The  origin of culture 

 Danilo Anton

 Once  humans became omnivorous, they also gradually became consumers of psychoactive plants. Simultaneously, a slow process of evolution changed their physical form, the capacity to manipulate tools and to create and understand symbols. This allowed humans to generate a distinguishing quality: the development of Culture.

Cultures are indeed an essential and variable part of human societies. They appear, they evolve, diverge.

When the first cultures were generated, they started an unstoppable process of change. Rituals, ceremonies and spiritual systems were created.

Highly complex communication systems were spoken, written or designed.     And finally, scientific and technological concepts and devices were invented and built.

Because of their origin and evolution in constant contact with psychoactive plants, human primates acquired a natural fascination with altered states of consciousness. 

The momentous messages that were activated by the Master Plants allowed spiritual growth.

For this reason, understanding human cultures requires taking into account the role of psychoactive plants. Without psychoactive plants cultural evolution becomes meaningless.

Perhaps this may explain the unique attraction, sometimes obsession, that us, humans, feel for these powerful plants.

It should not be forgotten.  Master Plants provide the codes to decipher essential characteristics of the human species.

These are keys to understand ourselves beyond appearances.

From the book "Peoples, Drugs and Serpents", Danilo Anton, Piriguazu Ediciones