Carlin, who remembers his 1960s self as a rebel-comedian eager to experiment with cannabis and mescaline, replied: “Where the drugs are concerned, and alcohol, they do seem to open a window for you. They do seem to broaden the vistas—at first.”
Friday, November 10, 2017
Does Smoking Pot Make You More Creative?
Carlin, who remembers his 1960s self as a rebel-comedian eager to experiment with cannabis and mescaline, replied: “Where the drugs are concerned, and alcohol, they do seem to open a window for you. They do seem to broaden the vistas—at first.”
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This is definitely a weird article to be posting on but seemingly a very interesting topic that I have wondered about myself. Judging by the article it seems as though there are two very different sides to this discussion. I wouldn’t say that smoking weed is going to make you have a better idea but I think it does force you outside of what you normally think allowing you to create interesting visualizations. Are they interesting because they are genius ideas? Probably not, they are just interesting because they are new. It is also very cool how the author of the article brings famous figures that are/ were heavy cannabis users to “get in the zone” and get various real-life perspective. At the end of the day, I am still not, nor never will be an expert on this topic, but it is still interesting to read about people’s perspectives of this drug and the positives and the negatives that come along with it. I have seen people both positively use this drug and on the flip side, completely abuse it. So it is not easy to classify it as being good or bad.
This article definitely addresses something really meta, something we don't really talk about simply because its edgy, and a bit interesting. I've always viewed smoking weed for ideas kind of pathetic, not that I have any problems with the act of smoking pot itself, it just seems a like a cop out when actually thinking of an idea. What I do wish the article focused on even more, it kind of touched on it but not enough, was the people in which marijuana equalizes their creative mind, the people who are anxious or have disorders that mellow out when they smoke pot. That seems like a very fair thing to do in a creative setting. I also wanted to answer the question that the article asks, does smoking pot make you creative? As the article points out rom interview to interview, it depends on the person, the affects can cripple you, or they can make you flourish, and though I personally wouldn't use marijuana in a creative work setting because I view the drug as sort of an escape from everyday life rather than a medicinal substance used to further ones creative mind, I perfect understand why one would want to try out a all-natural approach to creativity and innovation.
Honestly, I thought that more people would have commented on this already because it seems to be something that people, and the CMU student body are split on. I know a lot of people who feel like they can work and smoke at the same time. I don't know if its just the nature of my work because it is not super creative or if it more about who you are as a person but any time I have thought that I was going to smoke and then do some work, no work has gotten done and now I know better. The article isn't really about ability to work while high though, it's more about if being high increases your ability to create. I know a lot of people who think that it does and who smoke and work in tandem a lot, but those people tend to be ones that smoke consistently and make it a regular part of your life. I agree with both the comments above that marijuana should probably be something that is kept away from your work or your career but it is something that is very much a part of our industry so I think that even if you don't smoke while you work you have to be able to work with people who smoke and not be bothered by the fact that it will probably be around you consistently. Either way I don't think that weed makes you more creative, but I think it makes people think that they are more creative, and sometimes thats all that matters.
This is a very interesting read and a pretty important conversation and discussion that needs to take place in the process of legalizing recreational marijuana across the country. According to the neurologists, weeds do tend to boost creativity output by stimulating activities in the bran’s frontal lobe. However, like the article points out, “While smoking weed can buoy creative thought, artists probably shouldn’t rely on it to loosen bouts of creative block or inspire a brilliant new idea.” Smoking weed is just smoking. It should be legalized as marijuana has been medically proved non-toxic non-lethal and it is not more addictive than cigarettes (or alcohol). It is fine to use weeds to stimulate creativity and many have felt the boost the outflow of creative thoughts by using wees. But it is dangerous to rely on weed to produce creative work just like it’s dangerous to rely on tobacco or alcohol or any sort of simulants. Because long-term use will get your body accustomed to the usage and it requires more and more to reach that same level of “window opening”.
I’ve always been a little concerned with people who use marijuana to inspire creativity and help their creative work. I think in some ways, like Flaherty explains, smoking can help a person reach a certain level of stimulation that can enhance their creative process, however with so many different strains and so many different types of people in the world, it’s impossible to definitively say whether or not smoking weed helps with creativity. I think an interesting point made from Stoner’s interviews is the mental state of the person and how they are using the drug changes over time and due to certain life events. It’s almost how cigarettes can calm people down but also put them more on edge depending on how their feeling that day. Overall a choppy topic, I don’t think making pot illegal is going to help anyone in the long run but I don’t think making it widely and openly available is going to help everybody either.
The cry for moderation - as with everything - that permeates this article is nothing new. Even so, as marijuana is one of the most innocuous drugs one can use, the main detrimental effect stemming from using it is that it can make you unproductive, something I think most people, users and non-users alike, already knew. The thing I found most interesting and compelling about this article is the art that was included. And yet, aside from being weed-related I am not entirely convinced they underscored the articles point. Rather, they raised artistic impressions of marijuana and its use without commenting on whether or not weed use was part of the artists' process. So too, though not at the heart of the article's question, the notion of using cannabis to alleviate the stress of art making is a key one. There are several worthwhile threads that this article pulls on, though it seems to miss several chances to actually make a point.
This issue is something that I have been torn on for a long time. I thought it was very interesting to read about different artist’s perspectives on this, and how they each thought that the drug affected their work. A neuroscientist, Dr. Alice Flaherty, that the author interviewed said, “It’s not like I think creative people should never use marijuana, but I don’t think they should bet on it helping them”. I think this is the closest view expressed in this article to my own, as it think that it can be okay in moderation. Like Amanda said, throughout this article you see that most people seem to think that moderation is the key to using marijuana for creative reasons. One of the reasons I am so unsure about where I stand on this is because I’ve seen it backfire before. Many of my friends from back home started by getting high because they thought it made them better at their art, and then ultimately moved on to using much harder drugs for the same reason. For this reason I’m still apprehensive when people say it makes them more creative, but I suppose if they are able to keep it on moderation and control themselves there wouldn’t be much harm in it.
I was expecting this article to be a rant on how someone wants to be able to access pot more easily. But, this was actually very insightful and did look at a lot of different angles on pot as part of a creative process. When I found most interesting was when they broke it down to the brain science and what happens in the brain during a creative process and how a stimulant such as pot would effect it. I think their is so much history connected with creative individuals and using a stimulant along the way. I do not really have a hard opinion on it, as I think each person is so different in a creative process and how they go about it. I know some people need order and others need chaos. Is it needed? Absolutely not, but do some people want to use it to help them in their process? Sure. From a management perspective I do not want to be apart of that process except to look at the practicality.
I have thought about this topic before, and I think there really is no definitive answer. As is displayed in the article, the effect widely varies depending on the individual in question and the context of their use of the drug. In a general sense, marijuana may indeed open up new creative "vistas" or inspire new ideas, but the frequency of the drug use and its role and impact on the user's life are also important factors to consider. Personally, as someone who often struggles with time management and organization, I find I make better art when my work ethic and mind are clear and focused, which pot hinders more than helps. However, I can see the value in it for people who are naturally highly focused or who struggle with anxiety and other related conditions that pot usage may help level out.
Well I’ve finally gotten around to giving my two-cents on this hot button topic. To be quite honest, I have always seen finding inspiration and creativity as a very personal venture, simply because, in order for it to be authentic and genuine, it is something that you have to come to completely on your own. I think that however one pursues that process is a completely personal decision, and that places it in a judgment-free zone. If it is something that you feel helps you, then, whether or not it can be scientifically proven or whatever, doesn’t really matter because at least it is getting you in the right vibe for you to go into that part of your mind. Regardless of that, it is always important for the user to be aware of the principles of awareness and moderation to ensure their own safety and health.
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