The Doors of Perception

I am disappointed. After years of waiting on a chance to read one of Huxley's books, The Doors of Perception, I feel sad that I finally got it done. It is in fact interesting, as a report of his experience with mescaline. But some of his conclusions seem to come from his own theories, which appear on the pages as if come from nowhere. No argumentation leads to his beliefs...They are just thrown over the text as it pleases him. As an example I could talk about his idea of the mind being a "filter" of our omniscience. You don't simply say something like that. If you dare to suspect it, go and do some serious research, for God's sake! Anyway, I still love the way he writes and Brave New World will always be one of my favorite books, but all the misty my mind insisted to keep around Huxley is gone. He is not my hero anymore...

But sometimes...While he described the sensations he had while he was high on peyote...They seemed so close to what I experienced when I had some anxieties attacks they use to call "panic attacks" ... Obviously, I don't see that as an experience of absolute freedom of mind, but...As a distortion of the reality which makes people slaves of this new vision of life. But not for one second I accept this new vision as something closest to the supernatural. Or something that leads us to the NEXT level. Or yet, anything that gives us hints of how things should be. I like being in control of my mind, so I can analyze and say that Huxley was no genius. He was an excellent writer, who did get high. And also...A dreamer.