# Significant intellectual or artistic accomplishments achieved under the effects of drugs or mania **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 22, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324 "2009-08-22T17:36:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jackdavinci](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackdavinci/32/3259_2.png) [@jackdavinci](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackdavinci)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/41 "2009-08-24T22:45:51Z")
The molecular structure of DNA was thought up under the influence of LSD. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Q](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@Johnny\_Q](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Q)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/42 "2009-08-24T22:53:20Z")
The idea of anesthesia came about from a bunch of doctors on an ether binge. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/43 "2009-08-24T22:54:30Z")
Robert Rauschenberg created much of his art while drunk. I personally observed him doing a gallery installation and creating some of the artwork for it back in the late 80’s, and he rarely got out of arms length of a bottle of Jack Daniels. He drank _constantly_. ---
**Author:** ![bramma23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@bramma23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bramma23)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/44 "2009-08-25T00:24:18Z")
Sgt. Pepper Revolver Howl All of these were heavily influenced by altered states of consciousness. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2009, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/45 "2009-08-25T00:47:41Z")
No mention of Burroughs’ _Naked Lunch_? ---
**Author:** ![sjc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e5b9ba/32.png) [@sjc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sjc)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 1:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/46 "2009-08-26T01:15:06Z")
I’m kind of confused about this idea that some people have expressed that seems to boil down to “while they may have been drunks or used drugs, _no_ good art was created while drunk or high” (I realize I may be stating this rather more strongly than they did, but I don’t think too much more strongly). I am not really an artist (though I do act) and I have never been drunk or high, but it strikes me as ludicrous to think that no part of the creative process has ever taken place while drunk or high. I’m certain that drugs and alcohol (and mania) have gotten in the way of creativity often enough, but at the same time I’m sure they have had positive effects on creativity. Perhaps what was written while high was mostly crap or in any case not ready for publication, but I’d be surprised if there weren’t pearls in there that could be cleaned up for a good final draft. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/47 "2009-08-26T01:42:48Z")
> [@MichaelQReilly](#): > > Oh, no doubt the drug use and his job played a large role in inspiring the book, but, again, I don’t think he actually wrote it while high. My high school English teacher claimed that he had read an early manuscript of a chapter that WAS written when Kesey was high and that it was mostly incomprehensible nonsense (I don’t know how true this claim is though). If the latter part is true, I don’t quite agree that it’s at odds with the statement the work was written while high. Many, if not most, artists go through intense creative and editing cycles in their work. The part that was written while high (or in a manic state) may not be the final edit, but it qualifies, in my estimation, as having been written while high. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/48 "2009-08-26T01:53:10Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Samuel Taylor Colerige’s “Xanadu” was inspired by things he saw during an opium dream. It’s _Kubla Khan_ not _Xanadu_. I wouldn’t normally bother, but it’s my second favourite poem. Unless you’re referring to Olivia Newton-John’s 1980 No.1 smash hit _Xanadu_. Now _that_ really was written under the influence of narcotics. ---
**Author:** ![AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AboutAsWeirdAsYouCanGet)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/49 "2009-08-26T03:54:09Z")
A lot of Stephen King’s stuff? The Tommyknockers is about addiction …right? Also, I would hazard that Pet Sematary is about the relaspe cycle of addiction. The real live people represent the intial " good times" when you first get into the drugs. Then the killing represents quittng it…and the zombies represent the drug use coming back…you think it’s gonna be like old times…but it’s ALL BAD! ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/50 "2009-08-26T04:13:28Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > If the latter part is true, I don’t quite agree that it’s at odds with the statement the work was written while high. Many, if not most, artists go through intense creative and editing cycles in their work. The part that was written while high (or in a manic state) may not be the final edit, but it qualifies, in my estimation, as having been written while high. I was just going to forget this thread (I didnt join the Dope for pointless arguements about semantics) but you are absolutely right----While Kesey certainly was not actively tripping balls for each keystroke that it took to type out “Cuckoo’s Nest” he, in his own recollections, stated clearly that he was actively under the influence of hallucinogens while actually writing parts of the book… It is indeed possible (for some) to put down words on the page while “deep in the pudding” and then come back later and edit/clean up any rough edges of your work. (I also suppose you could do this kind of “altered state composition” if your creative tools are a typewriter, a lump of clay, a blank canvas or a Fender Stratocaster) ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/51 "2009-08-26T05:18:25Z")
> [@Chez\_Guevara](#): > > It’s _Kubla Khan_ not _Xanadu_. I wouldn’t normally bother, but it’s my second favourite poem. > > Unless you’re referring to Olivia Newton-John’s 1980 No.1 smash hit _Xanadu_. Now _that_ really was written under the influence of narcotics. Rats! I KNEW that, but the problem is, I learned of that poem through the Rush song “Xanadu” (on the “Farewell to Kings” album). So, I always think of the song before the poem. ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/52 "2009-08-26T15:30:16Z")
> [@astorian](#): > > Bear in mind, there’s a HUGE difference between writing/painting/composing WHILE high and writing/painting/composing on subjects experienced while high. > > Samuel Taylor Colerige’s “Xanadu” was inspired by things he saw during an opium dream. That doesn’t mean he could have written a coherent (let alone classic) poem about those visions while still high. He sure liked to perpetuate the myth that he was high while composing it. Thus the famous story of writing it in a drug stupor, then Wordsworth slams a door, wakes him up, and dooms the poem to forever being only partially finished. Of course, there are many, many early drafts of Kubla Khan, but for some reason, people continue to believe that myth. > [@](#): > > Some Beatle lyrics were undoubtedly inspired by drugs- but the melodies came from Lennon and McCartney’s God-given talent. Music composed by drunk or stoned musicians is invariably crap. Invariably? Really? Because after the Beatles were introduced to pot in late '64 they were pretty much stoned all of the time. There are plenty of recordings of the four of them in the studio just falling apart because they’re so high and everything is so amusing. During most of the recording of Sgt. Peppers, John was tripping his balls off. George was into all kinds of psychedelics, though I don’t know if he ever went for anything harder than that (Paul was into coke for awhile and John heroin). But it’s not like they were all “Okay, time to sober up!” when they headed into the recording studio. ---
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/53 "2009-08-26T15:49:57Z")
> [@pepperlandgirl](#): > > He sure liked to perpetuate the myth that he was high while composing it. Thus the famous story of writing it in a drug stupor, then Wordsworth slams a door, wakes him up, and dooms the poem to forever being only partially finished. Of course, there are many, many early drafts of Kubla Khan, but for some reason, people continue to believe that myth. I don’t believe that myth. In fact, I’ve never heard of it until now. If I believe in any myth surrounding the writing of Coleridge’s fragment, which I don’t, it’s [this one](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Person_from_Porlock). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Falling\_Reverend](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aca169/32.png) [@The\_Falling\_Reverend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Falling_Reverend)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324/54 "2009-08-26T23:47:15Z")
Iggy Pop, everything recorded from 68-hell, who knows when he actually cleaned up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/significant-intellectual-or-artistic-accomplishments-achieved-under-the-effects-of-drugs-or-mania/507324.md?page=2)