Food of the Gods

The Search for the Original Tree of Knowledge : A Radical History of Plants, Drugs, and Human Evolution

De: Terence McKenna

Narrado por: Jeffrey Kafer

Terence McKenna hypothesizes that as the North African jungles receded, giving way to savannas and grasslands near the end of the most recent ice age, a branch of our arboreal primate ancestors left the forest canopy and began living in the open areas beyond. There they experimented with new varieties of foods as they adapted, physically and mentally, to the environment. Among the new foods found in this environment were psilocybin-containing mushrooms growing near dung of ungulate herds occupying the savannas and grasslands.

Referencing the research of Roland L. Fisher, McKenna claims the enhancement of visual acuity was an effect of psilocybin at low doses and suggests this would confer adaptive advantage. He argues that the effects of slightly larger doses, including sexual arousal, and in larger doses, ecstatic hallucinations & glossolalia - gave selective evolutionary advantages to members of those tribes who partook of it. There were many changes caused by the introduction of this psychoactive to primate diets. He hypothesizes, for instance, that synesthesia (the blurring of sensory boundaries) caused by psilocybin led to the development of spoken language: the ability to form pictures in another person's mind through the use of vocal sounds.

About 12,000 years ago, further climate changes removed psilocybin-containing mushrooms from human diets. He argues that this event resulted in a new set of profound changes in our species as we reverted to the previous brutal primate social structures that had been modified and/or repressed by frequent consumption of psilocybin.

©1992 Terrence McKenna (P)2012 Tantor

Reseñas de la Crítica

"Deserves to be a modern classic on mind-altering drugs and hallucinogens." ( The Washington Post)

2nd listen

it's been a year-and-a-half or so since I first read or listen to this book and have to say I learned so much more the second time around

Truth

This book is a must read not only for those interested in psychedelic therapy but for most of humanity.

very informative

well researched and very helpful information about lost information. highly recommend anyone reading it there lots to take away from it.

Wonderfully informative and challenging!

Breathtaking survey of human partnership with consciousness-expanding plants throughout history, as well as a fierce rebuke of the dominator society we currently live in and the various substances that support and reinforce its destructive values and behaviors. A clarion call to return to ourselves, to dissolve ego, to seek partnership with nature and with one another. Brilliant!

A Must Read For the 21st century

really excellent arguments all the through ... could not stop listening ...

writing this quick review and going to restart

Very enlightening

this is a fantastic listen to get a much deeper and meaningful understanding of Psycadelics and drugs history and learn without the brainwashed lessons pushed by most others

life changing

put words to the joy and turmoil living within an eden that is being consumed

fantastic

really good. just listen to it already. it's sorta commonplace nowadays but positive thinking is forward movement

Necessary and worth it

Even if you don't agree with the author's conclusions it is a perspective very worth listening to. Also a very pleasant listen as the writing is good and the narrator has an alert yet soothing voice.

answer to world peace

1. tax religion
2. remove all grocery stores

people will stop believing in talking snakes and magic.

people won't have enough time to gate because they will soon find out that they would without others making food for them