Over time federal enforcement on the drug became stricter with the public’s support.
There was a shift in the population during the 1960s when the drug became popular in counterculture. But this started the modern divide we see among the American population. Instead of being a simply divided black and white issue the modern American views on marijuana happen in a gray scale. Today many people find themselves conflicted and uneducated about the drug and its potential harms or benefits. There has been a slew of propaganda put forth by both the EPA and American drug council which conflicts with supporters of recreational, medicinal, and spiritual use. Today marijuana still is part of mainstream culture through music, TV commercials and even in schools with drug prevention programs, all present conflicting messages to various populations about their uses of marijuana. Both sides and all individuals on the spectrum are still trying to come to terms with our modern day forbidden fruit.
A. In The Botany of Desire, Michael Pollan ‘refers to marijuana as a “powerful symbol”, because of the history and the role that it now has in our American culture today. The role that marijuana has on our society is that of a culture that began in the 60’s and developed into what the government now says is leading the movement of the American drug war. Pollan also states that “marijuana pose a grave threat to public health or was marijuana the only illicit drug in wide enough use to justify waging so ambitious a war in the first place.” I believe that marihuana is no a great threat to the American culture and it was fueled by the fact that it is now used very often and in that since it was the easiest drug to label that biggest drug threat to America. I believe that there many more harmful drugs that are coming into the United States that have extremely harsh effect on the users. I believe that marijuana symbolizes in American culture the desire to slow down life and also was at the time in history that the green environmental movement began. I believe that marijuana is viewed very differently by different groups including possible age, religion, and economic status. Marijuana can be seen as a drug of the “hippies,” that is used to impair motor skills that result in a slowing down of life. Marijuana is also considered a ‘gateway drug’ that will lead to the used of other more harmful and addicting drugs.
ReplyDeleteChanging consciousness is absolutely a human drive. As Pollan and Weil proove, it isn't just the physical drug that all humans desire but the feeling that is created when experiencing something other than the conscious state of being. An excellent point was how kids have so many ways of experimenting these different states. Kids love to run around, the chemicals produced in the brain from exercise usually make them happy, thus why they love recess so much. I never placed yoga and meditation in the same category as smoking, yet I can clearly see how similar they are after reading this chapter. Of course they both calm the body and relax the mind, which counterbalance the stress of daily life (a solution most busy humans look for). Aside from exercise and marijuana, many people today use ADD medication to change their state of being. Whether it is to relax or get more accomplished, it is certainly one of the more intensely used drugs in order to alter consciousness.
ReplyDeleteNo matter how often humans (or living things) choose to alter consciousness, I believe it is a distraction from the hectic everyday life. It is a healthy way to find new perspectives and possibly get to know oneself better. I think people desire this experience in some way or form whether they are aware of it or not.
I definitely believe that Marijuana means different things to different people in American culture. Those who use the drug, for example, do so as a means to alter their experience of consciousness. As Pollen brings out, this desire is common among all individuals, even children, though we may go about reaching the change in mental experience in different ways. For those with cancer, or with symptoms of HIV and influenza, the FDA has approved marijuana, and many use it as a legal form of treatment. Marijuana is even utilized for spiritual purposes. For instance, the Rastafari movement, has deemed marijuana as a sacrament. Other more widespread religions such as Christianity, however, hold that one should not defile the body, and therefore such groups look down upon the usage of marijuana. As Pollen acknowledges, the more advanced societies, such as those in the Western part of the world, forbid the use of marijuana (143). The fear, perhaps, lies in the belief that a drug which has the potential to alter one’s consciousness could pose a threat to the social system. Over the years, the media has used propaganda in an attempt to scare the public into not using the drug.
ReplyDeleteAs GW's invention of a "catastrophic threat" in Iraq proves, the American government isn't happy unless it is locked in an epic struggle with something. With the increase in globalization and spread of capitalism, US prospects for declaring open, drag-down war on another country grew more limited in the 70's and 80's. So, the government needed to invent another kind of struggle, this one a domestic one that required no adherence to a geneva convention, in order to prove its usefulness. The mentality of US government seems to be that if they're not keeping you safe by blowing shit up or throwing the bad guys in jail, then the people might start to resent the erosion of civil liberties that is the bread and butter of our law. The only reason we are willing to give up our freedoms is for the sake of our comfort and security. They tried to erode our freedom for decadence in the '20s with prohibition, and that bill was repealed in a decade or two. If only they had invented a sense of danger and epic struggle against alcohol production, then they might have done better. Marijuana poses far fewer health risks to smoker and those in the proximity of smoker than do cigarettes. It kills far fewer people in traffic related accidents than does alcohol. It's not truly addictive like many of our pain killers and sleep aids.
ReplyDeleteThen why did America suddenly choose such an inert drug as the major demon to be tackled? I think it truly is a symbol. A symbol of the individual over the corporation. Alcohol and cigarrette production, prescription drugs, cocaine... All of these things require large amounts of refinement before the final product is ready for consumption. Because of the illegal nature of growing marijuana and the high danger of detection from growing it in large quantities, users and small-scale growers have gotten pretty sophisticated in growing as much as they need, undetected. And apart from a few grow lights and a short drying time after harvest, there is little material or time investment in a single harvest. If marijuana were to become legal tomorrow, there would be little profit in it for Phillip Morris, because there's not much to justify the ridiculus markup that you find in a pack of cigarettes. This is because of the ridiculus amounts of additives, the 10,000 gallon vats of nicotine that the tobacco leaves are dipped in, the paper rollers that emboss the marlboro logo on the side of the cig. The small grower, because of the immense variety that can be grown on a small scale, and then turned over to an entirely different crop next season would have a mobility that a large marijuana manufacturing plant could not equal. Because marijuana is of no value to the robber barons that still run this country, it's worth more to government as villian, to be seized and properties confiscated, than as cash crop. But you can bet if Wal-Mart and big tobacco felt they could turn a profit with a roach production division, they could throw their weight behind the political machines to get things moving for legalization by next month.
A. To some people marijuana is a sin, some view it as sacred, and some people smoke for fun. The people who view it as a sin is because they believe it is dangerous and generally unhealthy for the human body. People believe it’s sacred because it gives them a spiritual connection. An influential example for these people is Bob Marley, a famous reggae artist; he can’t perform on stage with smoking before. He believes that marijuana makes him more spiritual and would make him a better performer on stage. People who find a spiritual connection make smoking marijuana a routine, most of them made it a habit that they can’t operate their daily lives without smoking. Others smoke marijuana occasionally, unlike people who find spirituality, these people smoke when they’re out with friends or in special occasions, like birthdays or graduations, they wouldn’t smoke in any other day. In countries like the Netherlands and Canada, marijuana is legalized, but in the US and other parts of the world it’s illegal. Countries would argue that marijuana is dangerous but many, of the general public, would argue that these is nothing wrong with smoking marijuana.
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