At the core of this essay is my argument for abolishing prohibitionist drug laws - however, in order to be able to do this we must achieve absolute freedom from all laws in general. This is the cornerstone of Anarchy. Anarchy can only exist in Utopia, and Utopia is a world where a) all humans are free from the constrains of the material world, b) all humans have the maturity to control their desires and are able to delay gratification and c) where all humans are fully able to accept responsibility for their actions.
So, point by point, the following must happen in order to be truly free:
a) Abolishment of Materialism
Material things bind us and hold us down. Rather than being slaves on the plantation, we've now been transferred to the office paying down mortgages for large houses we do not need and cannot afford. Rather than purchase vehicles for their practical use and efficiency, most desire a 'suped up ride' to either score 'bitches' or respect from others. Clothing is not longer bought for warmth or protection, but for the label that depicts our status in society.
The easily influenced male human brain has now been trained to purchase a sparkly rock for his female companion, whose likewise gullible brain expects it at the consumation of their union and the tenth anniversary thereafter. The sparkling rock in question has a perceived value which could feed a family in a third world country for a decade, but this doesn't quite phase the female because she wants to show it off to her friends.
In the end though, it's just a sparkling rock, mined in the third world under dangerous conditions by underpaid and underfed workers.
Centuries down the road, I'm sure the Utopians will find this whole tradition quite amusing.
People must learn to buy only what they need and no more. The less we own, the lighter weight we place on our soul. This is good in practice for our own economic reasons and will also save the world's resources.
b) "Delaying Gratification is The Cornerstone of Maturity"
This is actually an ancient proverb. At it's core is the idea that we must be able to control our desires in a perpetual Garden of Eden full of forbidden fruit.
A world without drug laws would mean everything is out in the open. Does this necessarily mean that all citizens will be high 24/7?
Of course not. Legal drugs, even dangerous ones like alchohol see few people (in the grand scheme of things) with a problem, especially in countries with lax policies. Where I live, alchohol is cheap and freely available at variety stores around the clock - and this country enjoys one of the lowest levels of alcholism in Europe.
There is no stigma attached to alcohol and children are encouraged to try it if they are curious about it. The most surefire way to get someone to do something is to withold it from them. I believe the same applies to all substances, including drugs.
If drugs and other mind-altering substances were freely available that freedom would transcend to the user deciding if they wish to do them, and how frequently they would like to do them. This all comes with maturity - people need to learn to act accordingly when surrounded by "forbidden fruit" - some do this well, others don't. Some people have a problem with drugs, others have a problem with chocolate donuts, others have problems with alcohol - everyone has a vice. Banning everything is not a solution - better legalise everything and force people to grow up and learn to take responsibility for their actions.
This is a more favourable scenario than one where the government puts constraints on my life because a small percentage of the population has a natural inclination to screw up. Once people realise that they must fully pay the consequences of their decisions, they will slowly adjust their behaviour in a responsible fashion.
Which takes us to Part (c).
c) Taking Responsiblity for One's Actions
It goes without saying - If you don't want the Government to make the rules, then don't expect them to help you if you break your own.
I really think we can go forward with a completely open drug policy so long as people learn to take responsibility for their actions. We know the effects of coke, heroin, crank etc...we don't have to try it to figure it out. We know that smoking blunts all day burns us out, so we don't do it. The same goes for many things worth living for, like food, sex, religion - taken in small doses these things are beautiful and beneficial while overdosing warps our perception and clouds our thinking.
In the case of drugs, altering one's mind-state is a beneficial thing - it opens up channels in our thinking that can help in problem solving, aiding us in obtaining a different outlook on our circumstances. Too much mind-altering finds us in a state of perpetual burn-out where nothing gets accomplished. Finding the balance is the key to deriving the most benefit from all the hedonistic things that make us happy.
The achievement of the above three states is the epitome of maturity, and it is only under these circumstance that Anarchy and therefore Utopia can exist. At the core of this is absolute Freedom, which very few people will ever experience despite it being the most important right we have as citizens of planet Earth.
It's really there. I've seen it in my dreams, and will never stop looking for it until it's found. I've travelled thousands of miles so far and am willing to go tens of thousands more till I find it.
So, point by point, the following must happen in order to be truly free:
a) Abolishment of Materialism
Material things bind us and hold us down. Rather than being slaves on the plantation, we've now been transferred to the office paying down mortgages for large houses we do not need and cannot afford. Rather than purchase vehicles for their practical use and efficiency, most desire a 'suped up ride' to either score 'bitches' or respect from others. Clothing is not longer bought for warmth or protection, but for the label that depicts our status in society.
The easily influenced male human brain has now been trained to purchase a sparkly rock for his female companion, whose likewise gullible brain expects it at the consumation of their union and the tenth anniversary thereafter. The sparkling rock in question has a perceived value which could feed a family in a third world country for a decade, but this doesn't quite phase the female because she wants to show it off to her friends.
In the end though, it's just a sparkling rock, mined in the third world under dangerous conditions by underpaid and underfed workers.
Centuries down the road, I'm sure the Utopians will find this whole tradition quite amusing.
People must learn to buy only what they need and no more. The less we own, the lighter weight we place on our soul. This is good in practice for our own economic reasons and will also save the world's resources.
b) "Delaying Gratification is The Cornerstone of Maturity"
This is actually an ancient proverb. At it's core is the idea that we must be able to control our desires in a perpetual Garden of Eden full of forbidden fruit.
A world without drug laws would mean everything is out in the open. Does this necessarily mean that all citizens will be high 24/7?
Of course not. Legal drugs, even dangerous ones like alchohol see few people (in the grand scheme of things) with a problem, especially in countries with lax policies. Where I live, alchohol is cheap and freely available at variety stores around the clock - and this country enjoys one of the lowest levels of alcholism in Europe.
There is no stigma attached to alcohol and children are encouraged to try it if they are curious about it. The most surefire way to get someone to do something is to withold it from them. I believe the same applies to all substances, including drugs.
If drugs and other mind-altering substances were freely available that freedom would transcend to the user deciding if they wish to do them, and how frequently they would like to do them. This all comes with maturity - people need to learn to act accordingly when surrounded by "forbidden fruit" - some do this well, others don't. Some people have a problem with drugs, others have a problem with chocolate donuts, others have problems with alcohol - everyone has a vice. Banning everything is not a solution - better legalise everything and force people to grow up and learn to take responsibility for their actions.
This is a more favourable scenario than one where the government puts constraints on my life because a small percentage of the population has a natural inclination to screw up. Once people realise that they must fully pay the consequences of their decisions, they will slowly adjust their behaviour in a responsible fashion.
Which takes us to Part (c).
c) Taking Responsiblity for One's Actions
It goes without saying - If you don't want the Government to make the rules, then don't expect them to help you if you break your own.
I really think we can go forward with a completely open drug policy so long as people learn to take responsibility for their actions. We know the effects of coke, heroin, crank etc...we don't have to try it to figure it out. We know that smoking blunts all day burns us out, so we don't do it. The same goes for many things worth living for, like food, sex, religion - taken in small doses these things are beautiful and beneficial while overdosing warps our perception and clouds our thinking.
In the case of drugs, altering one's mind-state is a beneficial thing - it opens up channels in our thinking that can help in problem solving, aiding us in obtaining a different outlook on our circumstances. Too much mind-altering finds us in a state of perpetual burn-out where nothing gets accomplished. Finding the balance is the key to deriving the most benefit from all the hedonistic things that make us happy.
The achievement of the above three states is the epitome of maturity, and it is only under these circumstance that Anarchy and therefore Utopia can exist. At the core of this is absolute Freedom, which very few people will ever experience despite it being the most important right we have as citizens of planet Earth.
It's really there. I've seen it in my dreams, and will never stop looking for it until it's found. I've travelled thousands of miles so far and am willing to go tens of thousands more till I find it.
