--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Then there was LSD, which was supposed to…" description: "\"Then there was LSD, which was supposed to make you think you could fly. I remember it made you think you couldn't stand up, and mostly it was right.\" —..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/p-j-o-rourke-184_lsd_then-there-was-lsd-which-was-supposed-to_627001.png" --- # Then there was LSD, which was supposed to make you think… ![“Then there was LSD, which was supposed to make you think you could fly. I remember it made you think you couldn't stand up, and mostly it was right.” quote by P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/p-j-o-rourke-184_lsd_then-there-was-lsd-which-was-supposed-to_627001.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/p-j-o-rourke-184_lsd_then-there-was-lsd-which-was-supposed-to_627001.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/p-j-o-rourke-184_lsd_then-there-was-lsd-which-was-supposed-to_627001.png) > “Then there was LSD, which was supposed to make you think you could fly. I remember it made you think you couldn't stand up, and mostly it was right.” [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. LSD promises transcendence but often results in disorientation, highlighting limits of mind‑altering drugs. **In simple terms:** Drugs may not deliver promised insights. Key Takeaway Approach psychedelics with caution. Themes illusion expectation reality Mood skeptical humorous Type critical observational When to use this quote - creative brainstorming - spiritual seeking - recreational use Key Concepts pharmacology culture psychology Questions to Reflect On - What expectations do you have of mind‑expanding experiences? - How do you stay grounded? A Different Perspective Effects are unpredictable and can impair function. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Psychedelic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychedelic/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [Sometimes you have to fall before you fly...~Remember every thing happens happens for a reason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junior-d-r-l-testament/sometimes-you-have-to-fall-before-you-fly-remember-every-thing/) Junior Dè Rèál Testament > [“Force the bit between the mouth of freedom didn't we learn to fly Remember to sail the skies Distant suns Will we reach Winds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-anderson/force-the-bit-between-the-mouth-of-freedom-didn-t-we-learn-to-fly/) [Jon Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-anderson/) > [Part of me says it's kind of crazy to think you can fly your human body. Another part of me thinks all of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-potter/part-of-me-says-it-s-kind-of-crazy-to-think-you-can-fly-your-human/) [Dean Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-potter/) > [You think your fly, just wait until I pull my cape out](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mac-miller/you-think-your-fly-just-wait-until-i-pull-my-cape-out/) [Mac Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mac-miller/) > [Whenever humanity seems condemned to heaviness, I think I should fly like Perseus into a different space. I don't mean escaping into dreams or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/whenever-humanity-seems-condemned-to-heaviness-i-think-i-should-fly-2/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [I know it's insane to think that I could fly. But to make it possible, you truly have to believe in it - to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-potter/i-know-it-s-insane-to-think-that-i-could-fly-but-to-make-it-possible/) [Dean Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-potter/) > [I've never been good at accepting jobs six months down the line. I can't do it. If I'm thinking about this, I can't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-carlyle/i-ve-never-been-good-at-accepting-jobs-six-months-down-the-line-i-can/) [Robert Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-carlyle/) > [“What are you looking at?" "A beautiful woman who makes me think I can fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elle-casey/what-are-you-looking-at-a-beautiful-woman-who-makes-me-think-i-can-fly/) [Elle Casey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elle-casey/) > [Whenever humanity seems condemned to heaviness, I think I should fly like Perseus into a different space. I don’t mean escaping into dreams or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italo-calvino/whenever-humanity-seems-condemned-to-heaviness-i-think-i-should-fly/) [Italo Calvino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italo-calvino/) > [I think I can fly - time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/i-think-i-can-fly-time/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“You might very well think that - I couldn't possibly comment.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-dobbs/you-might-very-well-think-that-i-couldn-t-possibly-comment/) [Michael Dobbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-dobbs/) > [If there wasn't death, I think you couldn't go on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-smith/if-there-wasn-t-death-i-think-you-couldn-t-go-on/) [Stevie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-smith/) > [I don't think I'd ever get thin, but I don't see why I should necessarily think that I couldn't You can't live your life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexei-sayle/i-don-t-think-i-d-ever-get-thin-but-i-don-t-see-why-i-should/) [Alexei Sayle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexei-sayle/) > [Sometimes I think, 'Why couldn't I have been normal?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/sometimes-i-think-why-couldn-t-i-have-been-normal/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [I couldn't bear to think about it; and yet, somehow, I couldn't think about nothing else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-couldn-t-bear-to-think-about-it-and-yet-somehow-i-couldn-t-think/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) ## More by P. J. O'Rourke > [I'm fascinated by political enthusiasm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-m-fascinated-by-political-enthusiasm/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [In comparative terms, there's no poverty in America by a long shot. Heritage Foundation political scientist Robert Rector has worked up figures showing that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/in-comparative-terms-there-s-no-poverty-in-america-by-a-long-shot/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [The Democrats said, "We don't know what's wrong with America, but we can fix it." The Republicans said, "There's nothing wrong with America, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/the-democrats-said-we-don-t-know-what-s-wrong-with-america-but-we-can/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [At Epcot Center the Disney corporation has focused its attention on two things greatly in need of Disneyfication: the tedious future and the annoying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/at-epcot-center-the-disney-corporation-has-focused-its-attention-on/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [So-called Western Civilization, as practised in half of Europe, some of Asia and a few parts of North America, is better than anything else…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/so-called-western-civilization-as-practised-in-half-of-europe-some-of/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [My whole family can talk. They are all car salesmen. They are all funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/my-whole-family-can-talk-they-are-all-car-salesmen-they-are-all-funny/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [It was Ronald Reagan who used to say that the 10 most frightening words in the English language are, "I'm from the federal government,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/it-was-ronald-reagan-who-used-to-say-that-the-10-most-frightening/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Gun violence has cost us too many political leaders, and hardly ever the worst ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/gun-violence-has-cost-us-too-many-political-leaders-and-hardly-ever/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Pete Seeger is a modest, unassuming, cheerful, and kind-natured man. He's a good folk singer, if you can stand folk singing. And he's such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/pete-seeger-is-a-modest-unassuming-cheerful-and-kind-natured-man-he-s/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Journalists are notoriously easy to kid. All you have to do is speak to a journalist in a very serious tone of voice, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/journalists-are-notoriously-easy-to-kid-all-you-have-to-do-is-speak/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I like to think of my behavior in the sixties as a 'learning experience.' Then again, I like to think of anything stupid I've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-like-to-think-of-my-behavior-in-the-sixties-as-a-learning/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [I'll be 56 this year, I've got two kids, and I think it's probably time to go back to writing one-glove jokes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/i-ll-be-56-this-year-i-ve-got-two-kids-and-i-think-it-s-probably-time/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Something that comes to us, some gym shoe that comes to us as a result of child labor from a brutal dictatorship, where people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/something-that-comes-to-us-some-gym-shoe-that-comes-to-us-as-a-result/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Russians not only vehemently despise blacks, they believe Africa begins at the Ukraine border.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/russians-not-only-vehemently-despise-blacks-they-believe-africa/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Now, do I think the baby boomers tend to be self-absorbed? I do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/now-do-i-think-the-baby-boomers-tend-to-be-self-absorbed-i-do/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) [Explore all 983 P. J. O'Rourke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) ## More Lsd quotes > [ \[In the 1960s\]...you could take LSD but you couldn't wear a pantsuit. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/betsey-johnson/in-the-1960s-you-could-take-lsd-but-you-couldn-t-wear-a-pantsuit/) [Betsey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/betsey-johnson/) > [I'm here today because of LSD. LSD gave me the confidence to be who I am today. Completely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-waters/i-m-here-today-because-of-lsd-lsd-gave-me-the-confidence-to-be-who-i/) [John Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-waters/) > [In many instances, LSD actually produced terrifying and deleterious effects instead of beneficial effects, because of misuse, because it was a profanation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-hofmann/in-many-instances-lsd-actually-produced-terrifying-and-deleterious/) [Albert Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-hofmann/) > [“Listen to anything and take it apart again. Spectrum analysis, in my head. I can break down chords, and timbres, and words too into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-pynchon/listen-to-anything-and-take-it-apart-again-spectrum-analysis-in-my/) [Thomas Pynchon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-pynchon/) > [Wrong and inappropriate use has caused LSD to become my problem child,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-hofmann/wrong-and-inappropriate-use-has-caused-lsd-to-become-my-problem-child/) [Albert Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-hofmann/) > [I have always had this very strong, call it a feeling, call it a prejudice, call it a conviction ... that the mysteries are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-mailer/i-have-always-had-this-very-strong-call-it-a-feeling-call-it-a/) [Norman Mailer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-mailer/) > [Reality became for me a problem after my experience with LSD. Before, I had believed there was only one reality, the reality of everyday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-hofmann/reality-became-for-me-a-problem-after-my-experience-with-lsd-before-i/) [Albert Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-hofmann/) > [LSD was not a pharmacological agent generating exotic experiences by its interaction with the neurophysiological processes in the brain. This remarkable substance was clearly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislav-grof/lsd-was-not-a-pharmacological-agent-generating-exotic-experiences-by/) [Stanislav Grof](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislav-grof/) > [My total sellout to LSD, marijuana, and hashish, and to sex with virtually any attractive man, landed me in the hospital for four months.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-atkins/my-total-sellout-to-lsd-marijuana-and-hashish-and-to-sex-with/) [Susan Atkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-atkins/) > [ The first note in that octave \[of our cultural transformation\], the do, was the discovery of LSD by Albert Hofmann in 1943. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-metzner/the-first-note-in-that-octave-of-our-cultural-transformation-the-do/) [Ralph Metzner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-metzner/) > [Sometimes I smoked opium. And I also took LSD - for a while, quite a lot of LSD, in fact. But I never had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-beltracchi/sometimes-i-smoked-opium-and-i-also-took-lsd-for-a-while-quite-a-lot/) [Wolfgang Beltracchi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-beltracchi/) > [I became very sensitive to what will happen to all this and all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-hofmann/i-became-very-sensitive-to-what-will-happen-to-all-this-and-all-of-us/) [Albert Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-hofmann/) > [You can't go to an LSD or pot party unless you take it yourself. If I want to go, I must take drugs myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelangelo-antonioni/you-can-t-go-to-an-lsd-or-pot-party-unless-you-take-it-yourself-if-i/) [Michelangelo Antonioni](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelangelo-antonioni/) > [Try LSD, 100mg intramuscular... I thought so.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/try-lsd-100mg-intramuscular-i-thought-so/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [I think that in human evolution it has never been as necessary to have this substance LSD. It is just a tool to turn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-hofmann/i-think-that-in-human-evolution-it-has-never-been-as-necessary-to/) [Albert Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-hofmann/) Browse all 138 Lsd quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Then there was LSD, which was supposed to make you think you could fly. I remember it made you think you couldn't stand up, and mostly it was right.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "P. J. O'Rourke" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/then-there-was-lsd-which-was-supposed-to-make-you-think-you-could-fly/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Lsd" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/then-there-was-lsd-which-was-supposed-to-make-you-think-you-could-fly/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/p-j-o-rourke-184_lsd_then-there-was-lsd-which-was-supposed-to_627001.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/p-j-o-rourke-184_lsd_then-there-was-lsd-which-was-supposed-to_627001.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c83/p-j-o-rourke-184_lsd_then-there-was-lsd-which-was-supposed-to_627001.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Then there was LSD, which was supposed to make you think you could fly. I remember it made you think you…” — P. J. O'Rourke", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "P. J. O'Rourke", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Then there was LSD, which was...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/then-there-was-lsd-which-was-supposed-to-make-you-think-you-could-fly/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/then-there-was-lsd-which-was-supposed-to-make-you-think-you-could-fly/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```