>>10887542>just a big memeHere's the deal: They MIGHT work.
The question is how well they work. What's actually happening. What *KIND* of gains you're getting.
It's true; there are many performance enhancing drugs. Things to make you stronger, faster, any of a number of muscle-related properties. But these are only physiological effects. The closest thing we have to mind-altering substances is antipsychotics and antidepressants. In other words, things that limit brain function. We know we have at least that.
Now think for a second. Actually think. No, seriously: Actually stop reading this right now and think about something. Doesn't matter what. Just stop reading. Now that you're back, think, intentionally, about this:
>what makes a nootropic work?I'll let your thoughts play out for a moment.
Good?
Okay.
Notice all those ideas you just had? Did they come from a drug? Could you have those ideas without resorting to substance abuse? Yeah? If you can apply those without drugs, then you've done something far more effective than any nootropic will ever be: You've intentionally improved yourself by making shit up.
So: Is there ANY nootropic, ANY neuropsych mechanism you can envision, that will give you the power to *imagine* new things and actually try them to see what you can do? Do you know of a way to make actual NZT? No? Then stop trying to chase after some mythic "makes me smarter" drug. Actually apply yourself. MAKE yourself smarter. Because the side effects presented with NZT actually have a very high probability of being a result of forced intelligence augmentation. That is, if the brain can be FORCED to act smarter than it normally is, then the resulting loss in intelligence as the drug loses effect will result in a series of neural connections that can't process their own implications. You'll have literally thought of things that you are no longer smart enough to handle rationally (or: at your natural level of reasoning).
Think about it, really.
