[Darmody]

    The model I use to think of it is that drugs steal life energy from your future and give it to you in the present.

I've never seen it this way but it makes a lot of sense. It's just the opposite of making sacrifices today for a better tomorrow (like studying, practising sports, etc).

[nitrogen]

Sometimes borrowing from the future is desirable, if done carefully. In my case, with naturally delayed sleep cycles even without artificial lighting, caffeine lets me take some of that night-time energy and shift it to the day. It's a wasteful conversion, but necessary in the modern world.

[meowkit]

Agreed is can be desirable. An example for readers: This is the fundamental basis of financial credit. Pull from the future to improve the present.