Live data from Hacker News

LSD 'microdosing' is trending in Silicon Valley

theconversation.com

81–90 of 140 posts

Re: LSD 'microdosing' is trending in Silicon Valley

#81
post #11

I would strongly encourage anyone looking for new perceptions that aid in concentration and/or creativity to first really try, and properly try, and without giving up too soon, the art of meditation. It's cheaper, safer, longer-lasting, and most certainly a higher-quality experience once properly learned.

The practice of meditation makes me curious. Isn't the active ingredient of it just to take a break from outside stimulation for a while rather than to go through all the requirements of formal meditation - like not allowing your mind to wander off?

Re: LSD 'microdosing' is trending in Silicon Valley

#82
post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not sure why HN has an affinity for LSD? Please don't make generalizations about the entirety of HN. You're a member of the HN community as well: do you have an affinity for LSD? If you have some stats backing this up, I think a lot of people would find it interesting: at least I would.

I think it's clear that lcw was making an observation about the tone of HN comments on the topic. I found it to be a reasonable one that matches my perception. Disputing his comment makes sense if you think he's wrong, but it seems unreasonable to require people to back up such commentary with "stats".

There's a tendency in discourse to make generalizations across large groups of people, which degrades our ability to see the nuance and diversity of opinion and perspective that clearly exists. This gets particularly pernicious when discussing contentious topics. Given the how damaging this can be (current political discourse in the US or here on HN is a good example), making such generalizations really needs to be justified.

In 'lcw's comment, the generalization doesn't add anything substantive to the comment. Indeed, one could read it as disparaging to the HN community because it's too naïve to understand the risks of LSD, rather than granting the members the benefit of the doubt that they're capable of making reasonable decisions. And that's ultimately the point: by making generalizations like this, it doesn't add anything substantive or constructive to the comment and ignores the wide range of opinions across the HN community.

Edit to add: As an aside, you mention that 'lcw's observation matches your perception. It's well known that our perceptions are often wrong, or at least skewed. That's why backing them up with data is important, to make sure our perceptions are consistent with reality.

Re: LSD 'microdosing' is trending in Silicon Valley

#84
post #74

What I wonder is whether the stuff on the street is really LSD. There's a lot of counterfeit material floating around, and (as far as I know) no testing kits that can detect the real thing. I'd be very wary -- especially at larger doses.

LSD is usually LSD because it is way more potent per unit volume than any other recreational drug. It's also cheap per dose. In terms of not knowing what you are getting it's much more common to find stuff like 'mdma' actually containing LSD. It's true it can be hard to know the dose. I'd also be very wary more because LSD can cause harm than it possibly being something else. As an aside here's a dosage guide: https:…

"LSD is usually LSD because it is way more potent per unit volume than any other recreational drug."

This used to be true, but is very unfortunately not true any more. Newer synthetic drugs, like bromo-dragonfly, are approaching LSD in potency[1] making them essentially indistinguishable from LSD in practice, and resulting in actual fatalities.[2][3]

[1] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromo-DragonFLY#Dosage

[2] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bromo-DragonFLY#Toxicity

[3] - https://erowid.org/chemicals/bromo_dragonfly/bromo_dragonfly...

Re: LSD 'microdosing' is trending in Silicon Valley

#85
post #81
post #11

I would strongly encourage anyone looking for new perceptions that aid in concentration and/or creativity to first really try, and properly try, and without giving up too soon, the art of meditation. It's cheaper, safer, longer-lasting, and most certainly a higher-quality experience once properly learned.

The practice of meditation makes me curious. Isn't the active ingredient of it just to take a break from outside stimulation for a while rather than to go through all the requirements of formal meditation - like not allowing your mind to wander off?

This is a common misunderstanding about meditation. In reality, the requirements of formal meditation are exactly what makes it work. Just taking a break does not have the same effects at all.

It's really hard to explain why- it feels to me like it's a weird quirk of the mind at times, because of how it only works if you follow the steps precisely.

At times I feel like it's the focus that you constantly bring yourself back into that helps. At others, I think it's the recognition of all the thoughts that are swirling around your head. At others, I think it's the anti-anxiolytic effect of simply dropping your worries.

I don't understand it at all. But it works.

Re: LSD 'microdosing' is trending in Silicon Valley

#86
post #81
post #11

I would strongly encourage anyone looking for new perceptions that aid in concentration and/or creativity to first really try, and properly try, and without giving up too soon, the art of meditation. It's cheaper, safer, longer-lasting, and most certainly a higher-quality experience once properly learned.

The practice of meditation makes me curious. Isn't the active ingredient of it just to take a break from outside stimulation for a while rather than to go through all the requirements of formal meditation - like not allowing your mind to wander off?

[deleted]

Re: LSD 'microdosing' is trending in Silicon Valley

#87

It's hard for me to imagine getting any meaningful programming work done on even a low dose of acid. One look at my computer and I go "I sure waste a lot of my life on this thing. I'm going to go outside."

A microdose is not a low dose, it's a dose where you don't notice you are tripping but your perception and concentration is enhanced

Re: LSD 'microdosing' is trending in Silicon Valley

#88
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can you suggest where one can start learning "how" to meditate?

I think everyone's practice is a little different, and I highly recommend finding people IRL who meditate and ask them about their practice. I sorta have my own thing that I've made up in my routine. Happy to expand on it but not sure HN is the right place. Foundational books that got me going in order of importance for me: 15 Laws of Growth: https://www.amazon.com/15-Invaluable-Laws-Growth-Potential-e... The Bhagava…

> not sure HN is the right place

I see meditation coming up so frequently in discussions here, I wish some high karma person would post a "Ask HN: What's your personal meditation routine/journey, and what has it done for you?"

Re: LSD 'microdosing' is trending in Silicon Valley

#89

It's hard for me to imagine getting any meaningful programming work done on even a low dose of acid. One look at my computer and I go "I sure waste a lot of my life on this thing. I'm going to go outside."

I'd probably take too much, turn inside out and get stuck to the ceiling.
Post reply on HN