Food of the Gods : The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge: A Radical History of Plants, Drugs, and Human Evolution
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.10 (956 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0712654453 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 312 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 0000-00-00 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
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. Claiming that psilocybin in the hominid diet would have enhanc
"Fascinating read, a lot of speculation in my opinion." according to 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, oppressi. An Effusion of Esoteric Knowledge 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. Klaus Stiefel said Brilliant thoughts, jumps to conclusions and solid social criticism. 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 sug
. McKenna was a scholar of shamanism, ethno-botanist, psychedelic researcher and author of many books
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. 17,500 first printing.