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#78 Psychedelic Conversion Therapy, Part 2: From Counterculture to Culture War
08/12/2026
#78 Psychedelic Conversion Therapy, Part 2: From Counterculture to Culture War
Neşe and Russell examine the rise of modern right-wing influencers who simultaneously advocate for the dismantling of “woke” ideologies, express support for conversion therapy frameworks, and promote the use of psychedelic therapy. Focusing on figures like Elon Musk and Jordan Peterson, they explore how these seemingly contradictory positions intersect. Both Musk and Peterson have had a notable influence within psychedelic culture, shaping conversations around mental health, identity, and the future of therapy. This video unpacks their broader ideologies, particularly how they approach questions of gender and sexuality, and how those views could inform the ways psychedelics are applied in therapeutic or cultural contexts. As psychedelics move further into the mainstream, the frameworks guiding their use become increasingly important. Neşe and Russell examine the risks of these substances being deployed not for liberation or healing, but as tools to enforce conformity. Chapters: 0:00:00 Intro 0:03:00 Jordan Peterson background 0:05:10 Jordan Peterson hypes psychedelics to Dave Rubin and Ben Shapiro 0:08:35 Peterson's Double Standards on Evidence, Psychedelics vs. Gender Affirming Care 0:11:40 Peterson and Shapiro discuss conversion therapy 0:13:00 Right-wing focus on queerness as the "face" of "woke" ideology is a red herring 0:17:04 Peterson as the prototypical "psychedelic fascist" 0:19:15 Peterson and Peter Thiel's "Power Law" 0:21:00 Peterson and pathological framing of ideologies 0:23:20 Peterson's conversations with psychedelic researchers (Roland Griffiths, Robin Carhart-Harris) 0:44:00 Chloe Cole psychedelic detransition claims 0:47:00 Detrans rhetoric used for neurodivergence 0:51:00 Elon Musk's connections to the psychedelic industry 0:56:00 Elon Musk's war against the "Woke Mind Virus" Footnotes: "Medical Association Statements in Support of Health Care for Transgender People and Youth" (GLAAD): "Fact Sheet: Evidence-Based Health Care for Transgender People and Youth" (GLAAD): "American Psychiatric Association Responds to Executive Order on Accelerating Medical Treatments for Serious Mental Illness" (APA): "Jordan Peterson's Psychedelic Hierarchy, ft. Thought Slime" (Psymposia): Threads about Robin Carhart-Harris's conversation with Jordan Peterson: "QAnon Shaman, Chloe Cole, and Laura Becker Promote LSD Use as Alternative to Transition" (Assigned Media): "The Human Cost of DOGE’s War on U.S.A.I.D." (New Yorker): "Researchers Estimate USAID Cuts Have Already Led to 700,000 Deaths Worldwide" (Latin Times): "The Psychedelic Syndicate" (Psymposia): "Elon Musk on Racism, Bailing Out Trump, Hate Speech, and More" (The Don Lemon Show):
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