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Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

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Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#71

Post by trabant00 »

TheAdamAndChe wrote: post #48
akvadrako wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And you don't need to trip on mushrooms to see the filth all arround us. For you. A lot of people don't see what's around them on a daily basis, good or bad. Mushrooms can help with that since they remove a lot of the filters we have built up.

We put in filters as an adaptation to help live in such an environment. If we remove those filters for things that we can't change, won't it make everyone needlessly miserable?

And I wondered - for example - why people push back when I point out what a shit hole of a city we live in. Thanks for the perspective.

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#72

Post by say_it_as_it_is »

jatgoodwin wrote: post #41

The problem with psychedelics is they only make you "more" of what you are. It's the spotlighting effect multiplied. Especially when "bad" people take them they just become even more of an asshole, or dare I say when stupid people take them they just revel in the intoxication. You just have to read the old research literature on LSD like stuff from James Fadiman to understand that these are extremely dangerous substa…

I've paid attention over the last few years to what is being said about psilocybin in pop media. It seems that the problem isn't as you said but rather that it isn't being used in a clinical setting with a qualified therapist where a patient under the influence may break through barriers preventing recovery.

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#73

Post by animal_spirits »

michalf6 wrote: post #68

It can't save the environment from cultures that will bulldoze over incapacitated and non-competing westerners who buy this hippie nonsense. Is there any good data on the effects of taking psychedelics on aggression / ambition / aggreableness / conscientiousness? The "becoming one with Nature" theme seems to be pretty common among enthusiasts, although I personally didn't notice a lasting effect after eating shrooms.…

I was curious and decided to look it up. Turns out there is a peer reviewed Journal of Psychopharmacology that has many published papers on topics that you mention.

https://journals.sagepub.com/home/jop

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#74

Post by vmception »

TheAdamAndChe wrote: post #48
akvadrako wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> And you don't need to trip on mushrooms to see the filth all arround us. For you. A lot of people don't see what's around them on a daily basis, good or bad. Mushrooms can help with that since they remove a lot of the filters we have built up.

We put in filters as an adaptation to help live in such an environment. If we remove those filters for things that we can't change, won't it make everyone needlessly miserable?

> If we remove those filters for things that we can't change, won't it make everyone needlessly miserable?

Perceived as Normal: People do not see the world for what it is and need to rationalize pleasant things to motivate their continual participation in it and expect others to do the same.

One aspect of depression: People see the world for what is is and can no longer rationalize pleasant things to motivate their continual participation in it.

High functioning: People see the world for what it is and have no need to rationalize pleasant things to motivate their continue participation in it and leverage the observation that others need and expect a continual illusion.

We are not all the same and perhaps more people can be higher functioning.

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#75

Post by say_it_as_it_is »

quantumwoke wrote: post #2

I've been microdosing psilocybin daily for the past six months during quarantine as a bit of a cognitive experiment. I feel a lot more switched on and focused in my work. Reading these posts I wonder what other diseases such as Parkinson's, seizures, PTSD, depression, anxiety have yet to be studied and require more research. Can anyone speak to this? Anything else I should add to my stack?

Lion's Mane mushroom is being marketed by Stamets

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#76

Post by currymj »

i don't like this argument at all. protecting the environment is an immense responsibility that we all share, so the argument veers close to implying that choosing not to take psychedelic drugs is morally wrong -- willfully choosing to inhibit "evolutionary intelligence".

i've noticed that in the last couple years, psychedelic advocates have shifted from advocating for legalization and increased research (very good in my view), to being very defensive about possible dangers, to applying social pressure against people who don't want to take psychedelics. of course this only happens right now in certain limited social circles, but it is spreading.

not a good trend in my view, and not very reassuring if psychedelics are supposed to help people be more enlightened and open-minded.

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#78

Post by currymj »

michalf6 wrote: post #68

It can't save the environment from cultures that will bulldoze over incapacitated and non-competing westerners who buy this hippie nonsense. Is there any good data on the effects of taking psychedelics on aggression / ambition / aggreableness / conscientiousness? The "becoming one with Nature" theme seems to be pretty common among enthusiasts, although I personally didn't notice a lasting effect after eating shrooms.…

Stamets himself is quite a successful entrepreneur, as one data point. He funds much of his research out of the proceeds from his business selling mushroom-based products.

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#79

Post by blindm »

jatgoodwin wrote: post #41

The problem with psychedelics is they only make you "more" of what you are. It's the spotlighting effect multiplied. Especially when "bad" people take them they just become even more of an asshole, or dare I say when stupid people take them they just revel in the intoxication. You just have to read the old research literature on LSD like stuff from James Fadiman to understand that these are extremely dangerous substa…

> The problem with psychedelics is they only make you "more" of what you are

And when you're ready to surrender your ego for a while, and realize that 'what you are' is star stuff, the experience is amazing. I agree with your sentiment, and set and setting are very important. I know people who prepare for months before they trip, making sure nobody's going to be calling their phone, curating the right music to listen to, maybe attending some art exhibitions beforehand, etc

Re: Paul Stamets on the interrelationship among mushrooms, consciousness, and nature

#80

Post by toby »

drewmate wrote: post #49
okamiueru wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is that clip indicative of the quality of the show?

Currently, yes. The first season was _much_ better, and there has been a decline (at first steep, then gradual and consistent) with each season since then. This was the last episode they aired due to COVID-related production shutdown. They're supposed to finish this season and do another, but I wonder if the show might just shut down quietly at this point.

It was initially based on a true story described in the book "Black Edge". It just kept getting more and more outlandish once they ran out of source material.
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