New SMiLE Essay

[Mr. Cohen]

I don't feel closer to God or anything like that. I do feel more philosophically enlightened. I don't know - it just seemed like I could understand certain concepts better while tripping.

Also, no offense, but your teens are a horrible time to trip. I tripped a few times as a teenager and now consider those experiences to almost be worthless, a confusing and incomprehensible mess. It wasn't until I tried tripping again at age 24 that I realized the true value of the venture.

[Mike's Beard]

Problem is Murry, I was stupid and fearless as a teenager. I'd say "Yes please" to whatever was offered to me. Now I'm far too paranoid to mess with drugs. I wish in some ways I had tried acid in my mid 20's because my cultural interests had widenend somewhat and I could have found more interesting things to do whilst under it's influence.

[SMiLE Brian]

My college roommate took acid and other drugs like they were candy after I warned him that it was dangerous to play with the stuff  He and his friends turned into druggie zombies, making me feel like I was an extra in "requiem for a dream". I am not against trying new things, its just seeing people abuse and not respect LSD makes you question if it was all worth it.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

You would suspect wrong, I tried it 3 times in my teens. I saw some funky sh*t on it (including watching Rocky III and witnessing Sly's face zombiefy and melt off at one point - true story).

Wow, that's quite amazing! My experiences, such as being able to climb inside music, and fully realising my potential and my place in the universe really pale in comparison.

You misunderstand me there. Of course the physical and mental reaction differs between tripping on acid and say, getting steaming drunk, just as a major coke tweekage produces a different effect from getting stoned on pot. The point I was making is that they all produce the same end result in getting one "off their tits", nothing more - nothing less. If you feel different after taking LSD it's because the chemicals in your brain have been altered, not because you have become "closer to God" or something.

I'm aware of that. But seeing as all thought and emotion, plus all natural mind altering states such as meditation are due to chemicals in your brain, your point means nothing. It's what you do with the experience that's important, not how you get there. As Murry said, it's to do with introspection. I never for one moment thought anything I was experiencing was "real", but acid gave me a way of seeing patterns (in the mathematical sense) which I have carried with me, and used creatively ever since. So just because you wasted your time on acid watching stupid movies, doesn't mean you can belittle other peoples more meaningful experience. That just makes you come across like a moron, which I'm sure you're not.  

[Mike's Beard]

Wow, that's quite amazing! My experiences, such as being able to climb inside music, and fully realising my potential and my place in the universe really pale in comparison.

Dude, honestly can you hear yourself here?

 So just because you wasted your time on acid watching stupid movies, doesn't mean you can belittle other peoples more meaningful experience. That just makes you come across like a moron, which I'm sure you're not. 

Two points;
1 - I wasn't belittling anyone, you seem to be taking this discussion far too personally.
2- Rocky III is not a stupid movie. 

[Iron Horse-Apples]

"Dude can you hear yourself?" That's exactly what I thought when I read your Rocky III comment."True story!!!!", as if your visuals (which everyone gets when they trip and watch TV) was something truly amazing. So we both feel a bit embarrassed for each other. Common ground there.

And your original posts were very much an attempt to belittle others, take a look

People really need to can it with the mythical LSD as spiritual awakening crap. That is soooo 1960's Hippie/new age garbage talk.

You tell me I'm talking garbage, and tell me I need to "can it", I take it personally....Dood.

It's such a nasty little tactic, making derogatory remarks, then acting all innocent when you're picked up on it. "Wow, touchy aren't you. Don't take it so personally.!"

If you're happy coming across as a dismissive ignoramus, then carry on as you are.

And by the way, is the slogan "Death To Phonies" whilst you hide behind a picture of a psychopath an attempt at irony?

If you really wanted this web persona you're cultivating, this crusader of absolute truth against phony new age pretentiousness to have a ring of truth about it, then maybe you'd be better served posting under your real name. Just a suggestion.

Me, I've got nothing to hide.

But listen, I'm happy to drop this now. You just need to accept that just maybe, other people's personal experiences might  actually be valid.

[Mike's Beard]

You tell me I'm talking garbage, and tell me I need to "can it", I take it personally....Dood.

It's such a nasty little tactic, making derogatory remarks, then acting all innocent when you're picked up on it. "Wow, touchy aren't you. Don't take it so personally.!"

Again I was not talking directly to you and you alone when I made my initial remark. You did seem to take what I said waaaay too personally. No offence was intended on my part.

"True story!!!!", as if your visuals (which everyone gets when they trip and watch TV) was something truly amazing.

Wow, other people get visuals when tripping and watching TV? And to think all these years I thought I was the only one. Thanks for enlightening me.

If you really wanted this web persona you're cultivating, this crusader of absolute truth against phony new age pretentiousness to have a ring of truth about it, then maybe you'd be better served posting under your real name. Just a suggestion

You mean like you did "Iron Horse Apples".

If you're happy coming across as a dismissive ignoramus, then carry on as you are.

If you're happy to insist that the pinnacle of your entire existence hinges on a night of wild drug indulgence, be my guest.

Me, I've got nothing to hide.

Apparently not, after a hit of acid.

But listen, I'm happy to drop this now.

As am I as we are going in circles here, but PM me if you have anything else to say.

[Jason Penick]

Look, here's the deal, Death To Mike's Beard: acid is a mind expansion tool for some people. If someone who's so inclined takes it in a proper environment, then they can possibly benefit from it. However, if you choose to trip balls to Rocky III, then you're probably going to get off on some visuals and wake up the next day wondering what the big deal is exactly. Or as you said yourself, "let's just not pretend that tripping is some kind of 'sacred' experience. It's not, no more than getting drunk, or smoking some good weed or dancing your a$$ off in a club while high on escasty. It's all just a fun way to escape the tedium of everyday life for a while." Based off of that quote, it's clear to me you don't know much about treating the drug as sacrament, verses a cheap and easy way to get ripped on a Saturday night.

Now I'm not here to recommend anyone go out and drop acid to discover what life is all about. But at the same time, your putdowns are weak and show a near complete lack of understanding about the true power of psychedelic drugs. I'm honestly not trying to put you down here at all, but look at it this way: anyone who has actually had a true psychedelic experience of the type Bill is relating in his essay is a) not going to believe you when you tell them acid is just like weed or alcohol, and b) will not be able to relate to you what that experience was like because you've never been there.

I suggest for your own education on the matter that you do a bit of basic research into ayahuasca and peyote rituals of native populations in the western hemisphere before you go about presenting your cavalier put-downs as indisputable fact. Or for that matter, that fellow in your avatar-- what exactly do you think he was doling out to his legion in order to maintain control over them: Now 'n' Laters?

Look, honestly I'm not trying to be a dick here, but your comments rubbed me the wrong way, and moreso I'm not a fan of ignorance masked as authoritative information. There's already one Fox News out there. So without much more to add, I'll just leave you with a bit of wisdom that was popular back in the psychedelic ol' sixties: "may the baby Jesus shut your mouth and open your mind". Peace.

[Iron Horse-Apples]

Absolutely, put more succinctly than I could have. I'm done on this subject now. I destroyed his argument a few posts back, which he conveniently ignored.

I'm just glad I have the good grace, and the balls, to admit when I'm wrong.

[Mike's Beard]

I suggest for your own education on the matter that you do a bit of basic research into ayahuasca and peyote rituals of native populations in the western hemisphere before you go about presenting your cavalier put-downs as indisputable fact.

Hi Jason. I've done more than a basic bit of research into ayahuasca and peyote rituals, the whole "eating the flesh of God" thang. These highly superstitious, primitive cultures interpreted the whole tripping ordeal from a religious and spiritual perspective because they lacked the scientfic reasoning to understand what was really happening to them. Modern man does not have this excuse.
Leary and his peers cribbed this mindset and added it the their own similar acid experience philosophies. And it is a tag that has stuck pretty much ever since.
If someone drops a tab with the preconceived notion that what is about to happen to them is somehow connected to the spiritual or divine, then when the weird stuff starts to happen that is exactly how they will interpret their trip.
People with little or no religious or spiritual beliefs are not going to fall into the same trap.

[Mike's Beard]

I destroyed his argument a few posts back,

In your own mind you did Stephen.

which he conveniently ignored.

What exactly did I ingnore?

[I. Spaceman]

People with little or no religious or spiritual beliefs are not going to fall into the same trap.

People with little or no religious or spiritual beliefs can go to Hell, as far as I'm concerned.

[Mike's Beard]

I doubt a person with no religious beliefs would worry that much about going to Hell.

[I. Spaceman]

So what? I doubt a person with any religious or spiritual beliefs would have an utterly phony signature, and Manson avatar (outrage move circa 1979).

[Mike's Beard]

Maybe they'd plump for a corny REVOLUTION NOW! or a nice CENSORED DUE TO ADMINISTRATIVE HYPOCRISY handle instead, huh?

[halblaineisgood]

.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Can we 1) respect each other and not get so hostile
 and

2) keep this about the BB or take it to the Sandbox?

Thanks you all!

[Iron Horse-Apples]

I destroyed his argument a few posts back,

In your own mind you did Stephen.

which he conveniently ignored.

The crux of your original argument was that acid altered the chemicals in your brain, so therefore any experience derived from it are meaningless, so I followed with this. Rather than reply to this point, you focused on the fact I was taking your derisive comments too personally.

Seeing as all thought and emotion, plus all natural mind altering states such as meditation are due to chemicals in your brain, your point means nothing. It's what you do with the experience that's important, not how you get there. As Murry said, it's to do with introspection. I never for one moment thought anything I was experiencing was "real", but acid gave me a way of seeing patterns (in the mathematical sense) which I have carried with me, and used creatively ever since. So just because you wasted your time on acid watching stupid movies, doesn't mean you can belittle other peoples more meaningful experience. That just makes you come across like a moron, which I'm sure you're not. 

[Mike's Beard]

I don't disagree with anything in that statement. My point was that I didn't put any significance into what I saw or felt when tripping. It was just a bunch of bizarre stuff I saw. I saw stranger stuff on E to be honest. Obviously no two trips or two people are the same so the mileage is going to vary from person to person. The more you invest into the experience the more you are likely to get out of it. I do feel that many fall victim to over analysing the experience. My initial post that you seemed to take quite an exception to was that the new age mumbo jumbo attached to acid culture is such a cliche and belongs back in the 60's.
          Filledpage made a very valid point that to perpetuate this folklore there is the danger that many people could perceive acid as a wonderdrug to make you creative and could even hit the heights of say, a Brian Wilson.

I hope this clears this up for you. If not, agree to disagree?

[Iron Horse-Apples]

That's fine. I'm happy to drop this, really, or it will just go on as you say. I enjoyed butting heads with you though.  Cool?

[Mike's Beard]

Yeah man we're cool.

[Bill Tobelman]

http://www.goodhumorsmile.com/page22.htm


That's the link.

SMiLE artist Frank Holmes was very positive and in support of this essay. He thought it should come out & that's why it is presented in it's original form.

[Disney Boy (1985)]

Listen y'all, no one - whether on drugs or not - is ever, ever going to be any more or less 'closer to God' than any other person on the planet, for the simple reason that God doesn't actually exist and is - as i thought most sane, rational persons in the 21st century now realised - an entirely human invention. A simple, short delve into even the most rudimentary scientific writings should suffice for those still believing in Noah's Ark and fairies and devils and all that gobbledegook.

Brian interviewed in the Guardian:

INTERVIEWER: Do you believe in God?

BRIAN: No.

See even the author of God Only Knows is enlightened...

[Bill Tobelman]

"That's symbolism right? God cannot be conceived of so we therefore give him a literal meaning and he's in the sky so people can understand what is being said." - Brian Wilson from the bonus track 'Brian on "Rio Grande"'