Wow. Totally unrelated.leisuremuffin wrote: Hmmm, how about Alex Shulgin? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Shulgin His entire life's work hinges on experimenting with psychedelic drugs and he has lived to a ripe old age, is happy, and certainly doesnt seem to be a "burnout."
I don't think it logical to bring Shuglin into this as an example. While I agree that he has done tons of drugs and maintained a healthy approach to life... his life work as a psychopharmacologist should never be used as a measuring stick. Shuglin has nothing in common at all with Ritchie Hawtin and 99% of the partiers and club-goers in their approach, reasoning, and ethics of drug use. Shuglin is a complete anomally and not even close to the norm to be used in a rational discussioni of techno scene drug use.
I read his life story, as well as PIHKAL, and part of TIHKAL, as I once aspired to explore chemistry, psychology, and bio-pharma phenomena.
In the end I also learned the hard way that for me, the average techno head, Shuglin should never serve as a justification for drug use. I paid dearly for partying too hard, and no reference to science can erase that.
The root issue here is a video and an account of Hawtin's totally insane behavior. It is insane because while the lifestyle is common and hardens us to this fact: the truth is that it is never a laughing matter when someone collapses because of drug use. Many do that everyday on the streets and in the clubs of this world and don't get up again.