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WHY SCIENCE IS MAKING LIFE BORING...


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I’m sorry to say it, but scrolling through this category makes me a little ashamed of being a teenager.

By the looks of things, most of us are intent on gabbling on about the news that (shock-horror) smoking, drinking and drugs can shorten your life-span. As if we haven’t been told enough already. Now, I’m not advocating a life that revolves around the next fix, cig, or flagon - but let’s at least enjoy ourselves. Without these three deadly sins, where would we be?

Where would art, music and our beloved literature be without drugs? How could the artist, musician or novelist survive without the odd hasty cigarette clenched between their troubled lips? Where would the weekends of stumbling, spewing and stupidity be without the litres of white cider and mysterious mixed spirits?

If we are all as clever as we would like to think, why is it that we still torture our bodies with these fatal excesses?

The answer is fun - doing stuff for the pure hell of it - it’s supposed to be what we (teenagers) live for. Now is the time to feast on rebellion, however petty, and believe ourselves to be invincible. So why waste it preaching to the unconvertible, when there’s plenty of sensible heads on aging shoulders to do that for us?

Let’s stop patronising each other, and just enjoy surviving. After all, good health is merely the slowest rate at which we can die!



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This article has 250 comments. Post your own!

wishingtheskywasbluerThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Apr. 19 at 11:20 pm:
really interesting point of view. i don't agree, but good article:)
 
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samwhoam said...
Feb. 18 at 4:49 am:
Good thought, I do think that "substance" use is a pivotal part of life, and the experiences and stupors engaged in are essential. There are many different ways of learning. Of course everything in moderation plays its part also, and you made that evident.
 
BlueRainThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Feb. 25 at 6:50 pm :
That is an argument I've heard many times, but I still think it's pretty ridiculous. Humans, or every living thing in general, tests things that they know little or nothing about, because they are curious as to whether it will benefit them or harm them. "Experimentation" is to gain this information.

Now, it is a commonly accepted fact that if you touch fire, it will make you uncomfortable and cause pain if not seriously burning you.  We all know this, and though little kids touch... (more »)
 
samwhoam replied...
Feb. 26 at 2:19 pm :

Ah yes, we ignorant and naive people brutalize ourselves with alcohol and pot, becoming addicted to this way of life and promting and follow so called "bad people."

What a very informed and well backed opinion.

Most people that drink and engage in stimulants are not addicts, and lead very normal, "good" lives. Partaking in revelry of this sort does not damn you, only excessive behavior will "ruin" your life. That is with anything though, including working, athletics, or any tim... (more »)

 
BlueRainThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Feb. 28 at 3:01 pm :
Since I don't believe in hell, I don't believe in being damned, and even if I did, I don't think alcohol would do it anways. I'm just saying that I'm not going to look up to a person who does drugs, and I don't want to be around people who smoke especially. Forget the influence, it's dangerous to your health.

When I say "bad people" and "good people" I don't mean that people who don't do drugs are angels and people who do drugs are murderers. I mean that I'd rather follow someone who ... (more »)
 
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Just.Because. said...
Feb. 12 at 10:35 pm:
Welllll...this is a really interesting perspective...Personally, I do not believe in drinking/smoking/etc. I do believe that we should live our lives as much as we can, though. "Carpe Diem" is a phrase that I live by. I think life is alot more fun and interesting when you take risks with a clear head. All that smoke and substance clogs your brain and makes everything all fuzzy...but "to each his own..."
 
BlueRainThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Feb. 25 at 6:52 pm :
As good as alcohol makes you feel when you drink it, you end up wasting hours for all the crap it did to your body to pass. I'm sure there's more forefilling ways to ecstasy.
 
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SometimeRisktaker32 said...
Nov. 10, 2011 at 10:02 pm:
I get where ur coming from EoinC, but I agree w/ TheAdvocate...u have to be responsible with ur body. I mean, I'm all 4 living life on the edge and stuff...but I'd like to b clear headed while doing it. Drugs inhibit ur judgement and ability to think...I'd rather go bungee jumping in Africa off Victoria falls than waste my time smoking... Does bungee jumping sound like a "conservative" activity to you? lol
 
RealisticWomanThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Jan. 27 at 5:44 pm :
I agree with you about being clean and all. But where did the conservative thing come from? I'd also like to mention that if you would bungee jump in Africa instead of smoking or drinking, I'm sure it would cost a lot lest yearly than either of those activties.
 
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EoinCThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Nov. 10, 2011 at 11:06 am:
It's about time somebody took this take on the matter... Well done :) Breath of fresh air.
 
BlueRainThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Jan. 5 at 5:16 pm :
Ironic comment, considering it's about smoking.
 
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Scoobydoo said...
Sept. 17, 2011 at 7:53 am:

Yikes. (First of all, doing stuff for the "h***" of it is absolutely not a good reason) ... yes, artists and dramatists(etc.) who were also addicted to crack, opium, were alcoholics...well, if you look at their personal lives(apart from their amazing art), they were often wrecks.

p.s. Coke and alcohol don't make wonderful art. The person's talent does, and they probably dumbed themselves down from what --even more-- amazing artists they could have been.

 

 
RealisticWomanThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Jan. 27 at 5:47 pm :
I agree with you too. Artists probably have a lot of things wrong with their life and are able to paint their sorrows or joys with the talent of practiced hands. The drugs and alcohol do nothing to enhance their works. They do that to supress their depressions.
 
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ambnycThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Aug. 19, 2011 at 10:39 pm:
I agree with this. While I am not a fan of drugs or drinking, the occasional drinking-at-a-party doesn't hurt. I like to be young, have fun with my friends, all that. :)
 
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emolover95This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Aug. 8, 2011 at 3:29 pm:
I do not agree with this. Yes, we should live our lives to the fullest. I honestly believe that the activities described in your article would be living life to its fullest. Drugs tear lives apart. I've seen it happen in my own life, why would I endorse drugs? They are terrible! Nothing about them are wholesome or fun. Addiction is not living life to its fullest. It's making you a slave, you are no longer free, because you are a slave to your own addiction. I like how you started it out.
 
ambnycThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Aug. 19, 2011 at 10:37 pm :
He's not endorsing addiction. Makes that pretty clear in the article.
 
BlueRainThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Jan. 5 at 5:18 pm :
Drugs don't make you live your life to the fullest. All they do is make you waste a huge chunk of time if you're caught driving under the influence, along with all the other accidents you can cause that can seriously injure or kill people. There is no good side to drugs except temporary relief for the drugged, and you usually regret it anyways.
 
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TheAdvocate said...
Jul. 11, 2011 at 1:37 pm:
well I believe people should "live their lives to the fullest" as the next dude, but honestly drugs and drinking do NOT make life anymore fun. They lead to accidents, death, overdoses, depression and diseases. And sure, there are people who live full, happy lives while doing drugs, but how do you know that you'll be one of them? Drugs don't discriminate, and neither do diseases like cancer. There are alot of people who would kill to have a healthy body-don't taint one if you have one! Alittle fu... (more »)
 
EoinCThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Nov. 10, 2011 at 11:09 am :
So you'll have a nice conservative life, follow the rules, don't take any chances, generally acting responsibly... Then BOOM, it's over. That's it. I think that's what he was trying to get across in his article. 
 
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Thoreau420 said...
Jun. 23, 2011 at 6:54 pm:
I agree, mostly. We're not invincible, but yes, we should live, we should act for the hell of it. We should live life to the fullest, experience everything possible. 
 
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Lilliterra said...
Jun. 21, 2011 at 6:40 pm:

where would we be without these three? Somewhere better than we are!

Where would art, music, and literature be? Why the exact same place, or close to it. No good art or writing has ever come out of drugs or drinking...

Where would artists be without this stuff? Better off than where they are! If they are troubled, they need to find a SOLUTION, not a narcotic.

I don't know about you but I want to get rid of weekends of "stumbling, spewing, and stupidity".

Your next ... (more »)

 
Thoreau420 replied...
Jun. 23, 2011 at 6:51 pm :
"Where would art and music be without drugs" Highly modified. I'm assuming you've heard of someone called Stephen King? Big stoner, quoted to sanction marijuana legalization. He's just one, there have got to be countless artists and musicians: sublime, cypress hill, even George Washington and Thomas Jefferson grew marijuana on their farms and were quoted to enjoy smoking it. Drugs like marijuana gives people a new outlook on their world and life, a reality check, a new perspective. It's inspired... (more »)
 
SilverSurfer replied...
Jul. 11, 2011 at 1:42 pm :
Don't you think it would be cool to try to become a legend w/out drugs? And for every artist who did drugs, there is one who didn't.
 
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Scoobydoo said...
May 25, 2011 at 9:04 am:

(This was in reply to a comment below)

Should we acclaim Al Capone for adding an element to Chicago culture/society?

Or what about the family life of these drugged artists/musicians? Obviously there was something troubling them...why else would they drown themselves in drugs and alcohol. Yes, they were still able to produce many amazing works of art/music, but gracious...drugs do nothing but dumb you down and space you out. Seriously. Real artists are ones who need NOTHING... (more »)

 
Scoobydoo replied...
May 25, 2011 at 9:04 am :
Oops...for some reason my comp is doubling everything I say. :/ It will probaly do it to this too...
 
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InvisibleNerdGirl said...
May 8, 2011 at 6:24 pm:
Actually, I think I'd do okay without an odd hasty cigarette clenched between my troubled lips. But to each his own. :)
 
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HammiThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
May 8, 2011 at 1:52 pm:
you are sooo right
 
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XenonGThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Apr. 24, 2011 at 9:02 pm:
YES!! PLEASE, people, stop over anlyzing your life and just live it!
 
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x803xKillerThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Apr. 16, 2011 at 8:52 pm:
I love this article and I think you are so right. Whether its right or wrong I'll even say, that I do alot of stuff like I "Shouldn't" but for me its most of what makes life good. I'm very glad you posted this, and I'm glad others think that it isn't completely horible to do those things. I really admire you for writting this.
 
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DreamboatThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Mar. 30, 2011 at 2:33 pm:

Yea, I agree with K.a.t.h.l.e.e.n.  this has nothing to do with science.

 

 
K.a.t.h.l.e.e.n. replied...
Apr. 5, 2011 at 7:42 pm :
thanks! :)
 
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WrItEr2010 said...
Mar. 25, 2011 at 6:24 pm:
my mother is a novelist and she does not smoke or do drugs or drink alcohol. 
 
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K.a.t.h.l.e.e.n. said...
Mar. 25, 2011 at 2:42 pm:
I think a better titile for your article would be "Common Sense Takes the Fun Out of Life." It is not just science that tells us not to destroy ourselves, but common sense, of which you seem to be lacking...
 
TheCreepyNeighborThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Apr. 10, 2011 at 10:12 pm :

Well that was a bit harsh. She's right, basically she is saying live your life to the fullest instead of worrying about everything.

Maybe you won't do it with dru.gs, but live it up without over analyzing.

 
Scoobydoo replied...
May 25, 2011 at 8:57 am :
Right on, Kathleen. :/
 
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a.singlenoteThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Mar. 2, 2011 at 10:29 pm:
Great article!! Much peace and love, man!
 
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SassyJonesThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Feb. 20, 2011 at 12:52 am:
i agree. Altough i think they should teach  what you should do if you decided to get high, drink extra. Or at least for drinking because its less contresversal. They should tell you about drinking lots of water, eating food before hand, extra
 
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SassyJonesThis teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Feb. 20, 2011 at 12:50 am:
i completly agree. I think you do have to reasearch and know alot about every drug, alchohal, included before deciding. But i love shreding stress and packing up a bowl or downing a resonable amount of alchohal and letting loose. The danger is when you can't have fun without doing these things.
 
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Cecilia said...
Feb. 9, 2011 at 10:15 am:
i veary much like your artikle and i think your absulutly right and sorry for my horrible spelling lol
 
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johnxrox said...
Feb. 7, 2011 at 7:36 am:
While I do hold the opinion that the government has no place mandating what chemicals people decide to ingest, I will say that the notion that drugs serve as a crutch to art is silly to me. Sure maybe it influenced a few artists, but violence influences a lot of artists as well. Should we promote violence because art wouldn't be where it is today without it? 
 
Brooke B. replied...
Feb. 9, 2011 at 6:52 pm :
No we don't have to promote violence because it doesn't need any help being around, its natural to life. Yes, you can argue that but to know peace you have to first know violence. So promote, no, it exists naturally
 
Scoobydoo replied...
May 25, 2011 at 9:02 am :

Good thought, johnxrox. Should we acclaim Al Capone for adding an element to Chicago culture/society?

Or what about the family life of these drugged artists/musicians? Obviously there was something troubling them...why else would they drown themselves in drugs and alcohol. Yes, they were still able to produce many amazing works of art/music, but gracious...drugs do nothing but dumb you down and space you out. Seriously. Real artists are ones who need NOTHING to "enhance" their percepti... (more »)

 
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bnljack said...
Jan. 25, 2011 at 10:52 pm:
excellent points. what is the point of life, if not enjoyment. if i happen to get joy from pot, who then has the right to stop me?
 
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lyssa28This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Dec. 27, 2010 at 6:01 pm:
Although i wont try drugs, your right. whats the point of being a teen if we dont take risks?!
 
BaileyBurke replied...
Feb. 4, 2011 at 10:27 am :
*you're right
 
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Faceless said...
Dec. 27, 2010 at 3:48 pm:
Beautifully written! (can't say I agree tho...) but Beautiffully written!!!
 
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htrae22This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. said...
Dec. 13, 2010 at 6:48 pm:
wow i never looked at it from this point of view drugs are still wrong
 
bnljack replied...
Jan. 25, 2011 at 10:55 pm :
terrible comment. nobody will ever become a better person if they reject all new viewpoints and information. your problem is you believe everything youve previously learned to be truth, and orent open to any other opinions.
 
htrae22This teenager is a 'regular' and has contributed a lot of work, comments and/or forum posts, and has received many votes and high ratings over a long period of time. replied...
Jan. 26, 2011 at 10:23 am :
be nice please
 
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suzycreamcheese said...
Dec. 5, 2010 at 7:46 pm:
regarding your comment:  It's actually "effects".
 
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