blondie0420

We come here and talk about different things...but it seems we never talk about being here.

By "here," I mean this community - the forum itself.

I started thinking about it after I realized I never really put much thought into it. Seriously. We do find ourselves in a pretty unique situation here because for most of us, we're coming here and talking about something that is illegal. I would say that most people involved in this forum do not live in places where marijuana is legal or even tolerated; and while there are some medical marijuana users here, not all of them live in states where even that is allowed.

This is not a community where we're all gathered to talk about something fairly innocent like parenting or fixing up cars. We're talking about marijuana, a controlled substance. We talk about using it, post pictures of pipes, bongs and vapes, we even post pictures of our pot. This is not the kind of discussion or interaction you have with average people during the reception following mass on Sundays at the church down the street. This is probably not even the kind of topic broached with a lot of the people you come into contact with in your day-to-day life.

I think that's what I enjoy about being here: that I can talk about things that I don't always want to divulge to everyone I come across in my daily life. I spend a lot of time at work where only one person knows that I have ever smoked pot (my boss, because I had to tell him when I got into trouble) and I spend a lot of time at school where only a few people know I smoke.

If you don't fit the image of a stereotypical "stoner," then you (like me) probably live your life without the majority of people you meet knowing that you smoke. I'm not saying everyone here doesn't spend a majority of time with people who don't know we smoke, because it's likely that everyone here has friends (and/or maybe family and others) that know we all do. What I'm saying is that there are 6 billion people in the world and even if 500 people know you and know you smoke pot (even that seems like a lot), you could still round it up to 6 billion people that don't know you smoke and with whom you would not have the kind of conversations we all enjoy here.

So that's what I'm getting at. That was a long way of explaining why I feel like this really is a unique situation here. It's not that we could get in trouble for posting to a message board; it's that we're here talking about things we don't just spew freely and openly every single time we leave the house.

I mean, honestly, I don't even share with people that I post to this message board. I like being able to pretty much anonymously and talk to new and interesting people about something I can't just talk about with everyone. I can talk to my friends about it and my family (to a much smaller extent), but all of that is limited. I enjoy having new and different people to talk with without having to worry that someone is going to freak out about a little pot.

I like being able to get philosophical every once in a while and create posts like the "Right vs. Wrong" thread I made a while ago. I put a lot of thought into that and I liked being able to share those kinds of thoughts with more than just my immediate group of friends and family members. I mean, I'm double-majoring in Philosophy and Political Science and even in my classes I don't have the same calibur discussion as we do here because I can't be completely honest about pot. I think about it and it's so weird and terrible at the same time that the classes I've taken have more or less given me opportunities to discuss the use of marijuana [and some other drugs] from both political and philosophical angles and yet I've never had a really great discussion about it in school. I can't fully disclose my thoughts and opinions because marijuana is illegal.

As much as that sucks, it is [illegal] and I have to protect myself. I don't "look" like a cannabis user, so how do I know someone else just doesn't "look" like an off-duty cop?

Basically, what I'm saying is, there are 6 billion people on earth with whom I could never discuss the things I discuss here. And we're all in the same position. I think that's what's so special and (here comes that word again...) unique about this.


If you got to this point in reading, I congratulate you. I admit, I smoked a couple of bowls with a friend before coming home and writing this up. Speaking of disclosing information...heh, I can smoke again. In case you didn't pick up from my subtle and yet not-so-subtle hints (whatever that means) in other threads, let me just let out one big whahoo!!!


Anyway, back to my original point...we never talk about being here when we're here. So let's "here" it.

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SpiralArchitect

Great thread idea blondie0420.

You know, I too have been thinking. What caused me to sign up? Well, I was bored and I wanted to post my opinion on a thread, which? Can't quite remember, but I was instantly hooked.

What caused me to stay? The community here is amazing, in fact one of the best message boards I have been on (and I have been on a few). The crowd is diverse, and we have a lot of really great people here (staff included!)

Basically, the reason I am here is to learn. I joined up 2 years ago (I think) and I knew only the basics about marijuana. The amount of information I have learned from this website is tremendous. I've learned more than just about marijuana, but about lifes hard lessons, history, politics, philosophy, music, and just people in general. A responsibility to myself, marijuana users and the legalization cause was instilled in me and I started donating to NORML and becoming a more responsible user (even going as far as getting a vaporizer for most of my consumption). This forum has lead to a great change in me, a good change. I'm still the same dude from day 1, but I've matured a lot, I've learned a lot, and I'm really grateful for it ; to all the people that make this place so damn groovy.

Another reason I am here is to help others. Now that I've learned from all my great and knowledgeable friends, I feel a duty to do the same to our new and existing members. Whenever I can I try to point something out to a new member or help them in a sticky situation, either with some advice or a quick look-up. Basically I just want the forum to be a better place when, and if I ever decide to leave. I hope some way, or some how the words I put on this screen others not only benefit from but actually enjoy reading.

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allenlovesgreen

this is a nice one---my philosophy on bein here is that.......well i was blazed at the time i signed up but i started reading whatever people had to say- their opinions,questions and etc. i liked it. everyone here is amazing just today i sent some feedback to the staff but anyways. i like that u have a "voice" to say(write) watever you think. and to express your selve. and to talk about interesting stuff.i think i've learned a lot from bein here and also ppl have learned from me.MARIJUANA.COM= the best site lol

THC Fiend

It's better than being there, man!

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NoobMcGee

Why not? I mean, I don't go around bragging about how much weed I smoke, but if someone asks I tell them the truth that yes, I do smoke pot. I find it hard to believe that in a philosophy class you can't have an open, honest discussion about it.

Unless of course you're referring to the circle-jerk nature of forums or other heads.

macphearsome

yeah that one surprises me as well. almost everybody i know, knows that I smoke weed. I'm at school and it's not something I would keep secret if it came up in a poli-sci discussion.

sort of reminds me of something that happened in one of my literature classes. I can't for the life of me remember why the teacher mentioned it, but he was showing us the different spider webs that spiders would spin under the influence of common mind-altering substances like nicotine, caffeine, thc, etc

when it came to the marijuana spider's web, the teacher was like "notice how it's not quite done..." and I said very loudly from the back of the class "it's good enough...!" in my best 'lazy stoner' voice and everybody burst out laughing.

anyways that's a total aside - my reason for being here? I guess I just like to hear from the perspective of seasoned stoners. They always take the time to look at things from other angles. I don't really come here to compare slang or bongs or weed prices or even to talk about weed at all. I'm used to smoking weed and just trying to look at things in a different light; i find that a good handful of people on this board have so much perspective that it's impossible not to pay attention to their posts when they're on a serious topic.

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Vicki

I'd have to say to help me keep up with legalization news that I may not see someplace else, as I have access to more information here. I get a lot of knowledge that I can use to argue my case, if the need were to arise, regarding marijuana, in all aspects. I do get my NORML weekly newsletter, but I'm always looking for more. Afterall, knowledge is power.

That is why I originally came here, but I found that it was a very nice board, with a lot of great people, and I've been able to learn a lot more than just the legalization aspect. As well as make new friends. I was able to learn about vaporizing and it's health benefits too. I'm also able to keep up with medical marijuana laws, which is good for me as I use marijuana as medicine.

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blondie0420

Well, it's not that it has never, ever come up. It's just that I try to avoid it to protect myself (because I don't want to ever make it a habit of blabbing it to everyone and anyone).

I did once admit in a philosphy class I took last semester that I had been busted for possession, but that was because we were discussing how fucked up "the system" is in the US. ("The system," meaning of course, our laws and government.) But even that, in a group of what I would have considered fairly liberal and open-minded people did not really get much of a response. The tone of the discussion once I had brought that up was really more like, "well you were doing something wrong anyway, so shame on you, who cares if your rights were violated."

So while everyone else was getting all worked up about how we buy products made in sweat shops and how we dominate production of crops in third world countries so that our corporations can yeild high profits while our people still get to eat for cheap, no one in class seemed to care that people right here suffer too. (Granted, getting busted for possession is nothing like working 18-hour shifts in sweat shops for your whole life, but I never intended it to sound like that and tried to make that clear in the discussion.)

That's why I had brought up my situation in the first place, because the people in that class always wanted to talk about "those people" and "their countries" while I tried to make the point that you still have to direct at least some of your attention to our people and our country, but it pretty much fell on deaf ears.

Vicki

That's exactly why I keep it to myself. Not only to protect myself, and my family, but because it was like talking to a brick wall. I don't understand why people want to turn a blind eye to things like this. Probably all the propaganda, and the "lets follow like good little sheep" attitude.

carlover_36

To learn, so that I can develope an Educated opinion on the legalization of Marijuana. And cuz ya'll are a pretty cool group of people.

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