We all exist in an ocean of energies, of waves flowing through us at different frequencies. This is certainly literally true (contemplate how many radio waves are floating in front of your eyes at this moment; or neutrinos passing through the earth; or Earth’s magnetic field encompassing you; or “gravity”, whatever the hell that really is), but there are cultural waves too.
Most of the hard core drugs addictions, like heroin, are happening in industrially advanced nations. So, at any rate, it seems to me. Can we not postulate that in the process of putting 1,000 channels on the TV, far too many of us have found ourselves on a frequency of one? Can we not speculate that Russell Brand at least WAS on a frequency of one when he was doing drugs, that they made all the other frequencies appear in a rainbow before he drifted off?
In my considered view, the success of 12 step programs lie in two principle perceptual movements their system facilitates. First: you are not alone. There are a lot of people out there JUST LIKE YOU. As the Police sang, there are a hundred billion bottles. And it is not just addiction you share with them, although that plainly int itself creates a bond that cannot be shared with all. It is in some respects a view of life, that life as we have to live it is broken somehow. It is bad enough that it is broken, but worse that we have to lie about it, to ourselves and others.
And then there is the idea that you can’t do it yourself. You have to collapse, disappear, qualitatively reorganize based on the idea of a simultaneous destruction of your self destructive self, and your reconstruction as someone now living within a web of meaning and support that goes beyond the mere human. You can rest without drugs or alcohol.
To this I would finally add that culturally we need insanity to be sane. We need periodic breaks from deadlines and coffee breaks, and relentless greed and striving; and I don’t just mean vacations. My own experience is that vacations, once you sort out the logistics and spend your money, are not always that recuperative, and in this country at least, the one week vacations we get stuck with really don’t do more than titillate us. Still, I think Germans and other Europeans with much more generous breaks find many of the same problems.
No, I mean some version of dancing around the tribal campfire and letting spontaneous elements of yourself come out in a setting where you feel welcome, among friends. This is what the hippies tried to contribute, but their failing was that what they effectively proposed was dichotomous: you were either one of them, or a suit.
Plainly, plenty of suits smoke pot and go to Dead shows. This is not what I mean. What I mean is that their proposals never stood any real chance of getting integrated into mainstream culture, and not just because of social conservatism, but also because of the countless casualties of that lifestyle. Many, many people went mad. Many more became relentlessly self absorbed and narcissistic, talking about Love, but really in love with the idea of themselves talking about love.
[pretend there is a segue here]
These problems have solutions. I cannot emphasize this enough.
I will add, actually, one of my favorite lines from any movie, from “Battle: Los Angeles”: “Marines don’t quit.” Simple. Nothing fancy. But there is a profound spiritual depth in persistence, in my view.
We must persist. We must assume that good will see its day, will win the final victory, that happiness and general prosperity can be achieved. Or we die trying. These are the choices for those with eyes that see and hearts which see.