Op-Ed Podcast: Who Am I Fooling? (A critical look at "the Pollan effect" and excessive psychedelic enthusiasm)

[PlasticBippy]

This is a link to the transcript.

https://www.thecut.com/2022/03/cover-story-podcast-who-am-i-fooling-episode-8.html

This episode is notable because it uncovers a possibly heretofore unknown death related to 5-apb.

(I should state that I want to see psychedelics enter the mainstream as much as the next guy, but we shouldn't ignore any problems that may appear along the way.)

(I also don't think that 5-apb is any more or less safe than any other RC if used with caution. I would probably use it again in the future if the opportunity presented itself.)

 

[G_Chem]

Yea I pretty much checked out soon as I finished the first story about the old 74yr old who passed on mushrooms. Looking at the evidence, it’s clear mushroom cardiotoxicity is extremely rare. Aspirin causes 3,000 deaths a year but people still use it for headaches. I’m hard pressed to believe this mans heart wasn’t on its last leg as an old lawyer.

Next I skimmed because 5-MAPB is a cherished substance of mine, I had to read about this supposed 5-APB death. She died from loving an abusive cult leader, starving herself and repeatedly using these substances. The fact she says “he’s only sweet when he’s on the medicine” clearly indicates excessive use.

What this article points out is the problem with the California mindset that you can only achieve these higher levels of consciousness with a practitioner or shaman. This gives a perfect breeding ground for ego driven narcissists to feed on those trying to find their way.

Psychedelics are about taking spirituality into your own hands, so it’s sad to see people still continuing to allow others to decipher what that means to them. Did we learn nothing from organized religion?

The entire thing though felt like sensationalism.

-GC

 

[thegreenhand]

Did we learn nothing from organized religion?

lol no

But in all seriousness, it is sad to see those cult like tactics still happen in the psychedelic community. I almost got drawn into one of those circles myself. When you first meet other people who value these drug experiences like you do, it’s natural to be drawn to them. In my case, I had maybe one other person who I could talk about psychedelics with. Then all of a sudden I had 8-10 people I could talk with.

It was great. Until they tried to rope me into their love triangles (love octagon?)

I have been a fan of this podcast so far, though I am a few episodes behind. Haven’t listened to this one yet. I think it is good that this side of psychedelics is getting coverage though. I’m of the opinion that psychedelics lead to these false guru/cult like phenomena more often than other drugs do. I’m glad someone is talking about it at least, though I concede it is sensationalist.

However I would still recommend you listen through the whole podcast series. It uncovers just how deeply rooted some of this abusive shamanism runs in the community