In The Far-East, the nations of North and South Korea are locked in a stale-mate. In the North the isolationist, totalitarian, communist regime stubbornly defend the nation’s borders whilst the South flourishes under a capitalist system.
Soldiers and military forces are posted on each side of the border between North and South Korea to maintain an uneasy truce. On occasion, the soldiers of South Korea hold up banners for their brothers in the North. On one occasion, a group of South Korean soldiers held up a banner which translated as:
“COME HERE AND SEE FOR YOURSELF”
Perhaps they realised that no amount of debating, reasoning, or discussion could convert the North Koreans to their side: nothing would convert them other than seeing the benefits that come with the alternative ideology, they simply had to take a trip and see it for themselves. This situation is much the same with psychedelics.
Any one who has tried a substance like LSD knows what it is in a way that no outside observer could ever understand. No amount of words and concepts can describe the ineffable experience itself. The language imposed upon psychedelic experience (“hallucinations” and “visual distortions” for example) always seems inadequate at truly reflecting its nature. It seems clear to me that the only way to truly know and understand it, is to try it.
Prior to experiencing the effect of the chemical, all one can have is words, concepts and beliefs. Most of these beliefs are given to people by individuals who have no first hand experience of their own: they are simply repeating what they have been told. Many of the words disseminated on such matters have their origins in people who have vested interests in you not deciding for yourself. Most individuals who have used LSD come to feel that it is a deeply misunderstood drug.
The current ruling class have, it would seem, had very little first hand experience with psychedelics: consequently, they simply do not understand what psychedelics are. Moreover, their views are the product of the previous governments’ propaganda and misinformation, their views are the product of a massively biased cultural conditioning against psychedelics.
I say, to you as a citizen and to our leaders: “come here and see for yourself”. Make up your own mind about psychedelics, but only after you have been informed by nothing less than the experience itself. Until you have had the psychedelic experience, you literally do not know what you are talking about, and would do better to remain silent on the issue. Any leader who would try LSD and still hold that it should be banned: their’s is a position I would respect.