A recent article about british pop star Robbie Williams’ addiction woes would be completely stupefying if I didn’t already understand its messy philosophical foundation. Williams, now 38 years old, has been dealing with addiction and the conventional recovery world, with all of its self-defeating teachings, since the age of 19, with many documented stints in… Continue reading Freudian Slip? Robbie Williams Regrets Realizing He Was “Out of Control” Over Addiction
Category: Culture
Trainspotting Author’s Addiction Ran Its Course
The author of the iconic novel turned film about heroin addiction, Irvine Welsh, recently released a prequel to the famous story. He discussed his characters and some thoughts about addiction in a recent NPR interview. The difference between his own story and the standard narrative of why people use drugs is quite illuminating. Here he… Continue reading Trainspotting Author’s Addiction Ran Its Course
Colin Farrell and Madchild Mature Out of Addiction – Research Shows This Is More Common Than You May Think
I was reading two profiles of men in their mid-thirties who recently changed their problematic substance use habits, rapper Madchild, and actor Colin Farrell, and of course it reminded of the theory my friend Stanton Peele is so fond of – that people generally mature out of addiction, i.e. they grow up and change their… Continue reading Colin Farrell and Madchild Mature Out of Addiction – Research Shows This Is More Common Than You May Think
Russell Brand’s Ridiculous Testimony To Parliament About Addiction
Comedian and “recovering addict” Russell Brand recently testified in front of a committee in Parliament about drug policy. If you want to watch it, here’s the full video, his portion goes 29 minutes long, or you can skip it and read my points below: What’s wrong with Russell’s pitch? I’m sure his intentions are nothing… Continue reading Russell Brand’s Ridiculous Testimony To Parliament About Addiction
Alec Baldwin’s “Gaming Addiction” and Other Nonsense
Alec Baldwin has been labeled an addict for an altercation over cell phone use on a plane. This case makes it clear that addiction hysteria is all about judgment. The so-called mental illnesses of hoarding, Facebook addiction, texting addiction, gaming addiction, and substance addictions are not real illnesses – they are simply behaviors unapproved of by others.
A&E Intervention Alum Commits Suicide
Dillon had a professional intervention, went to rehab, and learned that he was powerless over his addiction. Also, he eventually killed himself. I think these facts are related.
World Series Baseball, Pain Medication, Addiction Falsehoods, And Existential Questions…
Addiction myths permeate our entire culture, even news coverage of the World Series. Which falsehoods are being spread, and how can we debunk them? Does pain medication cause “addiction” or “relapse”?
The Obligatory Amy Winehouse Post
Much ado has been made about Amy Winhouse’s tragic death – in no small part because it’s suspected that it was a drug related death, and of course her biggest hit song was titled “Rehab” and is perceived as expressing an anti-change / anti-sobriety message. I see it differently. I think “Rehab” was an anti-coercion anthem.
A Critic’s View of Drugs, Music, and Creativity
Drugs and art, art and drugs. Is drug use and addiction a necessary evil for the artist? The myth that the best modern music is the result of drug use pervades our culture despite some important weaknesses in this assumption. Let’s examine some critical issues in this debate.
Sports Writers Waiting For Player’s Relapse, and Insulting Real Victims
Baseball player Josh Hamilton was involved in a freak accident which ended in a fan’s death. With a history of addiction, the sports media is concerned Hamilton may relapse over guilt about the incident.