Strata 19 Peer Pressure (Existentialism) by Sarnia de la Mare Audiobooks by Tale Teller Club™

Welcome to Immersion. You have reached Strata 19
Peer Pressure (Existentialism)
 Drugs may be used by humans to deal with stress or to try to achieve an enlightened state of mind. They are administered and distributed through rituals or cultural mores.Often humans take hallucinogenic or mind altering drugs simply to escape their perceived troubles or to relieve monotony.
Some tribespeople believe that drugs such as these can lead to an existential awakening that emphasises an individual's existence, freedoms, and choices, allowing humans to define their own meaning in life. This epiphany can help make humans to make rational decisions despite existing in an irrational and unstable universe.
But humans can easily become addicted to anything when the pleasure circuits in the brain get overwhelmed and artificial intelligence relies on this catastrophic human propensity to manipulate outcomes and behaviours.
Renyke and Flex took some time to get ready for the party.There was an array of paints, pigments, henna, and kohl. They drew geometric and organic shapes on each other's faces and bodies.
'Look,' said Flex excitedly, spinning Renyke around in front of a mirror. There are light trails!' The pigments contained tiny particles of reflective material. 'It's magical.' says Renyke as he pirouetted around the room. He had never danced like this before. The air whooshed against his ears and the shapes and reflections in the room blurred into rainbows. The rush of blood to Renyke's brain triggered endorphins and dopamine and it felt good to be alive.
The lights dimmed as Nigel entered the chamber.
'Gentlemen, I have your pills and refreshment.'
'Pills, what do mean, pills?' asked Flex, 'you mean like *nibs?'
'Yes,' answered Nigel, 'but better, naturally. Everything in the *Tunnels is better, everyone knows that.'
'Indeed it is. Thank you brother,' answered Flex, excitedly taking a small yellow nugget and a gulp of water.
Renyke asks *POS what the pill might be?
......My analysis shows the substance is some sort of hallucinogenic, 99% likely to be a dissociative drug. To stay alert and on target for your mission I advise that you avoid consumption. Consuming chemicals may render you unpredictable and unable to communicate with your essential-to-life POS….
Nigel shoved the tray under Renyke's sceptical nose.
'What is it, exactly?' asked Renyke. I am uncertain about such things....'
'A gift in grateful appreciation of life itself, silly, and to share the joys of tonight's festival,' answered Nigel, jabbing the tray into Renyke's chest.
Flex was smiling, whistling, and humming some tunes.
'Such a pleasant song,' remarked Nigel,' once again jabbing the tray into Renyke's chest and glaring at him with piercing eyes.
'Just take it, brother, it's a *party-party,' said Flex, suppressing a snigger.
'To refuse this gift would cause great offence to your host, she be most angry-cross, Her Most Radiant Oracle of the War-Torn High Priestess Lyra,' said Nigel, with one final jab of the tray.
'You are human now,' said Flex, 'come join us in the to the .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}