It is undeniable that the modern psychedelic culture owes its existence, to some degree, to the great bard, Terence McKenna.
It is undeniable that the modern psychedelic culture owes its existence, to some degree, to the great bard, Terence McKenna.According to James Oroc, in his new book The New Psychedelic Revolution, McKenna was one of four people who helped usher in the psychedelic culture as we know it today. Along with Sasha and Anne Shulgin, and Alex Grey, McKenna contributed to the bolstering of interest in psychedelics (primarily DMT and psilocybin) in a time where the disappearance of available LSD jeopardised the movement as a whole.
Regardless of McKenna’s particular role in modern psychedelic history, his work has become a cultural force to reckon with to in the modern era of internet psychonauts. His eloquence, intelligence, and far out ideas can be found in hundreds of hours of audio and video (and thousands of clips) across the internet. Ideas like ‘five dried grams in silent darkness’ (#5DGISD), ‘cultures is not your friend’, and ‘DMT machine elves’, have become nearly ubiquitous psychedelic memes. His ideas sit in the upper echelon of pop-psychedelic culture. He has become an icon and a role model for many people in that culture, and a frequent entry point for young psychonauts. (Including myself.)
With such an incredible influence, it is vitally important that we think critically about his ideas and the context from which those ideas were born. This, however, is rarely the case in most pop-media subcultures and the psychedelics scene around Terence McKenna is no exception. In turn, some of his ideas, like any unchecked ideas from quasi-scientific spiritual philosophers, have become dangerous. Mitigating that danger means thinking critically, even with (perhaps especially with) our cultural role models.
Terence McKenna played a considerable role in my journey with psychedelics, both for good and for the not-so-good, and I want to honour that role.
In this video, I explore some of the criticisms of him that have been showcased on my podcast, as well as my thoughts on McKenna. He was an incredible man, with an incredible mind, deserving of respect and gratitude for all that he contributed to the modern psychedelic world. This includes the respect granted in honest (and loving) criticisms.
**** Featured image, as well as the YouTube thumbnail, is courtesy and copyright of Mesloes.
She’s fantastic; check her out here.
As you can see, this video has been blocked via copyright claim by London Real.
As some of you may know, London Real is a podcast that features some great interviews with a number of awesome guests. However, by direction of its owner, Brian Rose, it has increasingly descended to a disgusting mess of hypocrisy and exploitation. Brain Rose himself, at this point expressing behaviors that seem to reveal him as a megalomaniac and a psychopath.
Do to his power on YouTube’s platform (and how YouTube seems to make it impossible to talk to a real person) I am afraid to dispute it in the case that my channel is deleted (which is a possibly).
If you are a $8+ patron, you can still privately view the video in the dropbox folder.
Otherwise it is gone. I’m sorry.
You can learn more about how Brain Rose has been exploiting people and how his behavior invites serious concern for society at large in these two videos by Rebel Wisdom.
London Real Update, Coffeezilla & Rebel Wisdom
Discussion of how Brain Rose has used multilevel marketing and psychologically manipulative tactics, and a free speech argument, to exploit more than a million dollars from his followers.
London Real and How Societies Collapse
Discussion on how Brian Rose’s continued push to power (Mayor Of London) reveals cult dynamics. IMO, not too different than those used by Donald Trump in his rise to power.
[updated Jan 8, 2020]Clips featured in this video:
Liberation Through Unknowing | Martin W. Ball – ATTMind Ep. 5 (podcast interview)
James Kent On Ketamine Addiction, Terence McKenna, and Going Off The Rails (YouTube video)
Daniel Waterman’s Open-letter to me re: McKenna’s feature in my Top 5 Psychedelic Books video (facebook post)
….. Sorry folks! This link ^^^ went dead once Daniel Waterman was deleted from Facebook for violating their content policy!
Top 5 Books On The Psychedelic Experience (YouTube video)
Ayahuasca & I: Not Your Typical Trip Report (essay mentioned)
? Decomposing The Shadow (my book on working with psilocybin mushrooms)
Dennis McKenna – The Screaming Abyss – PART 1/2 | London Real (YouTube video)
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3 Comments
Hi James! Great post!
At the end, Terrence was a human after all! 🙂
I’m Luis from London Real and I’m honoured you quoted us in your video! You can find this clip I did when Dennis was in the show… More or less , I’m talking about the things you are addressing in the post!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kakyht8G3wg
Thanks for your work see you soon!
Thanks, Luis and great video!
The editing is on point.
Hi James
I wanted to get a semblance of the critique on Terrence as a long time listener of his prose. I have gained a fair deal of wherewithal of life, society and history from his lectures. I see Terrence as an intellectual and a great mind albeit someone who is human and fallible along with some of his work that meandered into pure conjecture even if he posed it as such. I too fell to some danger to his recommendations around psychedelics I.e the heroes dose, as I think many of us have. Consuming too many psychedelics and even some of the unintended consequences like genuine premature spiritual opening in my case, are some of the risks of such advice. Though, as we have witnessed, psychedelic use has influenced the world in a positive fashion. There have been risks for some individuals, however seen within the lens of an impending poly crisis that Terrence saw coming I can see his view that psychedelics would have to play a major role in the great turning we are experiencing now because of its immediate impacts on personal values and their ability to influence fundamental perception and view on self, worldview and ways of being. Not to mention, their role in influencing EQ, intrapersonal intelligence and healing.
When packaged in a neat and orderly prose of eloquence and sheer intelligence, we associate life advice with wisdom much easier than with others of a different sort. I personally never gave too much consideration of Terrence’s larger theories like stoned ape and Timewave, opting for his grounded and well read nature of history, psychology, mythology and philosophy as I’m an avid reader of these topics. Terrence’s delivery and eloquence added to the attraction for me. He is one of many voices that I entertain. At the end of the day, I have been taught to simply hold ideas in kind and relate to them.
The practicalities of life and relationship, not to mention our personal work and integrity, are far more relevant matters than our conjecture. Though, our intellectual bandwidth and consideration can add to a living wisdom hence the curiosity. Plus, life is strange. It’s nice to have orators like Terrence give us a sense with an intellect that sees further and broader.
I feel Terrence prophetical theories related to climate, emerging social trends, inclusion of feminism and human dignity, and his idea of archaic revival far more pertinent than other theories. People took his theories far too seriously in the realm of machine elves, otherworldly phenomena and other musings of his travels as legitimate theories. He was sharing his personal experience and observations simply. I’m not of the mind that those things don’t exist. I’m of the mind that is functionally doesn’t matter however. But like all psychonauts, it’s an exploration of themes that many travellers have experienced. In terms of public disclosure, it’s tough to admit that there is a degree of validity to it even if it will be lambasted by the general public simply on the basis of inexperience. Regardless, writing Terrence off on the basis of his musings, conjecture of the other world, and a few theories he got wrong I think is petty and ill conceived. All intellectuals get things wrong. It’s the beauty of free, independent thought. It’s far easier to stay on the sideline and critique like we are, even if we are being respectful and considerate. It’s even easier to listen to one or two ideas and write him off without giving him his dues. You’ve given him your respect which I appreciate. Some of the lectures and prose he has are linguistically brilliant and some of the most clear conceptions of our human predicament in the 21st century and precise snapshots of history, psychology and philosophy. For avid listeners, he has blown our minds and shared his gleaming insights and brilliant clear thought that almost everybody in this world couldn’t postulate themselves. Let’s remember what he took a hard stance on including not taking him seriously, intellectual curiosity, and learning from the great minds of history because they said it better than he did according to him. He didn’t take himself seriously, neither should we.
In closing, I do think that you did a good job of finding a good line here. I do appreciate your composure and good sense about his musings. As far as I have seen, a lot of folks struggling with perceiving him correctly and perhaps aren’t watching the same videos as I. His clear thought and gleaming insight are rare especially in the world of today. He was a remarkable man, fallible to hubris and incorrect thought. I think a lot of folks could use some of his philosophy but better to follow down the stringent path of psycho spiritual methods that draw us closer to real personal development and a reappraisal of our predicament in the 21st century that invariably involves altering our personal values and a reconstitution that isn’t predicated on the modes of being and the neural wiring of the past. That may or may not include psychedelics but I hope it involves intellectual curiosity , honest introspection, reconditioning and healing. We do continue to suffer from a lack of education and consciousness still today. We do suffer from the impacts of a burgeoning overpopulation issue/desertification and our modern materialistic lifestyle perpetuated by our socioeconomic system and issues of power and class. These were some of Terrence harder stances that remain relevant that we would be wise to reconsider and revise. I observed some relevant ideas on this matter and in other ways new methods and ideas have become relevant or superior in this regard. Ultimately, Terence has brought a lot of knowledge, insight and clear thought into my life. Like all people that bring value to your life no less on the basis of courage, and exposure to the ruthless public backlash that is inevitable, I will always give them their roses. Terrence is one of a kind and a marksman of words and novel contributions to the field of idea generation and careful consideration of our ontological and existential condition. He cared about people, their freedom, intellectualism and human dignity.