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An exploration of humans' symbiotic relationships with plants and chemicals presents information on prehistoric partnership societies, the roles of spices and spirits in the rise of dominator societies; and the politics of tobacco, tea, coffee, opium, and alcohol.
- Sales Rank: #8791 in Books
- Brand: McKenna, Terence
- Published on: 1993-01-01
- Released on: 1993-01-01
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Dimensions: 9.40" h x 1.30" w x 6.50" l, .99 pounds
- Binding: Paperback
- 311 pages
- plants, drugs, food
From Kirkus Reviews
The ethnobotanist co-author of Psilocybin: The Magic Mushroom Grower's Guide (not reviewed) puts forth the theory that magic mushrooms are the original ``tree of knowledge'' and that the general lack of psychedelic exploration is leading Western society toward eventual collapse or destruction--controversial statements, to say the least, though the argument's details often prove fascinating. In the beginning, McKenna tells us, there were protohumans with small brains and plenty of genetic competition, and what eventually separated the men from the apes was an enthusiasm for the hallucinogenic mushrooms that grew on the feces of local cattle. Claiming that psilocybin in the hominid diet would have enhanced eyesight, sexual enjoyment, and language ability and would have thereby placed the mushroom-eaters in the front lines of genetic evolution--eventually leading to hallucinogen-ingesting shamanistic societies, the ancient Minoan culture, and some Amazonian tribes today--McKenna also asserts that the same drugs are now outlawed in the US because of their corrosive effect on our male-dominated, antispiritual society. Unconsciously craving the vehicles by which our ancestors expanded their imaginations and found meaning in their lives, he says, we feast on feeble substitutes: coffee, sugar, and chocolate, which reinforce competition and aggressiveness; tobacco, which destroys our bodies; alcohol, whose abuse leads to male violence and female degradation; TV, which deadens our senses; and the synthetics--heroin, cocaine and their variations--which leave us victimized by our own addiction. On the other hand, argues McKenna, magic mushrooms, used in a spiritually enlightened, ritual manner, can open the door to greater consciousness and further the course of human evolution- -legalization of all drugs therefore is, he says, an urgent necessity. Provocative words--often captivating, but not often convincing. -- Copyright ©1991, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
About the Author
McKenna was a scholar of shamanism, ethno-botanist, psychedelic researcher and author of many books.
Most helpful customer reviews
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful.
Fascinating read, a lot of speculation in my opinion.
By chris leary
I think Mckenna's theory is basically impossible to prove. Although his philosophy of human evolution is entertaining, don't look at this book as hard-science. Read it with a healthy dose of skepticism. I take it more as a free spirited critique of modern society, by a pro-natural- substances, hippie researcher. As for the value of psilosybin mushrooms, and cannabis use, I think there is great potential for positive benefits in society. Just take this with a grain of salt ,and as an entertaining read. Having said that, I believe that Terence Mckenna was a very intelligent, and pretty accurate critic of the status quo, oppressive society. I'm sure that as a researcher in the rest of his botany work, he was probably pretty spot-on, who knows. I urge anyone interested in him to listen to some of his talks on Youtube, to decide for yourself.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful.
An Effusion of Esoteric Knowledge
By D.R.Thomas
This is the first book from Terrence McKenna I have read, but I have listened to a number of his lectures. As it stands, if I had to sum of the book in one phrase it would be, "An illicit peepshow of truth regarding our human culture." This book quite literally takes you all over the world, back and forth through time in 275 very novel pages. It employs the character of showing us how closely attached we, the human species, have been to drugs, or altered states of consciousness. There is also an attribute on how we as a species have developed society and religion as result to these experiences. This is a manifesto that beckons the need for further research into the areas of which McKenna vectors us. This book is also far much more than just a pontification about the history of drugs, it also delves deep into human culture and alternative views of how culture developed, especially from the feminine perspective. I have to say those who wish to study our human origins should read this; it is definitely an intriguing compilation, especially with his theories on the origins of consciousness. McKenna does not fail to display his erudition in this work, just as he does in his lectures, which is one of the reasons why he has been a preeminent hero of mine since I came into knowledge of him.
Most people are immediately going to reserve themselves in the position of dissenting, more or less because this is not what has been spoon fed to them by the conventional education machine. If you want the truth, or unbiased information, seek knowledge with an open mind, independently and from a multitude of perspectives. Especially, in the frame of the history, but even more so with his theory of how consciousness developed through prolonged exposure to entheogens. His theory for the catalyst for consciousness is very novel and pushes the paradigm on conventional theories. Nonetheless, McKenna's theory is highly controversial and many are likely to disagree without considering its probability. In actuality, Tim Leary attempted to study the effects of drugs on the mind while he was a Harvard professor, so these ideas are not intellectually destitute. Even if you disagree with everything he writes about, the subject matter will at least give you an adverse perspective that is in existence, but is not the orthodox.
In reference to the effects of drugs (natural drugs, not pharmaceuticals and alcohol) on the consciousness and the "journey" into your subconscious, I emphatically agree with McKenna and it is something that is simply experiential. It is an invigorating experience if you allow it to be, you must search within yourself to find answers. I personally like McKenna's rules for experiencing entheogens (as evident on pg. 248), "one sits down, one shuts up and one pays attention"-especially alone in the dark, no TV and no radio. It may not be for all, but it is quite effective for the psyche and intellect. Unfortunately, do to the politics of the scholarly realm and the laws from the "drug war" his theories will merely lie in ruin as an anecdotal hypothesis, but has much potentiality for a concrete conclusion.
The only reason I did not give this book five stars is due several things I disagree with McKenna on. Throughout this book, and his lectures, he seems to advocate a very socialistic and communist lifestyle, which to me, politically is an issue of dissonance. With this subject I guess we differ on a polarity, but I still enjoy his very eloquent philosophy. At times he also references the "barriers" that we create to create individual territory, and that we would be wiser to dissolve those and live communal lives. I like capitalism, the harder you work the more capital you receive; in a socialist society those who work hard gain nothing, because everything is of neutral division, and in the end it stifles ingenuity and innovation; and, in the same system the laziest are parasites that reap the rewards. Along with those ideas, he also bends over backwards to force a square dowel into a circular hole, and because of this there are times that makes it hard to concur with him. There are also periods in his book that there exists not enough evidence for the clarity of his postulants.
Here are some quotes I found resonance with:
Pg. 147 "Wife beating without alcohol is like a circus without lions." - So true, but we find that marijuana, an innocuous substance is outlawed.
Pg. 148 "Yet how can we explain the legal toleration for alcohol, the most destructive of all intoxicants, and the almost frenzied efforts to repress nearly all other drugs?"
Pg. 163 "The "recreational" context for substance use, as currently understood in the United States, is an atmosphere that trivializes the cognitive impact of the substance used."
Pg. 272 "If mere preaching of virtue could provide the answer, then we would have arrived at the threshold of angelic existence some time ago. If mere legislation of virtue were answer, we would have learned that a long time ago."
In conclusion, it is odious and criminal for me to desire and endeavor to experience mushrooms or marijuana in my own home, but it is ok for America to line up at the pharmacy for their $4 monthly prescriptions for various absurdities; and aside to that, the most corrosive substance, alcohol, in society is ubiquitously supported and served as a nuance of fermented passion, and because of this, the atrocities that it induces America retains a superficial relationship with. - D.R.Thomas
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful.
Brilliant thoughts, jumps to conclusions and solid social criticism
By Klaus Stiefel
This book is an entertaining read and a source of valuable food for thought, but, at the same time, has to be taken with a huge grain of salt. I can recommend reading it, but reading it critically, which is, I assume, what Mckenna would have wanted you to do anyway. He is interested in a variety of topics all related to the use of drugs in human history.
One of his basic theories is that the consumption of psilocybin-containing mushrooms accelerated the evolution of the human mind. First of all, doesn't that sound a bit like Lamarkism? Well, on the surface it does, but there are serious academic biologists who have recently suggested that biological and cultural evolution (such as taking up the use of psychedelic mushrooms) can interact in interesting ways. The "Baldwin Effect" is what is potentially at play here, the phenomenon that phenotypical modifications (psilocybin induced brain states), while not directly affecting genes, can lead the evolutionary pathway in a certain direction. Acquired phenotypic modifications of the brain come first, and the genotype can catch up later. An excellent outline of these extensions of classic evolutionary theory can be found in Jablonka and Lamb's "Evolution in Four Dimensions". Is this to say that I am convinced that things happened how Mckenna describes them? No, but it is an interesting suggestion, and not at all scientifically ridiculous.
Mckenna then goes on to describe how, in his opinion, the shamanic, hallucinogen-literate societies of the late paleolithic were transformed into the current consumerist, hallucinogen-illiterate, drug consuming, but at the same time drug prosecuting and demonizing societies. And, he argues that the change went hand in hand with a change from friendly partnership societies to ego and power driven dominator societies. Unfortunately, in this part of the book, Mckenna is often too sloppy, even for a book which is obviously meant to be leaning out of the window with speculation. While there is ancient art clearly depicting mushrooms, he sees them almost everywhere, like in an ancient god's round hat and in an upward expanding palace column.
The later chapters are again a strength of "Food of the Gods", where Mckenna gives an outline of the drug policies of the last several hundred years. Of course the historical sources are much more abundant about this period as opposed to pre-history, and Mckenna knows them well. He rightfully angrily describes the incredible hypocrisy which has harmed the lives of so many people. And, again, he asks: what does it say about a society if mind-numbing drugs like alcohol and television are encouraged, but mind-expanding drugs like psilocybin and LSD are criminalized? Why is coffee, which makes you nervous and work harder, found in every office, but cannabis, which makes you contemplative and relaxed, officially banned? Wouldn't a mushroom-using society make very different decisions as opposed to our current tabako-smoking, alcohol drinking society? And, don't our society's alcohol and nicotine inspired decisions often involve wife-beating and drunk driving on a small scale, and war, social injustice and environmental destruction on a large scale? These are viable questions, and Mckenna deserves credit for asking them in an eloquent and readable manner.
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