Psychedelics Are Not Just for Hippies and Tech Bros

Author Joe Dolce explains how psychedelics are moving from counterculture to mainstream, with new science, shifting laws, and surprising therapies that promise to change how we treat addiction, anxiety, and self-discovery.

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Psychedelics Are Not Just for Hippies and Tech Bros

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The Reason Interview with Nick Gillespie goes deep with the artists, entrepreneurs, politicians, and visionaries who are making the 21st century more libertarian—or at least more interesting—by challenging worn-out ideas and orthodoxies.

Today's guest is Joe Dolce, whose new book is Modern Psychedelics: The Handbook for Mindful Exploration.

Dolce argues that psychedelics aren't just the province of hippies or tech bros anymore. They are powerful and increasingly popular—and legal—tools for therapy, self-discovery, and play.

He talks with Gillespie about everything from the misunderstood role of ketamine in Friends star Matthew Perry's death to why ibogaine may be the only substance on Earth that can stop addiction cold, to how we went from "Just Say No!" campaigns to mail-order magic mushrooms in just a few short decades.

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0:00—Intro

1:25—What do psychedelics teach?

7:02—Psychedelic safety and ketamine myths

13:01—How psychedelics work and ibogaine effects

19:12—Microdosing

23:00—Psychedelics and altered states

28:10—Generational perceptions of psychedelics

30:59—Cultural acceptance of psychedelics

42:22—The future of psychedelics

48:34—Drug legalization and access

 

Previous Appearance:

"Brave New World of Weed: The Astonishing Potential of a Complex Plant," April 6, 2017

 

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Comments

[Chumby]

They are also for near homeless douchesters in Portland, Oregon.

[Zeb]

As are food and water.

[Wizzle Bizzle]

"Lower back tattoos aren't just for skanks and girls with daddy issues," say skanks and girls with daddy issues.

[Dillinger]

>>What do psychedelics teach?

there is more.

[Rick James]

"Just Say No!" campaigns to mail-order magic mushrooms in just a few short decades.

Nick, god I wish the problem with America was psychedelics. I mean, far out man, they're becoming legal as long as you do it in the presence of a clip-board wielding agent of the state, but it's not psychedelics that are the cause of miles of homeless tents, crime and filth in nearly every major American city-- something that took place in just a few short decades.

[rbike]

No. For me. And I recommend the same for you. But whatever .

[Homer Thompson]

microdosing mushrooms is surprisingly pleasant

tried for the first time in 25 years this summer at a concert

[Zeb]

Yeah, small doses are nice. Full on tripping certainly isn't for everyone, but I think there is a lot to be said for microdoses. Nice little boost of energy and mood and appreciation for aesthetic things.

[Dillinger]

makes Monday morning entirely more pleasant

[LIBtranslator]

Macrodosing--a large cereal bowl heaped with dried cubensis and French dressing--is not a good introduction. I was really lucky Country Joe and the Fish were playing in Austin that night. Two of those big fresh ones are plenty.

[AT]

who are making the 21st century more libertarian—or at least more interesting—by challenging worn-out ideas and orthodoxies.

"Challenging worn-out ideas and orthodoxies."

aka Critical Theory.

The Frankfurt School wasn't libertarian, retards. It was Marxist.

STOP PRETENDING THAT YOU ARE LIBERTARIANS. BEING DRUG ADDICTS DOES NOT MAKE YOU LIBERTARIANS. YOU ARE MARXISTS, THROUGH AND THROUGH. MARXIST DRUG ADDICTS.

[Zeb]

I'd argue that challenging worn out ideas and orthodoxies goes both ways. Marxist nonsense has become the orthodoxy in many circles (sadly). I'm not saying psychedelics are necessarily the right way to encourage people to challenge those orthodoxies. But you seem to be overlooking how deeply some of the Marxist/leftist shit has embedded in our culture.

[AT]

Mm, I see where you're going with that - but let me argue by analogy.

Let's imagine a brand new computer, fresh out of the box, nice clean operating system and hard drive. We'll call that "ideas and orthodoxies." After a few years of use, it becomes infected with malware and viruses. That's "Marxism/Progressivism." The whole point of the malware is to corrupt the system and open it to exploitation.

In that regard, we're not challenging the "ideas and orthodoxies" of the malware. We already know they're dangerous and unwanted. We're just trying to get rid of it - bring us back to (or "conserve," if you will) that original state.

The fact that it's well-embedded doesn't give it any legitimacy to "challenge." It never had any in the first place.

I hope that makes sense. I'm not sure I'm being as clear as I can.

[LIBtranslator]

Analogy is the crutch of superstitious bigots incompetent to handle formal inference. "Let's you believe a hypothetical I dreamt up and pretend it contains a factual major premise, nonmoronic minor premise and conclusion only Jesus and Harry Anslinger can arrive at..."

[LIBtranslator]

Altruist Totalitarian regards kicking in doors and shooting people as safe. LSD, mescaline and other drugs that have never killed anyone, produce no habits and are non-toxic compared to Victory Gin and snuff cigarettes? THOSE are dangerous, especially to mental midgiots who've never run a physics lab experiment. Indeed, totalitarian bigots arranged political command jurisprudence that makes running counterfactual experiments the sort of heresy that burned Beatles albums at the stake in Alabama! Said mentality inspired an insane mystic to safely shoot John Lennon in the back across the park from Nixon's pad.

[LIBtranslator]

Thanks, Nick for a most interesting interview. I'll be looking for that book as soon as I finish The Book Of Why.