Alcohol, cannabis, nicotine—these were my companions in the tumultuous years of my adolescence, the trio of vices that defined my norm. Over time, however, I’ve managed to unravel these bonds. Now, I stand on the precipice of liberation, taking the final steps to rid myself of the intoxicating allure of cheese and bread, those seemingly innocuous yet potent substances.
My life metamorphosed when an epiphany unveiled itself: every substance, in essence, is a ‘drug’, an agent of alteration. Serotonin, the neurotransmitter we often associate with feelings of happiness and wellbeing, is a tryptamine, a type of compound that includes many hallucinogenic substances. Our supposed ‘sobriety’ is itself a trip, a journey into a realm shaped by our brain chemistry. When we partake in drinking or smoking, it is not for the thrill of the substances themselves, but rather as a desperate attempt to numb an unpleasant trip, to anaesthetize our consciousness against the discomforting reality of our own minds.
The Receptor Philosophy
Beneath the intoxicating haze of alcohol or the smoky cloud of a cigarette, we are left with the unvarnished reality of that unpleasant trip. Yet, we are not merely passive passengers in this journey. We cannot scrub away the cause of our drinking or smoking with their mere absence. Instead, we must seek to enrich our neurochemical milieu by introducing other forms of tryptamines, thus diversifying the landscape of our perception.
This is the crux of the receptor philosophy—activating diverse receptor networks in our brains to craft a reality that is not merely bearable, but enthralling. By manipulating the levers of our brain chemistry, we can mould our reality, our trip, into an exhilarating journey that doesn’t necessitate the use of anaesthetics to dull our senses.
This philosophy is not an abstract theory, but a living testament of my transformation. A mere three years ago, I discarded the crutch of smoking, a liberation I owe to the San Pedro cactus, a natural source of mescaline, a potent psychoactive compound. This humble cactus, an unassuming guardian of wisdom, bestowed upon me novel perspectives, transforming my world in ways unimaginable.
Thus, the receptor philosophy is not merely an intellectual pursuit. It is a personal journey, a continuous odyssey into the depths of the self, a testament to the plasticity of our perception, and ultimately, a celebration of our capacity to change.
The Digital Mirage
The receptor philosophy, with its emphasis on maintaining a rich and diverse mental landscape, stands in stark contrast to our culture’s growing penchant for selective perception. We live in an era where ‘cancel culture’ has burgeoned into a norm, a virtual purge of inconvenient truths and unpalatable narratives.
Marlene Dietrich, who braved the tumult of the Second World War to perform at both ends of the spectrum, becomes an inconvenient anecdote. The cultural contributions of Dostoevsky are erased from the academic syllabus of the University of Milan. The prevailing modus operandi is simple: if it does not serve my idealist ego, obliterate it.
Consider the realm of social media platforms, where the phenomenon of cancel culture is most rife. Platforms that were once heralded as democratic spaces for open dialogue have transformed into echo chambers. Individuals and groups with differing opinions are swiftly ‘cancelled’, their voices drowned in a cacophony of like-minded chatter. It is akin to plucking out notes from a symphony because they don’t adhere to a preferred tonal range. The resultant composition, while pleasing to the untrained ear, lacks the depth and complexity of the original.
Or what about a renowned scientist who shares a controversial theory about climate change. If this theory challenges the prevailing sentiment on the platform, instead of fostering a healthy debate, it triggers a wave of backlash. The scientist is inundated with negative comments, their professional credibility questioned, and their personal character maligned. The digital platform, once a beacon of knowledge exchange, devolves into a battlefield, where ideological conformity is the only acceptable stance.
This digital monolith, with its insatiable appetite for homogeneity, lacks a sense of proportion, a shortcoming that has life-threatening implications. We’ve already glimpsed the potential fallout during the COVID-19 crisis, where borders were brandished as shields against an enemy that was already omnipresent. Now, the arena has shifted to the literary world, where critical voices are stifled and insipid therapeutic literature is championed. Nihilism is repackaged as ‘postmodernism’, a palatable label that camouflages its existential angst.
In contrast, the receptor philosophy encourages diversity and exploration. It posits that just as we should aim for a diverse mix of tryptamines to create a more enriching and exhilarating perception of reality, we should similarly strive for a diverse mix of ideas, perspectives, and narratives to create a richer and more nuanced understanding of the world.
Instead of cancelling out voices that challenge our beliefs, the receptor philosophy urges us to engage with them, to dissect their arguments, to question our biases, and to evolve our understanding. This process may be uncomfortable, much like the initial disconcerting trip of sobriety, but it is a necessary step towards growth.
Just as we need a mix of serotonin and other tryptamines to break away from the monotony of a single narrative, we need a mix of diverse ideas to break away from the homogeneity of cancel culture. It is only by embracing this philosophy that we can begin to escape the confines of the digital mirage and step into the vast expanse of intellectual freedom.
The receptor philosophy, with its emphasis on maintaining a rich and diverse mental landscape, may be our best hope in navigating this era of selective perception, leading us towards a culture of understanding, empathy, and intellectual diversity. It encourages us to resist the comfort of the echo chamber and brave the tumultuous symphony of diverse voices, for that’s where the true beauty of intellectual exploration lies.
The Fallacy of Superiority
Our collective cognitive landscape has been surreptitiously sculpted by policies that subtly undermine intellectual curiosity. These policies have gradually eroded the functional integrity of our prefrontal cortex, the cerebral command center responsible for critical thinking, and triggered an unnatural dependence on the visual cortex. The resultant cognitive imbalance has been labelled ‘ADHD’, a condition that manifests as an inability to engage with complex narratives and a preference for the simplistic and visually appealing.
This skewed cognitive development fuels a delusion of superiority. Individuals, armed with a shallow understanding of complex topics, brandish their limited knowledge as proof of intellectual prowess. They parade their ability to read a book, any book, as a testament to their intellectual superiority. In their world, the depth and quality of the content matter less than the act of reading itself. The nuanced layers of complex narratives are discarded in favour of a simplistic summary that can be paraded around as a trophy of intellectual achievement.
In their relentless pursuit of moral high ground, these hyper-moralists often lack genuine empathy. Armed with a veneer of righteousness, they implement sweeping decisions that reverberate through society, driving countless people into the abyss of poverty over bureaucratic technicalities. They are like blindfolded pilots, steering a plane without a clear understanding of the controls or the terrain. Their narrow worldview, shrouded in self-righteousness, impedes their ability to comprehend even a two-step logical argument.
Moreover, they squander precious resources on futile endeavours, such as waging a war against the common cold, or endeavouring to render the internet in 3D. These are akin to setting a house on fire to deal with a minor pest infestation. Their short-sighted policies, lacking in foresight and understanding, hasten our descent into an energy crisis.
This fallacy of superiority is a cognitive trap, a mirage that masks the true depth and complexity of the world. It encourages over-simplification and discourages intellectual exploration. It fosters a culture of intellectual arrogance, where understanding is sacrificed at the altar of ego.
The Woke Charade Unveiled
In today’s world, we find ourselves ensnared in a tapestry of superficial narratives and diluted religious fables, lauded as the epitome of modern thought, while profound critiques and narratives are relegated to the margins. As we navigate this complex landscape, we are also grappling with the paradoxical reality of advancing technology and regressive thought. We are stoking our power stations with trees, deluding ourselves into thinking we’re ‘improving the climate’, while actually accelerating our planet’s demise.
Amid this cacophony of contradictions, the ‘woke’ narrative has emerged as a dominant discourse. However, a closer scrutiny reveals it to be a diversionary tactic, a smokescreen used by conservative religious forces to perpetuate their influence despite their declining relevance in contemporary society. In the Netherlands, for instance, this tactic is being employed to ‘push’ gender dysphoria in teenagers, a cynical ploy to further ultraconservative agendas.
This tactic is deeply concerning, not only because it distorts the discourse on vital societal issues, but also because of the suffering it inflicts. By exploiting vulnerable teenagers grappling with gender dysphoria, these conservative forces are causing immense psychological distress. Society, for its part, has been largely unsuccessful in protecting these individuals, a failure that reflects a broader inability to discern genuine social progress from diversionary tactics.
The receptor philosophy, with its emphasis on diversity, understanding, and exploration, provides a much-needed antidote to this ‘woke’ charade. It calls for a richer, more nuanced understanding of the world, one that transcends superficial narratives and seeks out the depth and complexity beneath the surface.
The science of neurochemistry supports this approach. Just as a diverse mix of neurotransmitters results in a more balanced and healthy brain, a diverse mix of perspectives leads to a more balanced and healthy society. Homogeneity, whether in brain chemistry or social discourse, is antithetical to health and progress.
In the face of diversionary tactics and cynical manipulation, the receptor philosophy urges us to stay true to our quest for understanding and empathy. It calls upon us to question, to explore, and to embrace diversity in all its forms. It is a call to awaken from the charade, to see beyond the smokescreen, and to champion genuine progress over superficial narratives.
By embracing the receptor philosophy, we can navigate the complex landscape of today’s world with clarity and purpose. We can discern genuine progress from diversionary tactics, uphold the principles of intellectual freedom and dissent, and strive to create a society that is not only diverse and understanding, but also empathetic and protective of its most vulnerable members.
Imagine a parralel universe
In the grand theatre of global politics, Tony Blair’s countenance, smeared with the grime of past misdeeds, haunts us still. The question, “Where are the weapons of mass destruction?” echoes through the halls of time, a chilling reminder of a genocidal war waged on fallacious grounds. Yet, Blair, in his hubris, remembers this with pride even in 2022. The strings he once pulled continue to dance to his tune, as his institute provides data to the likes of RIVM during the ‘corona crisis’.
Imagine, if you will, a parallel universe where a Vladimir Putin Institute supplies all data during a global crisis. Picture a Russian oligarch, tainted by association with a paedophile, who has bought up a significant chunk of Russia’s agricultural land, has a digital peephole into everyone’s lives, and is keen on administering a mandatory jab to all and sundry. One would have to be rather adrift in the sea of rationality to consider such a construction sensible.
Regrettably, the psyborgs, inhabitants of a digital reality that is as real to them as the air they breathe, find this arrangement quite palatable. This digital reality of theirs is a carnival of moral pornography, where virtue-signalling is the spectacle of the day. Immersed in this spectacle, they derive their energy, much like a vampire thrives on blood. Unity in thought, like a compass pointing north, gives them a strange sense of satisfaction—rigidity that mirrors their unwavering conviction. They rally around the motto, “Resistance is futile.”
Will their grand schemes come to fruition? History suggests otherwise. The Iraq war, a smaller endeavour in comparison, was a resounding failure. Interestingly, however, these projects are not designed with success as their end goal. They are, in essence, get-rich-quick schemes that are set up to fail spectacularly, without any repercussions for those who conceived them. Succes simply never was the real goal.
Martinus, 16-07-2023
