In today’s world, the idea of taking psychedelics is often frowned upon because it’s illegal. This notion of “misbehaving” is deeply rooted in our society, much like the story of Eden in Genesis, where the act of eating from the tree of knowledge led to being cast out. This story highlights the fear of individuals gaining knowledge and power. However, embracing our authentic experiences is crucial for personal growth and understanding.
Expressing our true selves is essential because it allows us to explore the primacy of our experiences and the dignity of individuality. Throughout history, progress has been made when people have stood up for their beliefs, but this progress is often undermined by those in power and by individuals who blindly follow authority. The truth is, no one has all the answers, and relying on a single leader to guide us from ignorance to truth is unrealistic.
If you’re seeking wisdom, look to nature. A waterfall, a mushroom, or a stormy seashore can teach us more than any self-proclaimed authority. Knowledge is ever-changing, and we are still far from achieving a fully civilized understanding. Trusting your intuition and rejecting false authority is key to personal growth.
Institutions often aim to control rather than enlighten. Ideologies, whether Marxism, Catholicism, or others, can be limiting. What truly matters is our personal experience and the present moment. We must recognize how much of our experience has been restricted by those in power, particularly regarding the psychedelic experience, which empowers individuals.
The empowerment of individuals poses a threat to those who wish to maintain control, as it encourages people to live authentically rather than as mere cogs in a machine. We should advocate for the dignity of human beings and support the idea that political enlightenment involves allowing individuals to explore their minds freely.
We often fear chaos, believing it will lead to disaster. However, chaos is where creativity and growth thrive. By embracing it, we can address significant issues rather than passively accepting the status quo. The dominant culture has become adept at controlling narratives, turning the world’s drama into a mere soap opera. It’s time to reclaim our story.
Reviving the importance of the psychedelic experience is about empowering individuals to reclaim their authenticity. Institutions will not willingly relinquish control, so it’s up to us to take action and reevaluate our situation. This isn’t about forming elite groups but about each person claiming their identity and acting without regret.
Thank you for engaging with this episode of After School. If you appreciate the art on this channel, consider exploring our prints, shirts, and children’s book. Our prints capture memorable moments from our animations, adding vibrancy to any space. We also offer a selection of shirts and hoodies. Additionally, our children’s book, “Why Don’t Country Flags Use the Color Purple?” is available on Amazon.
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Take some time to write a reflective journal entry about a personal experience that challenged your understanding or beliefs. Consider how this experience contributed to your personal growth and understanding. Reflect on how embracing your authentic self played a role in this process.
Spend an hour observing a natural setting, such as a park or garden. Take notes on what you observe and consider how these natural elements can teach us about life and personal growth. Discuss your observations with peers, focusing on how nature can serve as a source of wisdom.
Participate in a debate about the role of institutions in shaping individual experiences. Consider both the positive and negative aspects of institutional control. Discuss how individuals can maintain authenticity and personal empowerment in the face of institutional influence.
Engage in a creative activity, such as painting, writing, or music, that embraces chaos and spontaneity. Reflect on how this process allows for personal expression and growth. Share your creations with classmates and discuss the role of chaos in fostering creativity.
Develop a personal action plan that outlines steps you can take to reclaim your authenticity and empower yourself. Consider areas in your life where you feel restricted and identify actions to overcome these limitations. Share your plan with a peer for feedback and support.
Sure! Here’s a sanitized version of the transcript, with sensitive content and inappropriate language removed:
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[Music] Citizens don’t take psychedelics because it’s illegal. Neither do marionettes, nor robots. None of these well-behaved and mechanistic images of humanity take psychedelics because it’s considered misbehaving. Misbehaving is a great sin; in fact, it’s enshrined as the first sin. You will recall that the psychedelic issue was present in Eden, where someone misbehaved and was then cast out into the chaos of history.
It’s interesting to read in Genesis why this was the case. It was because they would become as we are, says Yahweh, if they eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge. I suggest to you that this is precisely what we should seek to do. We empower our experience by insisting on our authenticity. It’s a wonderful thing to learn to stand up and express ourselves because so much is being overlooked, and nobody is talking about the primacy of experience and the dignity of the individual.
We made significant progress in America before we betrayed it, and it wasn’t only betrayed by those in power; it’s also betrayed by anyone who clusters around self-proclaimed authorities. The fact is, nobody knows what’s going on. The best guesses are often misleading. To pretend that one person can lead another out of ignorance into truth is ludicrous.
If you want a teacher, try a waterfall, a mushroom, a mountain wilderness, or a storm-pounded seashore. This is where the action is. It’s not in the hive or the anthill, nor is it in front of someone who claims authority based on their lineage. Knowledge is provisional, and we have yet to approach even the first moment of civilized understanding.
The way to move forward is by trusting yourself and your intuition. Reject authority; it is not real and can lead you to ruin. The idea that everyone has a piece of the action—whether it be different cultures or belief systems—is misleading. These are different kinds of games played by those in power to maintain control.
Institutions seek to maximize control, not to enlighten you. To the degree that we commit ourselves to ideology, we are poisoned. Any ideology—be it Marxism, Catholicism, or any other—is not the answer. What is real is experience, and what is real is this moment.
What we need to consider is how much of our experience has been taken away from us by those in power. Our growing unease and malaise stem from being kept from the wellspring of experience. We are repressed in many areas, particularly in relation to the psychedelic experience, because it empowers the individual.
This completion of the individual is extremely destructive to the plans of those in power, who want you to be a cog in a machine, serving an organization rather than living your own life. A much better idea would be to insist on the dignity of human beings and recognize that the political enlightenment must include hands-off approaches to how people want to change their minds.
We are not interested in being regulated by the state in our personal lives. The state acts as the enforcing arm of dominant cultures, specifically those who are horrified by the idea that individuals would claim the authenticity of their own minds.
The archaic revival must mean a re-empowering of the individual and a lowering of the profile of institutions, especially government. We need to think about these things because we have bought into the idea that we must serve and behave, or chaos will engulf the world.
We need to embrace chaos and see that it is the environment in which we all thrive. If we continue as we have, we risk being passive in the face of significant issues. This is too serious to contemplate.
Why are people so polite, patient, and forgiving of betrayal? It may be because the dominant culture has become increasingly sophisticated in its mechanisms of control. The drama of a dying world has been turned into a soap opera for many, and they don’t realize it’s their story.
This effort to bring the psychedelic experience back into prominence is about empowering individuals and helping them see that we are drained of our authenticity by institutions that will never leave us alone. There must be a moment when people are willing to take action and force a re-evaluation of the situation.
This is not done through organizing or elite groups; it’s done through claiming your identity and acting from that place without regret.
Thank you for tuning in to this episode of After School. If you enjoy the art on this channel, you will certainly enjoy our prints, shirts, and children’s book. The prints are taken from memorable sections of our favorite animations and are sure to add life to any wall. We also have a selection of shirts and hoodies available. Lastly, our children’s book, “Why Don’t Country Flags Use the Color Purple?” is ready to order on Amazon.
Thank you so much for supporting After School. What was once just an idea has now become something very real for all the world to see, and none of it would have been possible without you.
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Individuality – The quality or character of a particular person or thing that distinguishes them from others, often discussed in the context of personal identity and self-expression. – In philosophy, the concept of individuality is crucial when exploring the nature of self and personal identity.
Authenticity – The degree to which one is true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character, despite external pressures; often associated with existentialist philosophy. – Sartre’s existentialism emphasizes the importance of living with authenticity, making choices that reflect one’s true self.
Experience – The knowledge or skill acquired by a period of practical involvement in an activity, or the process of gaining such knowledge; often a central theme in phenomenology. – Husserl’s phenomenology focuses on the structures of experience and consciousness.
Chaos – A state of utter confusion or disorder; a total lack of organization or order, often explored in philosophical discussions about the nature of the universe and human existence. – Nietzsche’s philosophy suggests that embracing chaos can lead to personal growth and the creation of new values.
Empowerment – The process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one’s life and claiming one’s rights; often discussed in social and political philosophy. – Feminist philosophy often explores the empowerment of individuals through the dismantling of oppressive structures.
Knowledge – Facts, information, and skills acquired through experience or education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject, often a central topic in epistemology. – Plato’s theory of knowledge distinguishes between belief and true knowledge, emphasizing the role of reason.
Intuition – The ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning; often discussed in the context of epistemology and decision-making. – In psychology, intuition is considered a form of rapid cognition that can influence decision-making processes.
Control – The power to influence or direct people’s behavior or the course of events, often examined in discussions of free will and determinism. – The debate between free will and determinism questions the extent to which individuals have control over their actions.
Creativity – The use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness, often explored in discussions about the nature of art and innovation. – Philosophers like Kant have explored creativity as a fundamental aspect of human cognition and aesthetic judgment.
Growth – The process of developing or maturing physically, mentally, or spiritually; often discussed in the context of personal development and self-actualization. – Maslow’s hierarchy of needs suggests that personal growth is achieved through the fulfillment of self-actualization needs.
