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Секс, наркотици и магия
Both Sex And Drugs are fascinating and dangerous subjects in these times. First published by Playboy Press, Sex And Drugs is the definitive work on this important and controversial topic. "Here is a Genius with a Gee!" Brian Aldiss, The Guardian.
296 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1973
36 people are currently reading
1000 people want to read
About the author
Robert Anton Wilson
118 books1,694 followersRobert Anton Wilson was an American author, futurist, psychologist, and self-described agnostic mystic. Recognized within Discordianism as an Episkopos, pope and saint, Wilson helped publicize Discordianism through his writings and interviews. In 1999 he described his work as an "attempt to break down conditioned associations, to look at the world in a new way, with many models recognized as models or maps, and no one model elevated to the truth". Wilson's goal was "to try to get people into a state of generalized agnosticism, not agnosticism about God alone but agnosticism about everything."
In addition to writing several science-fiction novels, Wilson also wrote non-fiction books on extrasensory perception, mental telepathy, metaphysics, paranormal experiences, conspiracy theory, sex, drugs, and what Wilson called "quantum psychology".
Following a career in journalism and as an editor, notably for Playboy, Wilson emerged as a major countercultural figure in the mid-1970s, comparable to one of his coauthors, Timothy Leary, as well as Terence McKenna.
In addition to writing several science-fiction novels, Wilson also wrote non-fiction books on extrasensory perception, mental telepathy, metaphysics, paranormal experiences, conspiracy theory, sex, drugs, and what Wilson called "quantum psychology".
Following a career in journalism and as an editor, notably for Playboy, Wilson emerged as a major countercultural figure in the mid-1970s, comparable to one of his coauthors, Timothy Leary, as well as Terence McKenna.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
September 28, 2012
I first read this while I was still in High School, I believe, and I would have given it at least one more star at the time. An older and more experienced person reads it today with sort of a tolerant smile, and occasional nods at how right or wrong Wilson's predictions have been, but it still has some interest.
This was Wilson's first published book, through Playboy Press, at a time when writing and editing for Playboy was his full-time job. It wasn't especially successful, nor even as controversial as his later books, in spite of the eye-grabbing title. It has the hallmarks of a "first book:" Wilson hasn't quite found his voice, he's not sure how far he should go in pushing some of his more outre theories, and it lacks a lot of his familiar jargon. It's clear enough that he has a good opinion of Tim Leary, for example, but their close personal friendship is in no way represented. That's not to say that it comes across as "conservative," especially considering the generally anti-drug climate of the publishing world of the early 1970s, but it does seem stilted in places.
Wilson's essential argument is that sex is something good that humans do, and it can be even better with judicious use of mind-altering chemicals. He's especially interested in those which introduce a "spiritual" level to the experience. He's not a fan of drugs, like amphetamines and heroin, which are dangerous and often lead to bad sexual experiences. He doesn't tell anyone what they should or should not do, and there's a good deal of cautionary information about the possible legal consequences of getting caught with controlled substances. Nevertheless, it's pretty clear that he thinks legislating people's brain chemistry is a form of totalitarian thought-control.
If nothing else, the book is interesting because that argument is so rarely made with any coherence or intelligence. Also, some of his historical and anthropological data about different cultures' attitudes toward getting high and having orgasms is interesting, although it is not well-organized or reliably sourced (the lack of an index also makes it harder to track down specifics). Actually, I think his case studies or "interludes" are some of the most interesting insights into late-60s and early-70s drug culture. Each of these could have been a book unto itself.
The book has dated in some respects. There are no entries in his glossary for "angel dust," "freebasing," "crack," or "ice." His observation that heroin is the most feared drug sounds odd in a world where methamphetamine has taken on that title. The entry for MMDA (XTC) obviously comes from a time when not many people were using it. Of course, the most outlandish predictions are those of the chemical futurists, who thought that by the year 2000 we would have a wide array of consciousness-altering drugs at our disposal for things like memory enhancement and alertness. Instead, what we have is an array of government-approved "anti-depressants" and other behavior modification drugs that do not address consciousness per se. Wilson's more pessimistic predictions about future legislation, alas, have tended to be more accurate.
This was Wilson's first published book, through Playboy Press, at a time when writing and editing for Playboy was his full-time job. It wasn't especially successful, nor even as controversial as his later books, in spite of the eye-grabbing title. It has the hallmarks of a "first book:" Wilson hasn't quite found his voice, he's not sure how far he should go in pushing some of his more outre theories, and it lacks a lot of his familiar jargon. It's clear enough that he has a good opinion of Tim Leary, for example, but their close personal friendship is in no way represented. That's not to say that it comes across as "conservative," especially considering the generally anti-drug climate of the publishing world of the early 1970s, but it does seem stilted in places.
Wilson's essential argument is that sex is something good that humans do, and it can be even better with judicious use of mind-altering chemicals. He's especially interested in those which introduce a "spiritual" level to the experience. He's not a fan of drugs, like amphetamines and heroin, which are dangerous and often lead to bad sexual experiences. He doesn't tell anyone what they should or should not do, and there's a good deal of cautionary information about the possible legal consequences of getting caught with controlled substances. Nevertheless, it's pretty clear that he thinks legislating people's brain chemistry is a form of totalitarian thought-control.
If nothing else, the book is interesting because that argument is so rarely made with any coherence or intelligence. Also, some of his historical and anthropological data about different cultures' attitudes toward getting high and having orgasms is interesting, although it is not well-organized or reliably sourced (the lack of an index also makes it harder to track down specifics). Actually, I think his case studies or "interludes" are some of the most interesting insights into late-60s and early-70s drug culture. Each of these could have been a book unto itself.
The book has dated in some respects. There are no entries in his glossary for "angel dust," "freebasing," "crack," or "ice." His observation that heroin is the most feared drug sounds odd in a world where methamphetamine has taken on that title. The entry for MMDA (XTC) obviously comes from a time when not many people were using it. Of course, the most outlandish predictions are those of the chemical futurists, who thought that by the year 2000 we would have a wide array of consciousness-altering drugs at our disposal for things like memory enhancement and alertness. Instead, what we have is an array of government-approved "anti-depressants" and other behavior modification drugs that do not address consciousness per se. Wilson's more pessimistic predictions about future legislation, alas, have tended to be more accurate.
September 7, 2011
In a sane world, this would be a textbook, despite its spooky title. Robert Anton Wilson, so sadly now gone from this world, was a treasure of a human being, and in this volume his clear, rational, truthful voice rings out to all who can still hear. Read this book!
From the laugh-out-loud funny introduction to the glossary of substances that closes out the book, RAW is nothing so much as clear-eyed and objective. I'd trust what he has to say over an unmarked semi-truck full of D.A.R.E. officers.
From the laugh-out-loud funny introduction to the glossary of substances that closes out the book, RAW is nothing so much as clear-eyed and objective. I'd trust what he has to say over an unmarked semi-truck full of D.A.R.E. officers.
February 17, 2024
Szalony wgląd w kontrkulturę przełomu lat 60-tych i 70-tych. W tym tyglu mieszało się wszystko, co transgresyjne. Jeśli kogoś interesują takie tematy, polecam. Zwłaszcza nowe wydanie Okultury rozszerzone o esej Wilsona o Crowleyu.
November 29, 2017
Robert Anton Wilson's, Sex Drugs and Magick took me back to the days of reading Phrack, the Anarchist's Cookbook and Internet magazines of dubious quality. As with them, the experience is highly enjoyable, though probably not to be taken seriously.
The book presents a scientific, historical, and anecdotal account of the use of drugs and magic to enhance sexual experience. "Magic" here is understood not as extra sensory perception but mysticism, rituals, or other means of "programming a trip". Three major threads intertwine to tell full story: fictionalized accounts of people using drugs, the history and effects of drugs, and history of drug-using mystics.
The stories follow a similar pattern: the subject is an acquaintance of the author, whom he meets before and after some drug inspired transformation. So, one chapter tells the story of Jane that used LSD to (successfully) treat frigidity, with the caveat of landing in a mental institution. Another chapter follows Leonard, a man experimenting with drugs, and apparently every form of deviancy known to man. His transformation takes place years later when he becomes a born-again Christian. Yet another chapter tells the story of a couple experimenting with drugs and alternative lifestyles. As Wilson puts it their transformation was a divorce by psychedelics.
The accounts are short and amusing, a printed fossil of both the sexual and drug revolutions. Yet, they rarely touch the subject of magic - something really jarring seeing how often this thread is repeated in other parts of the book.
The author frequently makes a connection between sex and religious rites, as in tantra or pagan fertility rites, something he contrast against sexually repressed Christianity. Similarly, drug usage and religion have a similar long history. The author describes several drugs and religious rites: peyote and marijuana and various practices of shamanism; belladonna and pagan rites; or the modern drug LSD and "programming the biocomputer". The effects of drugs are described with due diligence and complement the, sometimes surprising, anecdotal accounts.
The book also presents several mystics who combined drugs or sex with religion, mostly concentrating on Alister Crowley and Hassan i Sabbah - the founder of Assassins.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, the book is riddled with factual errors. The reports on using orally-administered niacin to abort a psychedelic experience are mixed - the study by Hoffer used the vitamin intravenously in a 200mg dose. The author proposes an oral dose of 4g which is 20x that, or about 20,000% of the RDA. A quick Google search reveals people overdosing on similar dosages: 5g of niacin in the case of one 14 year old admitted to hospital with organ failure, who wanted to use niacin to "flush out" drugs out of his system.
On the historical side, there isn't much evidence to support the thesis that hashish was used by the Assassins - the origin of this claim seems to trace back to medieval legends. Another ahistoricism is attributing the modern Catholic practice to historical Christianity: "Christ and his follower Paul had even more peculiar sexual ideas and many of their followers gave up sex entirely [...] to this day Catholic priests psychologically castrate themselves by vowing sexual celibacy". There is nothing to suggest that the modern practice of celibacy comes down to the Church's views about sex (or Christ's for that matter - while Paul was celibate, Peter had a wife) and everything to suggest that the decision was a financial one.
Another bad aspect of the book is the martyred tone that it takes. While we can all agree that a government that can monitor your bodily fluids is too powerful, the fact that the author presents this with all the grace of a spoiled brat may alienate some readers.
The most important takeaways from the book are: that drugs, sex and religion have a long and intertwined history; surprisingly enough, the "peak experience" that drugs may offer seems to be available with training (as in tantric sex); not all drugs enhance sex and most drugs that seem to stimulate it have a reality expanding function like LSD or marijuana and not inhibitive one like alcohol or heroin.
Despite the annoyances the book is quite fun to read. Robert Anton Wilson has a knack to present his case clearly and in a droll manner. The content just screams "the 60s". Highly recommended, if you want a serious non-serious read or are very heavily into counter-culture.
The book presents a scientific, historical, and anecdotal account of the use of drugs and magic to enhance sexual experience. "Magic" here is understood not as extra sensory perception but mysticism, rituals, or other means of "programming a trip". Three major threads intertwine to tell full story: fictionalized accounts of people using drugs, the history and effects of drugs, and history of drug-using mystics.
The stories follow a similar pattern: the subject is an acquaintance of the author, whom he meets before and after some drug inspired transformation. So, one chapter tells the story of Jane that used LSD to (successfully) treat frigidity, with the caveat of landing in a mental institution. Another chapter follows Leonard, a man experimenting with drugs, and apparently every form of deviancy known to man. His transformation takes place years later when he becomes a born-again Christian. Yet another chapter tells the story of a couple experimenting with drugs and alternative lifestyles. As Wilson puts it their transformation was a divorce by psychedelics.
The accounts are short and amusing, a printed fossil of both the sexual and drug revolutions. Yet, they rarely touch the subject of magic - something really jarring seeing how often this thread is repeated in other parts of the book.
The author frequently makes a connection between sex and religious rites, as in tantra or pagan fertility rites, something he contrast against sexually repressed Christianity. Similarly, drug usage and religion have a similar long history. The author describes several drugs and religious rites: peyote and marijuana and various practices of shamanism; belladonna and pagan rites; or the modern drug LSD and "programming the biocomputer". The effects of drugs are described with due diligence and complement the, sometimes surprising, anecdotal accounts.
The book also presents several mystics who combined drugs or sex with religion, mostly concentrating on Alister Crowley and Hassan i Sabbah - the founder of Assassins.
Somewhat unsurprisingly, the book is riddled with factual errors. The reports on using orally-administered niacin to abort a psychedelic experience are mixed - the study by Hoffer used the vitamin intravenously in a 200mg dose. The author proposes an oral dose of 4g which is 20x that, or about 20,000% of the RDA. A quick Google search reveals people overdosing on similar dosages: 5g of niacin in the case of one 14 year old admitted to hospital with organ failure, who wanted to use niacin to "flush out" drugs out of his system.
On the historical side, there isn't much evidence to support the thesis that hashish was used by the Assassins - the origin of this claim seems to trace back to medieval legends. Another ahistoricism is attributing the modern Catholic practice to historical Christianity: "Christ and his follower Paul had even more peculiar sexual ideas and many of their followers gave up sex entirely [...] to this day Catholic priests psychologically castrate themselves by vowing sexual celibacy". There is nothing to suggest that the modern practice of celibacy comes down to the Church's views about sex (or Christ's for that matter - while Paul was celibate, Peter had a wife) and everything to suggest that the decision was a financial one.
Another bad aspect of the book is the martyred tone that it takes. While we can all agree that a government that can monitor your bodily fluids is too powerful, the fact that the author presents this with all the grace of a spoiled brat may alienate some readers.
The most important takeaways from the book are: that drugs, sex and religion have a long and intertwined history; surprisingly enough, the "peak experience" that drugs may offer seems to be available with training (as in tantric sex); not all drugs enhance sex and most drugs that seem to stimulate it have a reality expanding function like LSD or marijuana and not inhibitive one like alcohol or heroin.
Despite the annoyances the book is quite fun to read. Robert Anton Wilson has a knack to present his case clearly and in a droll manner. The content just screams "the 60s". Highly recommended, if you want a serious non-serious read or are very heavily into counter-culture.
February 9, 2014
Another wonderful RAW read. Leave it to Bob to write an intellectual account of mystical drug use during sexual practices throughout the course of history, while simultaneously building a timeless thesis between the lines. During his chronicling of occult sexual practices and drug use, Wilson interjects personal accounts of some of his acquaintances drug experiences (though he neglects to share any of his own) during the 60's, and these stories provide a nice break from the density of drug lingo and history present throughout the text. As he builds to the potent climax of Sex Drugs, and Magick, explaining in detail why some progressive human movements fail and why others continue, he hints at the idea that the (psychedelic) drug movement has gained popularity and momentum since the sixties (and realistically since 15,000 BC) because it represents substantial value to our population. Bob leaves us with a super-charged suggestion as the final line of his book, forever a skeptic, and always thoughtful, "The heretic of the 21st century might be, not a man who takes a drug the government forbids, but a man who refuses a drug the government commands."
March 23, 2008
Robert Anton Wilson's cred is beyond my humble reach, but let's admit it: this book was thrown together to capitalize on the title. The best thing about both sex and drugs is: they're really, really easy. I wish we had another Illuminatus! instead. :/
January 15, 2022
RAW is always fascinating. learned, earnest, challenging, and a bit of a huckster
This is one of his less frivolous books and worth a careful read. It is an account of Sex, drugs and magick as interlinked attempts at transcendence, ecstasy, and mind expansion through the ages - and of course heavily restricted and stomped on and carefully limited and proscribed by totalitarian governments everywhere always intent on mind control and suppression - demanding sober, tamed, hard working. Loyal, and obedient soldiers, workers, consumers and breeders. Allowed standardised, homogenised, brain dead religions if they must. Carefully controlled by the priests. And a brain dead standardized education if absolutely necessary. Carefully controlled by well vetted and mind-neutered professors. Well ... a fair enough account. Sounds about right.
I could do with more sex and drugs. The legal ones, don’t want to get stomped on. Magick? Yeah, not so much. There’s an awful lot of nonsense in that area. Maybe some genuine knowledge. Who knows.
One of his keenest single points is that all but the most extreme of the tranquilizing drugs are legal. Harmful or otherwise. But none of the expanders are. Except for the very tamest. Why is this so? Who exactly makes these decisions? How and Why, exactly?
This is one of his less frivolous books and worth a careful read. It is an account of Sex, drugs and magick as interlinked attempts at transcendence, ecstasy, and mind expansion through the ages - and of course heavily restricted and stomped on and carefully limited and proscribed by totalitarian governments everywhere always intent on mind control and suppression - demanding sober, tamed, hard working. Loyal, and obedient soldiers, workers, consumers and breeders. Allowed standardised, homogenised, brain dead religions if they must. Carefully controlled by the priests. And a brain dead standardized education if absolutely necessary. Carefully controlled by well vetted and mind-neutered professors. Well ... a fair enough account. Sounds about right.
I could do with more sex and drugs. The legal ones, don’t want to get stomped on. Magick? Yeah, not so much. There’s an awful lot of nonsense in that area. Maybe some genuine knowledge. Who knows.
One of his keenest single points is that all but the most extreme of the tranquilizing drugs are legal. Harmful or otherwise. But none of the expanders are. Except for the very tamest. Why is this so? Who exactly makes these decisions? How and Why, exactly?
May 9, 2025
Don't be fooled by the title - this is not some kind of manual of sex spells that one can cast with the assistance of drugs. It's actually a pretty fascinating summary over the history of illegal drugs, how effective they are as aphrodisiac (hence the sex part), and the "magick" part delves more into our perception of reality and how drugs and/or sex effect that.
As always with Robert Anton Wilson's work, the veracity of his claims might be a bit questionable, and sometimes comes across as fringe counterculture quackery, but he writes very intelligently and comes across as geniunely knowledgeable about these topics. If nothing else, I enjoy his perspective, even if I take it with a grain of salt. The book even has a really helpful index that describes the pros and cons of every recreational drug that existed at the time (late 90s).
As always with Robert Anton Wilson's work, the veracity of his claims might be a bit questionable, and sometimes comes across as fringe counterculture quackery, but he writes very intelligently and comes across as geniunely knowledgeable about these topics. If nothing else, I enjoy his perspective, even if I take it with a grain of salt. The book even has a really helpful index that describes the pros and cons of every recreational drug that existed at the time (late 90s).
August 31, 2025
An interesting jaunt through the history of drugs and sex (and magick), particularly through the lens of their sociological subjugation in the West. This book, while full of Wilson's characteristic wit and charm, probably lacks much new insight for anyone well-read on the subjects, particularly in 2025 and beyond. It was, however, very interesting to observe the depressingly small degree of growth in governments' attitudes towards these subjects in the nearly 50 years since this book's publication.
Wilson assesses (accurately, I think) that the war on drugs has a partner in crime in the war on sex; puritanical nations in the West seek to suppress drugs partly because of their role (real or perceived) in freeing our bodies and minds.
"if you can't bear our society without being half-asleep, let us at least control which drug you choose to be half-asleep on" - pg 129
Wilson assesses (accurately, I think) that the war on drugs has a partner in crime in the war on sex; puritanical nations in the West seek to suppress drugs partly because of their role (real or perceived) in freeing our bodies and minds.
"if you can't bear our society without being half-asleep, let us at least control which drug you choose to be half-asleep on" - pg 129
July 27, 2017
РАУ в своем репертуаре.
Описание научных исследований перемежается историями из жизни торчков и шлифуется цитатами священных писаний всех мастей. Коктейль получается легкий и увлекательный.
Интересно здесь и сейчас читать, как закручивались гайки в США после провала психоделичеческой революции. Как люди были уверены, что их телефоны прослушивают, а полиция получала все больше прав под лозунгом борьбы с наркотиками. Своего рода дежавю.
Описание научных исследований перемежается историями из жизни торчков и шлифуется цитатами священных писаний всех мастей. Коктейль получается легкий и увлекательный.
Интересно здесь и сейчас читать, как закручивались гайки в США после провала психоделичеческой революции. Как люди были уверены, что их телефоны прослушивают, а полиция получала все больше прав под лозунгом борьбы с наркотиками. Своего рода дежавю.
October 23, 2018
Merytoryczna wartość tej książki jest raczej niewielka, ale walory rozrywkowe wynagradzają wszelkie braki w treści! Dobra pozycja dla osób zainteresowanych kontrkulturą lat 60tych albo zagadnieniami tytułowymi, z naciskiem na "drugs".
April 3, 2025
Това е много любопитно.Любопитно, но дали е доставенро?
April 17, 2018
This book is roughly a history of aphrodisiacs around the world. It branches out to cover some really interesting uses for, and perceptions of drugs in different cultures. S,D,&M also discusses different drugs individually, and comes to some conclusions that were surprising to me. This book is different from most of Robert Anton Wilson's titles (that I am familiar with) in that it's very much non-fiction, but his wit, and incredible way of disseminating things are present here much in the same tone as his other work. Check it out!
August 5, 2024
This is by far one of Wilson’s more interesting books as far as the subject is concerned. More sex and drugs than magic, we are taken on an historical journey which shows us the terrors and values of certain drugs as well as their effects on sex.
I’m not a drug person. Never really have been. But the uses of certain drugs like LSD to treat trauma is intriguing.
Filled with RAW’s trademark wit, this was thoroughly enjoyable and worth a read.
I’m not a drug person. Never really have been. But the uses of certain drugs like LSD to treat trauma is intriguing.
Filled with RAW’s trademark wit, this was thoroughly enjoyable and worth a read.
January 10, 2008
The name pretty much says it all ... this book is second only to the Vaults of Erowid in its honest look at drugs and their effects, with a specific eye towards their impact on various sexual (and transcendental) experiences.
January 29, 2008
I actually felt smarter after reading this book. The history of drug use in sexual practices/society is covered & discussed in good detail. Turns out, I learned a lot more in college than I realized at the time. This is a great read for anyone who is open-minded or not a prude.
December 12, 2008
Heh. Don't buy "Sex and Drugs", because it's a watered down version of this book.
Taught me more about trance work, about what's available to you as a working magician in the world around you. Even if these aren't your typical modality, don't throw out the baby with the bong water.
Taught me more about trance work, about what's available to you as a working magician in the world around you. Even if these aren't your typical modality, don't throw out the baby with the bong water.
November 10, 2011
Written in the 1970s, but still sounds fresh. Case studies intersperses the main text dealing with various types of drug and their relationship to concious expansion. Plenty of cross-referencing, as usual, but Leary and Crowley feature the most.
January 26, 2008
this book is hilarious without trying to be.
March 9, 2008
some drugs are good sometimes. know yr brain first.
May 1, 2009
How could I not pick up this book and buy it and read it as a 17 year old. It's actually very informative for anyone who is thinking of trying either (or both at the same time).
Read
January 3, 2010Sexuality,Psychedelics
February 10, 2010
Informative and fun!
October 5, 2010
One of several of his books I used to have and love and eventually gave to people on "permanent loan". :)
January 22, 2011
contiene un paio di spunti buoni
Read
December 20, 2012Love this one....reallly rebellious but so true
January 24, 2014
A fascinating overview of the history of the role of drugs in human society, and its linkage with mysticism.
December 14, 2015
The first RAW book that I ever read. It had such a profound impact on me that I quit being a fundamentalist.
June 16, 2022
Superb
The second reading of this book, & I got a lot more from it this time! Especially with the extras from other friends & authors! A great read. Love RAW!
The second reading of this book, & I got a lot more from it this time! Especially with the extras from other friends & authors! A great read. Love RAW!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews