h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Your point about becoming Straigh Edge because you already act in this particular manner is a good one.

But as for 'rules': I don't think people need to be extreme about them. For instance I have smoked on two occasions in my life and perhaps I will again. But I am sure that I will never do it as a habit. When it is done as a habit it is always unhealthy, not to mention pointless. And the same with drinking - I may drink again, but never as a habit, and only for a specific reason. Taking drugs: I may try some drugs, but I will do it only once. I only want to know what it is like. Before I even try I will have to be certain that I will not be tempted to try them again. I will need to know exactly what I'm using and in what way it works. After one try I can think back and remember what it was like if I ever need to feel that particular way again. But I don't want to risk an addiction. I know that I am prone to addictions, so I don't want to take chances. If I never try out any illegal drugs in my life I don't believe I'll be missing anything really important.

One guy I was in school with used to hang out with the crowd of guys who were smoking and drinking. He never did it though. When asked why he didn't even try it once he said, "I'm afraid I might like it." That made quite an impression on me. And it is a good point. If I really like smoking, drinking or drug use then I might want to do it more often than would be good for me.

But also I know there are alternative ways to get results similar to drug use. All 'mood-altering' drugs work by acting in ways similar to chemicals your body manufactures and releases on its own. The kind of effects people are after are feelings of euphoria and intense pleasure. Well a person can cultivate the ability to produce euphoria and intense pleasure at will, merely through mental discipline, whenever needed, and with no risk whatsoever because the chemicals are merely those that are already present in your body. You're just using them a bit more effectively.

I have been experimenting with altering my own moods through self-controlled exercises. The results to me appear very similar to what drug-users report. If I ever try an illegal drug it will be mostly so that I can confirm that the experience is just about the same as what I'm already used to. I'm pretty sure that it will be the case. I have been able to produce euphoria of world-shattering intensity. When at the peak of the most intense highs I feel like the Big Bang is exploding outwards from myself, my identity disappears, all sense of having a body vanishes, the flow of time grinds to a halt, my thoughts and feelings all blend into an all-encompassing fire burning with the power of a billion suns, all existence becomes pure infinite Bliss and Love. When I come down from this high I feel incredibly alive, positive, powerful, able to do anything. Like I said, this I can do without any external chemical aids. But I don't want to do it too often. Even though it is natural, it's strong medecine. But the good thing is your body will not let you do it too often.

I can also produce different degrees and kinds of positive feelings, as well as hallucinations and visions like those reported from LSD and DMT. But again this is not something I want to do too often. The thing is, life is full of unpleasant experiences and moods, but that is natural - you have been made to respond in that way to particular situations because it is the best way to respond to those situations. It is best to just accept unpleasantness and/or do something to make things better. I don't want to be happy all the time. Then I'll be out of touch with reality.

I guess you can see that my experiences and beliefs are rather in line with the idea of not using crutches when you don't need them.