I’m 38. Given what you collectively know about LSD and psilocybin and regulation against them in the US will it be my generation or my children’s generation or my grandchildren’s generation who are able to engage with these drugs sensibly and legally?
Do you think that this general normalisation of psychedelic usage is a prerequisite to us reconciling with nature, accepting our dependence on the planet and collectively dealing with the biological collapse and climate change?
I do think we will find a way to fold these powerful substances into our society. Do I think they could help change consciousness at scale? In my hopeful moments, yes—they do seem to nudge people in the direction of altruism, ego-lessness, connection to nature, and to valuing nature, interconnectedness and love. Is this inevitable? Probably not—some people emerge from their experiences of ego death with a worrying ego inflation. There is also the question of how do you administer a drug to a whole society? You can’t put psychedelics in the water like flouride. We have no other precedents, so we’re really in uncharted territory here. But good research could help us decide if our hopes and aspirations for psychedelics are grounded in reality or dreams.
#1 if you mean regulated, non-research use, for healthy people without disorders, I’m not sure but I think a decent chance within your lifetime. Treatment for suffering (mental disorders) is the priority in my opinion. But society may move quickly.
#2 No. I certainly don’t think psychedelics are necessary for humans to survive and flourish. Hopefully they can help. But if psychedelics never existed, I still think there would be hope for us.
I’m 38. Given what you collectively know about LSD and psilocybin and regulation against them in the US will it be my generation or my children’s generation or my grandchildren’s generation who are able to engage with these drugs sensibly and legally?
Do you think that this general normalisation of psychedelic usage is a prerequisite to us reconciling with nature, accepting our dependence on the planet and collectively dealing with the biological collapse and climate change?
I do think we will find a way to fold these powerful substances into our society. Do I think they could help change consciousness at scale? In my hopeful moments, yes—they do seem to nudge people in the direction of altruism, ego-lessness, connection to nature, and to valuing nature, interconnectedness and love. Is this inevitable? Probably not—some people emerge from their experiences of ego death with a worrying ego inflation. There is also the question of how do you administer a drug to a whole society? You can’t put psychedelics in the water like flouride. We have no other precedents, so we’re really in uncharted territory here. But good research could help us decide if our hopes and aspirations for psychedelics are grounded in reality or dreams.
#1 if you mean regulated, non-research use, for healthy people without disorders, I’m not sure but I think a decent chance within your lifetime. Treatment for suffering (mental disorders) is the priority in my opinion. But society may move quickly.
#2 No. I certainly don’t think psychedelics are necessary for humans to survive and flourish. Hopefully they can help. But if psychedelics never existed, I still think there would be hope for us.