Psytrance & Humanity

[psylophyta]

It just occurred to me that the flourishing of psytrance in Israel in the '90s kind of coincided with the escalation of the US violence in the Arabic countries. Has anyone else noticed that? And notwithstanding the situation, few, if any, Israeli tracks seemed to address what seems to me and many other people an injustice. Moreover, the popularity of that Astral Projection track with a stupid Bible quote re: creationism has always buffled me. Then it only got worse, with gun-brandishing Skazi, Infected Mushroom, etc. and really ugly track titles and album covers by the latter, that seemed to undermine the very humanity of the people listening to this genre. (The claim to Infected Mushroom's outstanding contributions to the scene, which seems to be a very popular idea, is something I don't quite understand, either.)

 

In general, I think that although some psytrance tracks seem to promote a more enlightened view of the world, the scene overall is largely hedonistically & narcissistically oriented. Any thoughts?

[Padmapani]

any party culture is going to be primarily hedonistic.

still, it seems that the scene in europe and america (where it exists) has stayed truest to the original "hippie" values, which have been lost for a big part of the scene in areas where psy has reached (for us) unthinkable popularity. after all, if you try to make a top 40s hit which the majority of the people should listen to, you'd better have the image of a "cool guy" and make something that's easy listening instead of expressing your last acid trip by making an ornate psychedelic masterpiece.

[psylophyta]

any party culture is going to be primarily hedonistic.

That's an interesting idea, thanks.

 

Still, what comes to mind is the original hippie scene, or perhaps folk music scene, which seemed to combine political activism with parties.

 

After all, if you are into consciousness expansion, a little bit of social/political awareness would not be out of place, would it?

 

I am not saying that one should become a radical - that, in my opinion, is often counterproductive, but if even a little bit of the energy generated at parties were channeled into some social issue, that, in my opinion, would be a lot.

 

Of course, I know about some of the green-living attempts, etc. That's a good thing, too.

 

Perhaps, some kind of ecovillage with psy parties held on the property would be a great thing.

[Padmapani]

you mean like what they're trying to do over at the grounds of sun festival (and a few others in europe)? though they are a bit of an unorganised lot so i cannot say how much of what they try to achieve is really being done

 

but as far as i can tell, apart from the green/eco/local/sustanable stuff there isn't much getting done as far as i know...

 

 

the thing that seperates us from the hippies back then is probably that a bigger percantage of people lead completely normal lives when they're not partying and that a bigger percantage of the "hardcore" psyheads fall for esoteric new-age bullshit compared to back (at least that's what the old hippies i know say). you don't tackle social issues by eating mushrooms and listening to terrance mckenna.

[Starkraver]

you don't tackle social issues by eating mushrooms and listening to terrance mckenna.

Very rightly said.

[psylophyta]

Very rightly said.

Disagree.

[the goa constrictor]

wait, what?

America is to blame for Infected Mushroom and Skazi?

 

You're losing it

[Rotwang]

wait, what?

America is to blame for Infected Mushroom and Skazi?

Not sure how you got that from anyone's post?

[Imba]

Not sure how you got that from anyone's post?

 

 

Classic ISIS propaganda.

[Starkraver]

Disagree.

Ok.

Different Preferences.

One can choose to sit on a mountain top and dip some infected mushrooms in honey and listen to whomsoever you want to and contemplate criticise the social evils just to come down from the trip and go back into it OR you complement thoughts with actions and actively participate in ending social evils/ irrational customs etc etc.

 

I think that's what Padmapani meant. And I agree to that.

[the goa constrictor]

Not sure how you got that from anyone's post?

 

Really?

 

It just occurred to me that the flourishing of psytrance in Israel in the '90s kind of coincided with the escalation of the US violence in the Arabic countries. Has anyone else noticed that?

[recursion loop]

you don't tackle social issues by eating mushrooms and listening to terrance mckenna.

If some people who appear on TV every day were eating mushrooms and listening to Terence McKenna instead of doing what they do many social issues would be effectively tackled

[Starkraver]

If some people who appear on TV every day were eating mushrooms and listening to Terence McKenna instead of doing what they do many social issues would be effectively tackled

I do understand this. The irrational idiotic paid media angle but again they are just the commenters NOT the issue itself and if you are advocating distribution of mushrooms and music to the last of the masses. Then you are very ambitious (jk!) that's not a solution.

[Starkraver]

Disagree.

 

Right now there is a sick bastard roaming the streets stabbing puppies and street dogs for some sick demented reasons. over a dozen dogs have disappeared, today morning 3 puppies were found stabbed to death. Given a chance, you want to eat mushrooms and listen to TM on such social issues(animal abuse) while the sick retard continues on his killing spree?

[Padmapani]

I think that's what Padmapani meant.

yup.

 

 

in addition to that i also feel that there's a tendency in the psy scene to live in your own little fantasy world a little. not only in a way that criticism is ignored or omitted to preserve "shantiness" but also in a way that people just endure the hardships of everyday life and flee to fantasy land (psy party/festival) every now and then instead of trying to make a real change.

 

when compared with the freetekno scene (where drugs (including psychedelics) are much more prevalent and people are generally a bit younger, poorer and with less education — least over here), involvement in social issues seems to be lacking on the psy side (even though the psy heads would have a clearer mind and more means to make a difference). this is imho probably due to our focus on new-age stuff while they have a strong anarchist/diy culture. where we have decoration with shiva, elves and gnomes, they have posters with demands, messages to society and (admittedly lots of) checkerboard patterns with spirals. then again, i would not exchange the happy fantasy land that is a psy festival for the lawless utopia of a teknival that turns into a dystopia within a few days when people (due to a lack of proper installations) turn the camping grounds, parking grounds and even the dancefloor into a huge public toilet including the corresponding smell.