Chemical Enhancements

Seachmall

Would you ever consider using chemical enhancement drugs for intelligence or strength or anything else*?

Generally we dismiss them because of either known or assumed negative side effects and health effects but if we had a drug that only had minor, if any, negative effects but was capable of producing desired results would you consider it?

The main argument, outside of side effects, I see with them is the idea that they're cheating (e.g. steroids are considered cheating in sports and many see Ritalin or Modafinil as cheating when used to study for exams). But I'm speaking outside of these situations, just in your day to day lives, i.e. not taking them to compete but for your own benefit. Plus, others would have equal access to them as, in this hypothetical scenario, they're legal over-the-counter and widely available.

So, assuming few side effects and for non-competitive situations, would you take them?

I think I would but there's also a part of me that wouldn't, as if taking these drugs would be an implicit admission of inferiority in some respect.

So what's your take on it? Also, what would you enhance**?


*Insert penis joke here.

**And another here.

No, I wouldn't be into that at all

I don't know about "cheating" but it would be messing with your physiology

Rocky_Dennis

I wouldn't take them because I would feel I have cheated in trying to accomplish whatever it was I was trying to accomplish. No better feeling than the sense of achievement you feel after accomplishing something.

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

bluewolf wrote: »

No, I wouldn't be into that at all

I don't know about "cheating" but it would be messing with your physiology

excuse me little miss coffee?

Seachmall

bluewolf wrote: »

I don't know about "cheating" but it would be messing with your physiology

They'd be relatively safe, so it'd be no different from drinking caffeine to improve concentration (albeit it may be more effective than caffeine).

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar

Sir Digby Chicken Caesar wrote: »

excuse me little miss coffee?

I gave up coffee 8 weeks ago, get with the times

mikemac1

Food is a drug if you want to look at it another way OP

Are you taking in caffeine and sugar?
Or working on some sort of detox?

Sort of the same

Logical Fallacy

I don't think I would take them, but it's hard to know how tempting the reality would be.

im invisible

No, i only take drugs to have fun

Seachmall

mikemac1 wrote: »

Are you taking in caffeine and sugar?
Or working on some sort of detox?

Sort of the same

Aye, I guess the popularity of herbal shops that sell promises of everything from better digestion to higher IQs answers my question.

The only difference being they say "natural remedy" instead of "chemical enhancer".

D1stant

Seachmall wrote: »

They'd be relatively safe).

Eh... define relative?

So 1 million years of evolution, versus quarterly profits of Pfizer. No thanks. I like being dumb

stevenmu

I would absolutely take them. I have considered taking them in the recent past, the lack of studies into their long term effects is the only thing holding me back.

Though I expect lots of people who are otherwise happy to use caffeine, nicotine or alcohol will be strongly against them.

Seachmall

D1stant wrote: »

Eh... define relative?

Your interpretation of it.

1% increased chance of cancer if you consider that relatively safe, or .00000001% increased chance if you consider that relatively safe, etc.

opinion guy

OP

Is taking a daily aspirin cheating your way past heart disease ?

Seachmall

opinion guy wrote: »

OP

Is taking a daily aspirin cheating your way past heart disease ?

I was thinking more in terms of gaining benefits you don't naturally have as oppose to avoiding health conditions etc.

More "superficial" things like appearance, strength, intelligence, etc.

I'm not sure how to describe it.

mikemac1

Looks like someone was watching Bradley Cooper in Limitless

Highly recommend that film

AnonoBoy

I take all sorts of pills all the time to make me into who I want to be.

And lotions.

It rubs the lotion on the skin.

opinion guy

Seachmall wrote: »

I was thinking more in terms of gaining benefits you don't naturally have as oppose to avoiding health conditions etc.

More "superficial" things like appearance, strength, intelligence, etc.

I'm not sure how to describe it.

Semantics!

grizzly

bluewolf wrote: »

I gave up coffee 8 weeks ago, get with the times

Bad timing!

thebigbiffo

LSD and E can be enhancment drugs, in a way. they have the ability to open your mind and emoptions in a way that can be very beneficial if used correctly - and have little if any physiological side effects. but obviously because of the bad PR, most people will never properly see that.

Shryke

Reconsider giving up the coffee Bluey!
http://www.cracked.com/blog/7-scientific-ways-coffee-gives-you-super-powers/

LSD and XTC are amazing experiences and very safe themselves but not so much performance enhancing. Mind blowing and life affirming experiences everyone should have, yes.
Coke would be more what the OP means except that he stipulated it should be legal.
Whavever you take is going to interact with your body in a certain way so I think you're being very willy nilly OP. Without any specifics this just doesn't make any sense.

Limitless was a shocking bad film. Bradley Cooper can barely act and I had to cringe through half of it.

NiallFH

I would take something to increase intelligence for sure, I'm doing my degree at the minute and the ability to up my 2:1 to a first would be very welcome, also create better job opportunities with increased intelligence.

As far as strength goes I lift weights and do take supplements (nothing illegal) so I suppose if there was a magical pill here to increase strength with little to no side effects I would probably take it too.

Drugs that can make us better as a species would have my support everytime.

grizzly

grizzly wrote: »

Bad timing!

Shryke wrote: »

Reconsider giving up the coffee Bluey!
http://www.cracked.com/blog/7-scientific-ways-coffee-gives-you-super-powers/

lol
I have to say I don't feel any less energetic or focused or whatever. I actually stopped drinking it before exams in April and I was better focused than before

Seachmall

Shryke wrote: »

Whavever you take is going to interact with your body in a certain way so I think you're being very willy nilly OP. Without any specifics this just doesn't make any sense.

What do you mean by willy nilly?

I didn't mention any specifics because what I'd want from an enhancement drug may not be what someone else wants, and I didn't focus on examples in case others focused on those examples (as opposed to the hypothetical point of the post).


In saying that, specific examples of what I'd want from enhancement drugs would be Modafinil and Piracetam, both prescription-only in Ireland I believe.

Shryke

I suppose I'm answering your question in a round about way. I would have to ascess what I would or wouldn't take based on each case of a drug and what its effects might be. Its effects would have to be entirely beneficial tbh. If there was negative mental or physical side effects I wouldn't bother. Check yourself before you reck yourself.

YFlyer

Beetroot to increase your performance.

Logical Fallacy

I've decided I wouldn't use them, as I enjoy being limited. I like when an increase in my understanding of something, or my physical ability, come from hard work.

The journey is just as enjoyable as the destination.

SuprSi

I absolutely would. If it were to take me 3 years to get the 'perfect' physique in my mind naturally versus 6 months by chemical means (and without health implications), my sense of achievement would be no different as I'd still have what I started out looking for.

Hard work would be required either way. The only difference is that you could spend extra time enjoying the benefits rather than working towards them.

Sarky

I drink coffee and tea all the time to make me more alert. I drink alcohol and occasionally smoke a nice cigar or pipe to relax. I take paracetamol to fool my brain into thinking the pain from a headache isn't actually there so I can get my work done. Mind altering drugs are everywhere, and we all use them in an attempt to get ahead.

I was born human, but if the opportunity comes along to improve upon that, I'll be first in line screaming "GIEF GENETIC/CYBERNETIC ENHANCEMENTS PLZ"

northernpower

Logical Fallacy wrote: »

I've decided I wouldn't use them, as I enjoy being limited. I like when an increase in my understanding of something, or my physical ability, come from hard work.

The journey is just as enjoyable as the destination.

The thing about this is, none of the drugs OP mentioned are magic potions

Taking modafinil won't make you intelligent over night, it increases you're capacity to work, but you still put the work in yourself.

Same with steroids, it increases your capacity to work in the gym and recover but taking steroids and doing nothing is just gonna make your weiner disappear.