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Comment by inglor_cz | Hacker News Reader

For anyone who is confused by the title: this is a variation of the book name "Phenethylamines I Have Known and Loved", published by a scientist couple in 1991.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PiHKAL

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And "fear and loathing in Las Vegas" I imagine.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear_and_Loathing_in_Las_Veg...

Probably referring to the book/novel rather than the movie, as the book is autobiographical in nature and a fascinating read, while the movie is more pure entertainment.

Edit: actually scratch that, I have no idea (obviously) what the author had in mind, and could be either.

The book had two of the most enduring images in all of modern literature.

The first, that occurs in a Cadillac convertible bombing toward Las Vegas at 90 mph, has the author seeing big black, bat-like things swooping around the car, and choosing not to mention them to his companion: "He'd see them soon enough, poor bastard."

The second is in the lounge of a hotel on the Strip, when the author suddenly realizes that everyone else in the room is a vicious, bloodthirsty reptile, and the whole floor is a puddle of shed blood.

https://noputhyfooting.wordpress.com/2009/12/14/no-point-men...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQCFdcEXknc

I wouldn't call the movie pure entertainement, quite the opposite. It can be seen as that, but there are a few scenes that really stays with you if you've ever fooled around with drugs. The most obvious ones are when the narrator talks about San Francisco in the 60's, and when he talks about the "fallacy of acid culture" near the end. There's also something to be said about the "white rabbit" scene, though it's hard to put into words.

The scene in the casino waiting room/bar where things start to drift from normal to absolutely crazy (reptiles and all the blood) and then snaps back to reality is a pretty accurate depiction of LSD

Edit: I’ll add that “snaps back to reality” happens if you’re lucky and somehow stay in control

I don't think there's any "accurate depiction of LSD". This wasn't at all my experience with LSD, but this looks like it is for some people.

I wish there was something like PIHKAL for non-chemists. I had a fascination for chemistry as a young lad but Shulgin's books are impenetrable for me.

If you’re aware of PIHKAL then you’re probably already aware of Erowid, but if not, it’s a good source for interesting subjective reports.

There is, its the first half of PIHKaL. It about the experiences and the society, not the chemistry. The second half of the book is the chemistry. Often in free dls they dont include the first half.

You can just read the subjective reports, those are interesting in their own right.

The first part of PiHKAL, written by Ann Shulgin, is also completely non-technical and is a spellbinding story. Highly recommended for anyone interested in the subject matter of the book, whether they know chemistry or not.

I recommend reading them back to back with SCP https://scp-wiki.wikidot.com/

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