The Chemist of Freedom

I recently wrote a post titled "XLIS" which prominently featured a drug named XLIS and two old guys who took some without so much as so sort of lengthy process of examination of conscience.

Some people did not like it. Seems like if someone takes drugs in a story, the story should always bring in the down sides, whether the troubles are due to drugs or merely an accompaniment; they wanted one of those House episodes where Dr. House walks along a via dolorosa, suffers, and emerges a possibly better man, even though that is not apparent - it is only promised to us because he suffered... we believe that when someone does something bad, they must suffer, and then they will be better for their penance.

OK by me.

In the mists of antiquity, Demeter was the consort of Zeus; not the Olympian Zeus, but the more archaic Zeus of Crete. Demeter was the mother of all agriculture, and she bore barley and poppies in her arms.
Poppies.
The Greeks must have truly loved their poppy seed rolls.
Dionysos was said by some to be the son of Zeus and Demeter, and he was the god of the Ivy and the Vine, as well as fermented honey - mead - and fermented grape juice - wine. He was known for his revels fueled by wine drinking.

Having said this, one of the names of Dionysos was Eleutheros, and eleutheros is the basis of the word eleutheria, or freedom. Eleutheros is one who is free and unrestrained by law, mores, and custom... at least for some period of time, probably the time of intoxication where the moist spirit of the wine or mead... or the spirit of the poppy.... mixed with the dry, bright soul of man and snatched it away for a spell.

When we fear anarchy, we often end up fearing freedom also.  We need to learn meden agan: nothing in excess, for even law and order in excess become repression and totalitarianism.

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