William James was born in 1842 and grew up in an age of rapid advancements in science and industry that promised to unveil the mysteries of the world and relieve man of his physical burdens. He studied medicine at Harvard and soon was teaching courses in physiology. However he is best known for his contributions to the study of the mind, and is considered the “Father of American psychology”. He founded the philosophical school of Pragmatism, which stated that the truth of a statement is nothing more than the usefulness to the person who believes it (a reversal of our intuitive sense). He applied the newly discovered principles of Darwinism to epistemology: the most useful ideas eventually win out. Continue reading Alcoholism: The Lie Becomes the Truth
AA: The American ISIS
Both Alcoholics Anonymous and ISIS believe that alcohol is evil and makes you do bad things. Of course, ISIS bans alcohol for that reason. But they are raging hypocrites, and their leaders engage in all the prohibited ‘evils’ including drinking, drugs, rape, and homosexuality, while forbidding those behaviors to the masses.
AA is a drinking club and blood cult of mischief with a similar dynamic. Continue reading AA: The American ISIS
SAMHSA’s New Blood Drive
Listen up children. Alcohol will make you do and say things you’ll regret. Here’s foxy dad to explain:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cn9enF9awM4
“Sorry I promised my dad I wouldn’t drink.” Wow. Talk about saying something you wish you hadn’t. Continue reading SAMHSA’s New Blood Drive
Dan Genis: Aronofsky’s Robot Zombie
In Darren Aronofsky’s Pi (1998), the young protagonist Max Cohen is a brilliant Math genius at an unspecified downtown New York City university. He discovers a 216-digit string of numbers that hinted at “The true name of God.” Max tries to unite math, computers, drug use and kabballah to uncover the secret of the universe. Like his hero Alastair Crowley, who attempted a similar feat almost a hundred years earlier, his attempt failed miserably and painfully. The film earned Aronofsky the Directing Award at Sundance and high praise from Roger Ebert.
Daniel Genis was a young and ambitious student at New York City’s elite Stuyvesant High School Continue reading Dan Genis: Aronofsky’s Robot Zombie
The Origin of Sin
We are born sinners. In fact it’s the child’s job to push boundaries and break the rules. Not everyone is born with a finely tuned moral compass, and so that’s just how we learn. Of course, it’s the parent’s job to discipline with love. The right balance is important: if the parent is too strict or cruel then the child learns that the rules are arbitrary and can be broken if no one is looking. If the parent is too lax, then the child must either learn to police himself (with guilt and shame) or will simply continue to break the rules under the assumption that this is acceptable as long as no one says anything, and unintentionally develops the art of lying, manipulation, and self-deception.
OK Seriously
I would like to apologize for denying that Simon Astaire is the Anti-Christ. I am now quite convinced that he really is.
Here are pics of Sebastian de Souza and Elliot Rodger (and their father Peter). Continue reading OK Seriously
AA’s Satanic Roots
Alastair Crowley chafed at the long and oppressive list of ‘Thou shalt nots’ in the bible, as well as the hypocrisy he saw in the church in which he followed his father who was a traveling preacher. So he dreamed up a new religion whose only law was “Do what thou wilt.” He named it Thelema and spent the rest of his life trying to justify it through a grand unified theory of science, magic, occult and drug use. He founded two churches in which to practice this religion: OTO (Order of Oriental Templars) and A∴A∴ (Argentium Astrum – Silver Star).
The primary purpose of the religion was of course to convince women to sleep with him or engage in various depraved activities and to not complain about it afterwards. Unfortunately he never achieved much success and died poor and alone, and highly reviled. Continue reading AA’s Satanic Roots
And the Lesson Today is HOW TO DIE!
Simon Astaire has his personal imprint on many high profile calamities.
Elliot Rodger and his six victims
Astaire is the family’s close personal adviser and main link to the outside world. “So many people are asking what could have led this young man to take the lives of 6 innocent people and injure 13 others. So yesterday I spoke with close family friend and author Simon Astaire who knew Elliot Rodger since he was a little boy and witnessed his parents’ struggle to raise him first hand.”
How did Simon Astaire kill Peaches Geldof?
Peaches Geldof had a long history of drug abuse and petty crimes. She married (for the second time) at the young age of 22 and was soon raising 2 children. She died of a heroin overdose at age 25, on April 7, 2014.
The following month, on May 23, Elliot Rodger went on a rampage in Santa Barbara and killed 6 people. There are some strange parallels: Continue reading How did Simon Astaire kill Peaches Geldof?
How I Learned to Let Go and Accept the Abuse
Tim’s father drank after work then went out carousing with his friends and then came home and beat his wife and kids. Tim was often beaten to a pulp and he thought that was normal. His mother was a weak woman and usually ‘out of commission’. Now Tim can see the dysfunction for what it was — he has since recovered from his own drinking problems. He has risen the ranks of the West Hollywood AA, and now with 20 years sobriety, is the Secretary of the Old Timers’ meeting. He quickly quieted the room which was filled with friends, who beamed with pride and affection for the tall, handsome man in his early 50’s, as he began his tale. Continue reading How I Learned to Let Go and Accept the Abuse
Abstinence vs Recovery
Abby is in her 50’s and small in stature, but her confidence and insouciance quickly captivated the lively crowd at today’s Old Timer’s meeting in West Hollywood. She first got sober at 22 after years of heavy drinking, during which her cravings were so strong that she had to take drugs just to remain conscious enough to consume enough alcohol to satisfy them. But still it wasn’t enough. Continue reading Abstinence vs Recovery
Aaron White, PhD Shines a Light on Alcoholic Blackouts
OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT RELEASE
In this edition of NIAAA Spectrum, NIH scientist and Addiction Guru Aaron White, PhD explains the widely disparaged and misunderstood blackout phenomenon.
Blackouts are when you do something stupid while drunk and then claim not to remember it. Continue reading Aaron White, PhD Shines a Light on Alcoholic Blackouts