Wednesday June 17, 2009
My favourite book EVER is Doors of Perception by Aldous Huxley. No, I’m not a druggie at all, although all those great drug addict musicians from old times of yore were inspired by this book. Jim Morrison would apparently quote the book at length and it inspired the name, The Doors.
So Huxley takes a mescaline pill then very articulately writes about it how it opens ‘the doors of perception’ for him (he claims he’s not a very imaginative person) and he proceeds to have a shitload of epiphanies. It’s an interesting read because he delves into his thoughts on human consciousness, taking him from various religious stances on the ‘imaginative mind’ to (at times) complex neurological analysis, really trippy philosophical ponderings and his opinions in favour of drugs. He constantly brings up his theories about how a creative person’s brain might somehow replicate the process that other people might experience when they’re on mind altering substances.
It made me feel really weird when I first read it because I’ve seriously thought about many of those kinds of things that he rambles about before so I actually found it interesting. Other people I know found it really confusing and totally hated it.
Read it (it’s only 50 pages long).
Words by Margaret
Talking about "I’m Like Huxley On Mescaline"
Margaret reckons...
Did you already buy it? I forgot to mention that there’s also his other essay ‘Heaven and Hell’ that’s included in most book versions of ‘Doors of Perception’ (so it’s probably better to try and get a version that includes both). ‘Heaven and Hell’ focuses on his theory that spiritual revelation can be achieved via hallucinogens.
Zoltan reckons...
I did manage to get a copy that contained both. Oh how old Aldous loved to pontificate. He’s dense style is like a gas, you can’t move once you breath it in.
Margaret reckons...
I forgot to ask you what you what you thought about it yesterday! He is ridiculously good at justifying every single facet of his opinion, but he doesn’t make it seem like an argument.
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I’m going out to buy this book today on your reccomendation. I’ll let you know how I go.