GP: "and to do so without external dependencies like drugs."
Are you reading this as "without (any) external dependencies, for example, drugs"?
That is a bit silly (as you're trying to point out).
Try "without external dependencies similar to drugs" (i.e., chemical substances that may dramatically alter physical & mental operation and are not at all required to lead a healthy life).
Rule of thumb -- if you find yourself explaining to someone that "you need food and water to live" or something else similarly basic, you've either misunderstood their point, or are talking to a 4-year-old. :)
I disagree. They're illustrative more than condescending, similar to your "rule of thumb".
The idea is that we alter our bodies through external actions in innumerable ways all the time. The idea that "drugs" are somehow different and not part of the human experience strikes me as an oversimplification.
It reminds me of people who don't like things with "chemicals" in them. Chemicals are in everything... and food is the ultimate drug.
Are you reading this as "without (any) external dependencies, for example, drugs"?
That is a bit silly (as you're trying to point out).
Try "without external dependencies similar to drugs" (i.e., chemical substances that may dramatically alter physical & mental operation and are not at all required to lead a healthy life).
Rule of thumb -- if you find yourself explaining to someone that "you need food and water to live" or something else similarly basic, you've either misunderstood their point, or are talking to a 4-year-old. :)