How does the use of marijuana influence ones political beliefs? Is the answer that this influence makes someone more socially liberal. Do those of us who use the herb have a more socially tolerant view than those that don't or never have used ganja?
Most people believe that marijuana causes people to "space out", the average preconception when visualizing someone "stoned on weed" is to see that person "spacing out". So I will accept this as a premise and explore what it may represent to "space out" for me personally and perhaps others.
Please feel free to add your insights as to whether I'm on the mark of way off base with the following observation on "Spacing Out". And at the end there is is nice link to visit!
Below:
Marijuana! The image that this word brings to mind is that of a person spacing out.
What does this spacing out mean?
I have found through my personal experiences that what I am thinking about when spacing out is very focused. The focus that is involved is unlike any other I have experienced. Usually when asked, "what one is doing?", a person who is stoned will answer "spacing out", yet I find this is not an accurate description. More often than not they are thinking in-depth about something very personal if not down right strange. Spacing out is the generic term that a marijuana smoker uses to describe deep focus on a thought. What that thought is has little to do with marijuana and much to do with the individual's beliefs.
When I space out, I gain a deeper insight into what it is I'm thinking about. While thinking about how this article will turn out I can either proceed without any idea or I can take a toke from my pipe and sit back to think about it. After some little consideration I have decided to think about it.
While thinking about it I find that there really isn't much to say about spacing out when spacing out is the focus of thought. The focus that is involved makes me think of the ancient Greek Philosophers, men that sat around and thought about the world without the distractions of our modern society. Did these men space out? I don't know the answer to that but what I do know is I have had many an insight into the world when spacing out.
Spacing out on what can be accomplished by spacing out rather than just spacing out on spacing out, I find spacing out is the ability to focus on one idea to the point where even other people or no longer heard. I have found this type of focus in only one other place, religious meditation. Unlike religious meditation though, spacing out has no preconceived purpose such as, prayer for the sick or reciting a Mantra to find inner peace. The purpose that a person spacing out has is one of a spontaneous nature. I find that what I choose to surround myself with guides me when I space out. It is books like Noam Chomsky's, "Profit over People" or TV programs like, "Star Trek" or "Monty Pythons: Flying Circus" that influence my thoughts when I space out. The structure of these thoughts are as ordered and complete as the person who is thinking.
Marijuana has allowed me to get a degree in Philosophy. Because of marijuana I was able to space out on questions ranging from the nature of causality to the meaning of the word 'is'. This spacing out on such types of subjects allowed me to follow one line of thinking to a logical conclusion. Spacing out on the premise and if one has trained ones mind to be logical, thank you Mr. Spock, the conclusions fall right in place. Spacing out gives me the ability to conclude a line of thinking only given a few underlying facts. With this as my learning tool I easily passed classes that others called difficult, Metaphysics, 19th century philosophy, Phenomenology, etc... I didn't even take notes! Now I don't want you to think marijuana made me smarter than the others in my class but it did make/allow me to focus on the subjects.
So the next time you ask someone what they’re doing and they answer "spacing out," know that they were engrossed in thought. Know also that the thought was particular to them and you may never understand when you ask them to explain that thought. Know that when spacing out one is still interested in the world but interested in their thought of how what they are spacing out on influences their world, if at all.
Peace! And the link Marijuana-Uses.com
Update: Please if you feel that you may be breaking the law than don't answer in the affirmative, use one of the other options. This is in response to the troll rating on the tip jar. Sheesh, you'd think people would not be that fearful but no problems!