the "good reads for reading fuckers" thread

Figgly Wiggly · 12-11-2013, 09:13 PM

Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the origins of knowledge by Jeremy Narby

anyone ever read this? An anthropological account of the Quirishari community of the Peruvian amazon, but really it's much more than that. Inspired by his experience with the hallucinogenic drug ayahuasca in the amazon, this nigga Narby asserts that a human mind can communicate in defocalized consciousness with the global network of DNA, and that this is the process by which the Ashaninca (people of the Quirishari community) attain their ethnopharmaceutical and botany knowledge.
(he touches down more on the concept and importance of defocalized consciousness, which is not only limited to experimentation with hallucinogens. Additionally, his research brings him to understanding the methodology of other aboriginal and indigenous societies since antiquity, in attaining their culturally signigicant knowledge, so no, we do not only get this shielded view of the Ashaninca's culture)

HIS THESIS IS NOT BACKED UP SOLELY ON HIPPY INTERPRETATION OF THE SYMBOLISM OF HALLUCINOGENIC TRANCES

Instead, he finds peculiar connections between certain mythological symbols, molecular biology, other anthropological accounts of the use of hallucinogens, linguistic constructs, sociology, and botany.

Even if you are tempted to call bullshit upon taking in this radical hypothesis and its many implications, this book is worth reading at least for the picture of social insolence it paints of our western world, in terms of accepting other cultural insights. Narby depicts western rationalism's presence in modern science as having a negative affect on its progressiveness i.e. refraining from researching the culturally taboo for fear of being discredited or shun from the community.

NARBY DOES NOT BASH SCIENCE (biology and anthropology specifically) YOU FUCKIN DICK HEAD (sorry) HE ACKNOWLEDGES ITS ADVANCEMENTS AND IMPORTANCE, HE IS MORE CONCERNED WITH THE SOCIAL ISSUES THAT HINDER ITS GROWTH AND BREADTH OF UNDERSTANDING.

sorry for paragraphs, im writing a paper on this book write now and I thought id just share it with yall. Also just wanted to see other book recommendations, preferably non-fiction, but fiction would be just fine.
Also, im obviously not expecting you to write a big overview of the book like I accidentally did (adderall got me) but a few lines would be kooooooo.

or dont reply at all :l

12-11-2013, 09:13 PM	#1
Figgly Wiggly Bam Join Date: Nov 2013 Posts: 456 Rep Power: 3636322	the "good reads for reading fuckers" thread Cosmic Serpent: DNA and the origins of knowledge by Jeremy Narby anyone ever read this? An anthropological account of the Quirishari community of the Peruvian amazon, but really it's much more than that. Inspired by his experience with the hallucinogenic drug ayahuasca in the amazon, this nigga Narby asserts that a human mind can communicate in defocalized consciousness with the global network of DNA, and that this is the process by which the Ashaninca (people of the Quirishari community) attain their ethnopharmaceutical and botany knowledge. (he touches down more on the concept and importance of defocalized consciousness, which is not only limited to experimentation with hallucinogens. Additionally, his research brings him to understanding the methodology of other aboriginal and indigenous societies since antiquity, in attaining their culturally signigicant knowledge, so no, we do not only get this shielded view of the Ashaninca's culture) HIS THESIS IS NOT BACKED UP SOLELY ON HIPPY INTERPRETATION OF THE SYMBOLISM OF HALLUCINOGENIC TRANCES Instead, he finds peculiar connections between certain mythological symbols, molecular biology, other anthropological accounts of the use of hallucinogens, linguistic constructs, sociology, and botany. Even if you are tempted to call bullshit upon taking in this radical hypothesis and its many implications, this book is worth reading at least for the picture of social insolence it paints of our western world, in terms of accepting other cultural insights. Narby depicts western rationalism's presence in modern science as having a negative affect on its progressiveness i.e. refraining from researching the culturally taboo for fear of being discredited or shun from the community. NARBY DOES NOT BASH SCIENCE (biology and anthropology specifically) YOU FUCKIN DICK HEAD (sorry) HE ACKNOWLEDGES ITS ADVANCEMENTS AND IMPORTANCE, HE IS MORE CONCERNED WITH THE SOCIAL ISSUES THAT HINDER ITS GROWTH AND BREADTH OF UNDERSTANDING. sorry for paragraphs, im writing a paper on this book write now and I thought id just share it with yall. Also just wanted to see other book recommendations, preferably non-fiction, but fiction would be just fine. Also, im obviously not expecting you to write a big overview of the book like I accidentally did (adderall got me) but a few lines would be kooooooo. or dont reply at all :l