--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Culture is a plot against the expansion…" description: "\"Culture is a plot against the expansion of consciousness.\" — Terence McKenna" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/terence-mckenna-287_consciousness_culture-is-a-plot-against-the-expansion_1572181.png" --- # Culture is a plot against the expansion of consciousness. ![“Culture is a plot against the expansion of consciousness.” quote by Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/terence-mckenna-287_consciousness_culture-is-a-plot-against-the-expansion_1572181.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/terence-mckenna-287_consciousness_culture-is-a-plot-against-the-expansion_1572181.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b5a/terence-mckenna-287_consciousness_culture-is-a-plot-against-the-expansion_1572181.png) > “Culture is a plot against the expansion of consciousness.” [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Culture can limit awareness by imposing rigid narratives that constrain perception. **In simple terms:** Culture can restrict awareness. Key Takeaway Question assumptions, seek diverse perspectives. Themes culture consciousness freedom Mood reflective critical Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - media consumption - personal growth - creative expression Key Concepts social conditioning critical thinking Questions to Reflect On - How does your culture shape your worldview? - What steps can you take to expand consciousness? A Different Perspective Cultural narratives can also provide cohesion and identity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Consciousness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consciousness/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) [Philosophy of Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy-of-mind/) ## Related quotes > [When you feel expansion of your consciousness, that is the most ecstatic experience possible, because suddenly you are the whole universe. Stars are within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/when-you-feel-expansion-of-your-consciousness-that-is-the-most/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Once we do fill the void and experience the expansion in consciousness, we realize there is enough and has always been enough. 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If the expansion of consciousness does not loom large in the human future, what kind of future…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/think-about-our-dilemma-on-this-planet-if-the-expansion-of/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [“It is certain that such a revolution in thought - that is, such an expansion of consciousness, such an evolution of intelligence - is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/schwaller-de-lubicz/it-is-certain-that-such-a-revolution-in-thought-that-is-such-an/) Schwaller de Lubicz > [Evolution of mankind is paralleled by the increase and expansion of consciousness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-hofmann/evolution-of-mankind-is-paralleled-by-the-increase-and-expansion-of/) [Albert Hofmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-hofmann/) > [“You are a significant, unique, independent, individual soul, who has ventured into this world to expand your awareness of yourself and truth. You are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-nilon/you-are-a-significant-unique-independent-individual-soul-who-has/) [Lorraine Nilon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-nilon/) > [What is happening, I think, it's really bigger than psychedelics, it's bigger than human evolution. We are not making the waves in this ocean.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/what-is-happening-i-think-it-s-really-bigger-than-psychedelics-it-s/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [One way to think about what psychedelics are is as catalysts for language development. They literally force the evolution of language. You cannot evolve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/one-way-to-think-about-what-psychedelics-are-is-as-catalysts-for/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are consciousness. We may not always be monkeys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-consciousness-we-may-not-always-be-monkeys/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The history of man that you don't know is what your unconscious is made out of. Just as the history of yourself that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-history-of-man-that-you-don-t-know-is-what-your-unconscious-is/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) ## More by Terence McKenna > [History was an incredibly damaging experience, and now it's over . . . in a sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/history-was-an-incredibly-damaging-experience-and-now-it-s-over-in-a/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are somehow the children of the planet, we are somehow its finest hour; we bind time, we bind the past, we anticipate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-somehow-the-children-of-the-planet-we-are-somehow-its-finest/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [The history of man that you don't know is what your unconscious is made out of. Just as the history of yourself that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/the-history-of-man-that-you-don-t-know-is-what-your-unconscious-is/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [We are consciousness. We may not always be monkeys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/we-are-consciousness-we-may-not-always-be-monkeys/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [What is happening here is we are living past the age, by the millions, living past the age where cultural values make any sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/what-is-happening-here-is-we-are-living-past-the-age-by-the-millions/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [What history is, essentially, is a careening, out-of-control effort to find our way back to this state of primordial balance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/what-history-is-essentially-is-a-careening-out-of-control-effort-to/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [And what is the primary datum? It's the felt presence of immediate experience. In other words, being here now is the primary datum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/and-what-is-the-primary-datum-it-s-the-felt-presence-of-immediate/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Our culture difinitely takes an egocentric dominator view. The fear of the psychedelic experience is quite literally the fear of losing control. Dominator types…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/our-culture-difinitely-takes-an-egocentric-dominator-view-the-fear-of/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Every step into freedom contains within it the potential for greater bondage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/every-step-into-freedom-contains-within-it-the-potential-for-greater/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [This is the message of your life and my life - it’s that nothing lasts. Heraclitus said it: Panta Rhei. All flows, nothing lasts.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/this-is-the-message-of-your-life-and-my-life-it-s-that-nothing-lasts/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [I often like to think that our map of the world is wrong, that where we have centered physics, we should actually place literature…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/i-often-like-to-think-that-our-map-of-the-world-is-wrong-that-where/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Knowledge, or verbal facility, is no proof that you know what you're talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/knowledge-or-verbal-facility-is-no-proof-that-you-know-what-you-re/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [No culture on earth is as heavily narcotized as the industrial West in terms of being inured to the consequences of maladaptive behavior. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terence-mckenna/no-culture-on-earth-is-as-heavily-narcotized-as-the-industrial-west/) [Terence McKenna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terence-mckenna/) > [Man was not put on this planet to toil in the mud. 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