Alexander_Shulgin_about_mycology

[Berlstein]

>Quote taken from 'TIHKAL-The Continuation' by Alexander and
>Ann Shulgin, Transform Press (P.O. Box 13657, Berkeley, CA
>94712, USA), 1997, page 252.  
>
>"I have learned a lot from mushrooms about the balance of
>nature, by observing how they propagate and reproduce, but I
>have learned a lot more from them about the egocentric nature
>of man, simply by observing how the many experts in the field
>(called mycologists) seem to disagree, usually with vigor, as
>how fungi should be classified. There are cliques, there are
>schools, there are societies, there are total philosophies
>that are convinced that they are completely right, and that
>all the others are completely wrong.
>     'This species must be moved to that genus, in yonder
>family, as noted in my most recent publication in Applied
>Mycologia Today.'
>     'But, dr. Rasputin, you already have tenure at the
>University, so let me use this genus for the title of an
>article in my new journal, Amanita Northwestica, and I will
>make you an Associate Editor. But will you drop your
>insistence for the renaming of the Pholiota group?'
>     'Yes, but you must allow me to identify this group as a
>new subspecies.'
>     'But dr. Sangfroid would object to that.'
>     'Probably he would, but I hold dr. Goodheart to be the
>defining authority.' 'Oh really? Come to think of it, I'm not
>sure I have an editorial opening available at the moment.
>     In short, classification of these organisms has been a
>nightmare for many years and will, without doubt, remain a
>nightmare for many years to come. There is no right way. There
>is not even a currently accepted way."
>
>Hmm. Sounds familiar, isn't it?
>
>

Well, egotism and taxonomy go together across all fields of academia- no news
 there.

However, while I respect Shulgin's work greatly, his comments on mycology are
 clearly just as informed as an eminent mycologist's opinions would be in the
 field of chemical hallucinogen synthesis- which is to say, not.

I am glad to see that TIHKAL has come out.
(Tryptamines I have known and loved) as I prefer tryptamines to
 phenylethylamines anyway- I'll have to get a copy.

If it is anything like PIHKAL, I am sure I will enjoy all the chapters that
 Shulgin wrote. (And then there will also be chapters written by his wife,
 which will probably be same useless self-centered crap as in PIHKAL.)

Just my opinion.  Your results may vary.

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"Those who have nothing to say usually say it about spelling."
-Jim Berlstein, BFD