The Popular Pineal

The pineal gland may be small, but it looms large in the minds of literary types. Did you know the pineal gland was a source of fascination to philosophers like Descartes, who called it the "seat of the soul"? The pineal gland captured the imagination of authors like Hunter S. Thompson, whose character Dr. Gonzo feared the psychoactive properties of pineal gland extract in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. "Man, I'll try just about anything, but I'd never in hell touch a pineal gland," Dr. Gonzo said in the movie version of the book. In his novel Broom of the System, David Foster Wallace's fictional corporation Stonecipheco worked on putting a pineal additive in baby food. More pop culture pineal stuff here.