On one hand, his content feed was filled with news about 5G trials; the ‘metaverse’ led by Epic Games; companies raising millions of dollars for being valued at billions; stock market updates (where share prices reflect the ‘future’) and its disconnect from the real economy (where its about the ‘present’); cryptocurrencies and so on; while on the other his content feed also included deaths, bombings, violence and the worst crimes imaginable. As he looked about towards his immediate social circle, the discussion were more or less about getting vaccinated as fast as possible; debating about which football club or player would shine; future plans and prospects about studying further; memes and so on.
He felt as if he were inhabiting multiple worlds. Each with their own sets of actors and communities.
He had woken up at the crack of dawn to find that a friend of his had sent him a link that showed the corruption inherent in high public offices of the western nations, mostly led by pharmaceutical and fossil fuel extraction companies. While not surprised in particular, he wondered vaguely whether any nation in the world was indeed ‘free’ from so called corruption and power politics. After all, only honourable men and women refuse to succumb to money and power. A majority do, and indeed must bend to money and power. For its not about ‘honour’ per se; its about needs, wants and desires and who would refuse to bend to money and power for pleasures and high positions? A very small minority. And even they, at some point of time in their lives, would have had to compromise while promising their honourable selves that its time to shine would come. For some, this time never comes.
He had largely stopped using Instagram over the past month because he felt as if his mind were becoming shallow; simply jumping from one piece of information to the next without any depth or context whatsoever. He wanted to expand his mind, not literally of course, but laterally in scope and object. For instance, he wanted to understand the what, why, how, where and when of everything around, and for that he found good, old-fashioned books were the best for him. It gave him a sense of calm like no other; provided of course he eliminated all possible distractions before sitting down with one. He did not feel like reading fiction anymore, completely upturning his school and college self. It was non-fiction now all the way; led by capitalism, psychedelics, foreign affairs, history and so on. He did find time to read about cannabis and football; his favourite topics after politics.
He was glad that MDMA based medicine had passed its phase 3 clinical trial for PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder) with spectacular results; in the United States. A progressive move, if there was ever one. He wished that the general public, in the coming years would open their eyes about psychedelics led by medical cannabis as a way to treat their health issues; possible led by the younger generations who could ensure that their usage of plant based substances and healthy lifestyles would offset the chronic disease burden caused by modern lifestyles and synthetic medications on the Boomers and Early Generation Y. On one hand, plant-based medicines still suffer from the perception of being sub-standard, however this perception, if one things about it, is mostly a matter of perception clouded by mental forces more than anything. The young at heart and spirit can have none of it. Its the powers that be, the decision makers who tend to make calls and decide for millions; and they too should open their hearts and use medicinal cannabis or MDMA or magic mushrooms for their own ailments before making this call. That would be the best way. It won’t happen though, the scenario is too idealistic.
The masses that be, were being lied to their faces, and yet magically, it was not apparent; neither was it acknowledged. Such is this delicate interplay of words. The masses that be, busy in their daily lives do not know what is right and what is wrong. Such is the game of information, overloaded in their faces again and again, a mess of confusion and nothing else. The masses that be, do as they are told, held to be oppressed into submission denting their own free will and liberty, the basic principle taken for granted by many in the so called first world. Such is the nature of the world, and such has always been the nature of this world. Its as if, numbed and blinded by atrocities and stories of progress all around; you either choose your world and stick to it; or inhabit multiple worlds at a time and judge everyone. For the time being, he had chosen the latter.
Marijuana Maharaj 