I’m still fighting a mental block, I find it difficult to focus my mind on creativity. I have a friend who wrote something similar on his site the other day. Are the drugs we use as prescribed by doctors dulling our creativity. Hmm, it feels like it to me. I used to dream up stories all the time, no sweat. I’m older now, I don’t want to believe that age might also be a reason.
Most likely I think environment and experiences might be affecting how I think. More than drugs or age. Because I do know that William S. Burroughs wrote most of his best stuff on drugs, and not the prescribed ones. So many artists have “enhanced” their creativity with chemicals.
Let me be clear, I do not advocate illegal drug use, neither do I condemn it. It’s a personal choice to begin with, after that it is a lifetime struggle to manage an addiction (in some cases). I do think it is a factor in some artist’s work. Burroughs, Leary, Hendrix, Morrison, Cobain, and I’m sure tons more that I am missing. I think some of their work is amazing and definitely creative.
Cobain for one tapped into pain and angst in his lyrics and I still find them intriguing to listen too. Most of what he did in his short career will stand the test of time.
I’ve never been a part of the drug culture. Most people don’t believe me when I say I’ve never even smoked marijuana. But it’s true. Pathetic, maybe, but true. My point is, are the drugs that are deemed “safe” by my doctors affecting me in ways I don’t want them too? I’m not sure, can’t seem to find hard data on it. There are a lot of people asking the question though. I’m going to do more in-depth research I think.