Merry Pranksters

n-Track Studio Discussion Forum
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Recently read about them

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Last week I had problems with my Internet connection so I decided to read a book I thought was good. It was very good indeed: Tom Wolfe’s The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test.

Now I’m really fascinated by the “work” of Ken Kesey and The Merry Pranksters. I wasn’t even born when it all happened but I’m curious.

Any of you were there? Any memories that can be shared?

Peace,
Loauc.

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I was but I was young. It was a cool but crazy time. I/we only copied what they were trying to do. Read books about the Grateful Dead also, i.e., Rolling Stone interview w/ Jerry Garcia, etc.

Read “On the Road” & “Dharma Bums” by Jack Kerouac. Read Tim Leary’s books too.

Turn on, tune in & drop out :p :O :laugh:

Mike

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Dharma Buns already read. Since then I’m seriously thinking about moving to California.

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"I saw the best minds of my generation destroyed by madness."

The pranksters were counter-cultural when that was still meaningful. Today it’d just be silly and irrelevant. And destructive - no need to romanticize the effects of drug use! Anyway, such counter-cultural protest is no longer possible. In the great words of the Baffler: Commodify your dissent! :D

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“The Doors of Perception” by Huxley is also a very good book about the effects of Mescaline. I don’t think substances that cause hallucinating effects should be classed as drugs in same way as opiate type drugs. Anyone with experience will no they are not the same.

Guy

Don’t forget to read the appendix of the “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test” book to find out that most of the Pranksters died young. A big lesson in the detrimental effects of over indulgence.

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Here’s a good link

http://www.intrepidtrips.com/

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Quote (loauc @ Oct. 05 2004,00:13)
Dharma Buns already read. Since then I'm seriously thinking about moving to California.

The California you read about doesn't exist anymore, sorry to say...other than in the memories of a lot of folks out there. You should go, though, I did. Three times! :D

A book detailing the darker side of the times is Keroac's 'Big Sur', I read it when I was living in the area. By the way, Big Sur is one of the most beautiful places on earth--as well as one of the most "Cosmic" :p

....Ah, skinny-dipping at Esalen under a full moon...

Peace,
-Ed
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The California you read about doesn't exist anymore, sorry to say...other than in the memories of a lot of folks out there.
Ed's dead on here. I moved to So. CA 6 years ago & it's actually very conservative here (in a bad way). We've got a movie star/body builder as the governator & it s*cks IMO.
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Well, opiates or hallucinogenics, they all scare me. :)

What seemed most valuable to me about the pranksters was the cultural critique they put into action. I still say there is no way to do anything like that today. Impossible to be as startling in such a constructive way - actually it’s impossible to be startling in even a destructive way, IMHO.

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Well, opiates or hallucinogenics, they all scare me.
Are you serious Tom? Back in my days, these were the drug desure!
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Drug du jour perhaps???

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Thanks Clark!

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that’s what I am here for! wait, what am I here for?

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Good question! :laugh:

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fair and balanced spell checking?

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Quote (TomS @ Oct. 05 2004,12:10)
Well, opiates or hallucinogenics, they all scare me.

As they should scare ANY reasonable person. Drugs, excessive alcohol consumption etc... ANYTHING that alters ones ability to THINK CLEARLY is SCARY! Much to my wifes dismay, I include excessive emotionalism in the same category. She HATES when she thinks I should be PO'd about something and I don't let it get to me. Life's too short.....

TG
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If you can remember the 60's, you weren't there :p :O :laugh:
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Quote (MidnightToker @ Oct. 05 2004,12:23)
Well, opiates or hallucinogenics, they all scare me.

Are you serious Tom? Back in my days, these were the drug desure!
I know you are kidding Mike! :)

What did anyone know back then? These days we know better.
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Kidding about what? I was assuming that you were kidding ???