Balancing Act!!!
posted by DavidA | October 23, 2011
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IcerocketThis one's unreal. A lot of things in life we balance without much awareness... things shift a little to the right, we move a little left, and vice versa.
I feel like I'm tight rope walking on floss. I feel like I'm either going to fall off the left or the right, no way I can keep walking on this thing!
Here's the situation.
I'm applying to graduate schools to study neuroscience. Truthfully, my experiences with marijuana on low tolerances in meditative conditions has shown me that we can "heterophenomenlogically" study mental states. In other words we can (like psychologists tried historically) study introspective experiences. We just need the appropriate tools.
And you're all thinking, "Duh." But this is a RADICAL position in academia to have. The vast majority of psychologists don't think introspection is relevant. They're mostly interested in human behavior, because we know how to study it.
So I feel faced with two choices, although I know walking the tight rope is what's best. I feel I should either spill all the beans and say "hey I've smoked it and so what." or just make up some other reason to why I want to go to graduate school, and be a faker.
But how should I go about balancing this... it sounds like I'm hiding something.
Any suggestions?
Comments
Hello, Closet. I think we've met
— Oct 24, 2011
First off I will say I think it is admirable to even consider the daunting task of a neuroscience graduate program. From that I will add that this scenario seems to bear a certain similarity to my post you had commented on regarding how we navigate through a world of judgment/disbelief without compromising one's own beliefs and experiences.
In the spirit of holding true both to one's intentions as well as a realistic approach to the academic realm, I would say that I don't think I see it as B&W as you might. Although there is undeniable merit in studying the benefits of introspective thought and the relation of marijuana to this is there I would argue and wonder if you agree that there are a many other aspects both known and unknown that you could never hope to voice prior to entering any grad program.
In short, I personally do not think it would be utterly dishonest to keep your personal experiences that impact your decision to yourself until you have no choice but to voice them for the benefit of the research itself. As a slight example I offer you my experience designing my own major & thesis project in college between religion and environmental science. Undeniably influenced through psychedelic experiences but certainly encompassing a much larger spectrum, I knew not to limit my application to what I had known but to include the potential I hoped to find outside of this one realm.
Hope I didn't ramble too much ~ best of luck in your studies.
love and light
T
I would
— Oct 25, 2011
I would if I were you visit various schools and talk with the professors, you maybe don't need to mention MJ, but talk about experiences studying introspective experiences. I believe there is already much evidence regarding different brainwaves emmited during introspective states.
Meta-introspection can be very useful.
Find a radical school, or at least a couple radical professors.
