Patri's Peripatetic Peregrinations

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Trepanation

Aug. 27th, 2004 at 1:58 PM

Interview with someone who cut a hole in their skull to raise their consciousness.

Mood: sleepy
Music:Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Happy Hardcore Mix)

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radiantsun wrote:

Aug. 27th, 2004 03:56 pm (UTC)

So, I read almost the entire first half. And aside from the guy got a hole drilled in his head, I'm not sure he's a clear thinker:

That night I was fairly blissed and weirded out, glad to be alive and well, and out of the hospital. My major fear, even more so than a mistake happening, was that I might have to rush to the hospital and they might’ve committed me if I told them how the hole got there.

But why say out of the hospital? I'm assuming he means not having to have been admited too the hospital, btu the way he says it seems awkward. He's probably an SF ;)

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audaibnjad wrote:

Aug. 27th, 2004 04:08 pm (UTC)

I'm not sure this is a good idea....

But then again, someone who'd drill a hole through their skull in a friend's basement may have no option but to raise their consciousness from where they started.

Perhaps I shouldn't be so harsh. But I'd need to see a bit more evidence to believe that it has any benefits for normal folk.

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patrissimo wrote:

Aug. 27th, 2004 04:15 pm (UTC)

yeah

I liked his argument that "The people who argued for it had intelligent reasons, those who argued against it just said it was crazy". But I am still very skeptical. There are other ways to increase blood flow to the brain (vinpocetine, piracetam...), and I would not want to risk the structural integrity of the armor protecting my most important organ.

But I don't see anything unbelievable about the idea that it could increase blood flow and make people smarter or feel high...I just question whether its worth the risks involved.

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iron_sky wrote:

Aug. 27th, 2004 04:28 pm (UTC)

Re: yeah

I liked that argument, too, though I suspect that all of those intelligent arguments were based on theory and not direct evidence. Perhaps some of the scientific wishful thinking you've mentioned?

And it's not like the medical community doesn't accept some pretty crazy procedures, like growing a replacement jaw in one's back. Just saw that one today :)

Also, for anyone who didn't read to the end, the guy eventually says that none of the effects were lasting, and he believes that even the short-term effects were placebo and had no physiological basis.

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its_just_me wrote:

Aug. 27th, 2004 06:19 pm (UTC)

The whole idea is intriguing. I think I'm with you on this one though. Other methods may prove to me more effective at acheiving the same reulsts. Unfortunately there isn't any (known) info on a person or preferably a group of people who have tried altenate methods followed by the surgical procedure.

Also, what is the end result as far as happiness goes?

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patrissimo wrote:

Aug. 27th, 2004 08:06 pm (UTC)

happiness

scroll towards the end of the interview, and the guy says he's not sure it did anything at all.

The advantage of drugs instead of surgery is that you can choose when to do them, and stop taking them if you don't like the results. I'd have to be very, very sure to make such a permanent change in an important area.

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its_just_me wrote:

Aug. 28th, 2004 05:42 am (UTC)

Re: happiness

Total agreement with you. Personally I have found simple meditation to be quite (although temporary) expanding at times.

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fuzzymouse wrote:

Aug. 27th, 2004 09:49 pm (UTC)

I'm not too easily grossed out. But wow, that one really made me squirm. I would have a tough time drilling a hole in my friend's head. It's probably for the best that I didn't go to med school.

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iainuki wrote:

Sep. 1st, 2004 08:49 pm (UTC)

The thing that struck me about the narrative was the interviewee's reference to quitting marijuana shortly before trepanning himself. While he mentions some of the early effects as possibly from quitting marijuana, I'd be inclined to attribute more, and it certainly complicates the question of whether the impact was real or not.

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