Dialectical Journal Analysis

1. “But addiction is another one of those words— dismissive, full of judgment, too encompassing—and while that is to some extent on the mark, a cautionary on many levels” (pg. 8). This section directly relates to the taboo recreation idea of addiction and is one of the reason drugs are considered taboo. Unlike other forms of leisure drugs can affect your body in such a way that you need them and without them you will experience withdrawals. Because of the physiological effects many drugs are illegal and so are a form of formal disobedience.

2. “Now I agreed with alacrity. I was on a ketamine roll” (pg. 4). The eagerness to try ketamine again could point toward how addictive the substance is, or it may just be because he is already familiar with the drug. The fact that he had only tried it once before make

“S. said to me, ‘Ken, I have taken it about 200 times. It’s perfectly safe. I know how to give injections. Meet me for breakfast tomorrow and I’ll answer all your questions.’” (pg. 2). This section show the Recreation idea of differential association. This is because S. helped teach Ken about Ketamine and in doing so talked him in to trying it for sure. In this way Ken’s taking of ketamine was learned form the people around him who assured him it was safe and he had nothing to worry about.

4. “He gradually came to realize that John was using him as a drug connection for what had become a daily or multiple daily use of ketamine.” (pg. 8). Drug abuse is one of the key concepts in taboo recreation. Drugs are fine to an extent until you get to the point of addiction. There are some drugs which you cannot get physically addicted to such as marijuana. However, I feel that almost anything can become an addiction because wail your body may not become dependent on it you mind can become addicted to it. You may not get addicted to the drug its self but you can get addicted to the feeling it gives you like how adrenaline junkies are addicted to that rush of