Psymposia Podcast

Psymposia is a 501(c)(3) research non-profit with a mission to educate the public on psychedelic science and harm reduction. We offer critical perspectives on drugs, politics, and culture. The podcast is co-hosted by Psymposia co-founder Brian Normand, psychedelics researcher and ethicist Neşe Devenot, evolutionary ecologist Brian Pace, and journalist Russell Hausfeld.

#59 Bitter Karella: Queer Horror and Mushroom Magic 12/20/2025

#58: MAPS Psychedelic Science Contract Muzzles Speakers 06/21/2023

#57: Greg Lake: The Church of Psilomethoxin interview 05/09/2023

#56 - Travis Kitchens: The M-Scale and the Occult Roots of the JHU Psychedelic Research Program 01/19/2023

#55 - Sasha Sisko: On the Ground at Wonderland Miami 11/24/2022

#54 - #Wonderbanned 11/23/2022

#53 - We’re back! News Recap and Updates from the Team 11/02/2022

#52 - Right-Wing Psychedelia at University of Madison-Wisconsin 06/27/2022

#52 - Right-Wing Psychedelia at University of Madison-Wisconsin This talk was presented live by Dr. Brian Pace and Dr. Neşe Devenot at the UW–Madison Transdisciplinary Center for Research in Psychoactive Substances. This talk was presented on April 28 as part of the "Psychedelic Humanities" speaker series, organized by Dr. Lucas Richert. Public discourse concerning psychedelics and the emerging industry in psychedelic-assisted therapy has extended beyond the potential benefits of novel treatments for specific mental health disorders to claims that widespread psychedelic use may tilt social relations towards more egalitarian norms. Researchers and media outlets have pointed to several recent studies which present data asserting that classical psychedelics can reduce authoritarianism, increase liberal views, and deepen nature-relatedness. Taken together, these studies are cited to promote a vision of drug-assisted social progress. Yet counter examples abound of psychedelic-experienced individuals expressing views explicitly opposed to egalitarianism and liberal politics. Moreover, acceptance of psychedelics by institutions and aspirational business and celebrity figures has only increased right-wing psychedelic interest in recent years. This presentation highlights the numerous contemporary and historical cases where the use of psychedelics failed to reduce authoritarian tendencies in users, or even facilitated adoption of authoritarian views. We demonstrate that psychedelics can catalyze change in political or religious belief, but not in a consistent direction. Instead, we propose that many transformative experiences—including those induced by psychedelics—can challenge and radically shift a person’s worldview, and that extra-pharmacological factors influence the character of change in ideology or political belief. Watch: Support: ☼Patreon: ☼Donate: Follow: ☼Twitter: ☼Instagram: ☼Facebook: ☼Twitch: ☼Website: ☼Podcast: ☼Newsletter: /episode/index/show/plusthree/id/23514578

#51 - Part Three: Jordan Peterson's Psychedelic Hierarchy, ft. Thought Slime 06/02/2022

#50 - Part Two: Jordan Peterson's Psychedelic Hierarchy, ft. Thought Slime 05/26/2022

#49 - Part One: Jordan Peterson's Psychedelic Hierarchy, ft. Thought Slime 05/19/2022

Power Tripping #9: The Complainers Group 04/04/2022

Power Tripping #8: Who Am I Fooling? 03/20/2022

Power Tripping #7: Political Science 03/13/2022

Power Tripping #6: Open Heart Surgery 03/06/2022

#48 - Drugs and Anti-Capitalism with Hilary Agro 02/07/2022

#47 - Part Two: Right-Wing Psychedelia 01/18/2022

#47 - Part Two: Right-Wing Psychedelia We continue our discussion about Brian Pace and Neşe Devenot's recently published paper: "" Abstract: Recent media advocacy for the nascent psychedelic medicine industry has emphasized the potential for psychedelics to improve society, pointing to research studies that have linked psychedelics to increased environmental concern and liberal politics. However, research supporting the hypothesis that psychedelics induce a shift in political beliefs must address the many historical and contemporary cases of psychedelic users who remained authoritarian in their views after taking psychedelics or became radicalized after extensive experience with them. We propose that the common anecdotal accounts of psychedelics precipitating radical shifts in political or religious beliefs result from the contextual factors of set and setting, and have no particular directional basis on the axes of conservatism-liberalism or authoritarianism-egalitarianism. Instead, we argue that any experience which challenges a person's fundamental worldview—including a psychedelic experience—can precipitate shifts in any direction of political belief. We suggest that the historical record supports the concept of psychedelics as “politically pluripotent,” non-specific amplifiers of the political set and setting. Contrary to recent assertions, we show that conservative, hierarchy-based ideologies are able to assimilate psychedelic experiences of interconnection, as expressed by thought leaders like Jordan Peterson, corporadelic actors, and members of several neo-Nazi organizations. Support: ☼Patreon: ☼Donate: Thank you to our Patreon podcast supporters: Dave Hodges, James Hubbard, John Hanna, Dave Ayers, Tehseen Noorani, Samy Tammam, Amanda Alexander, Maryann Kehoe, Daniel McQueen, Annick McIntosh, Aaron Williams, Julia A, Christian Dawley, Dustin T, Leon Boroditsky, Myster Psoul, John Bannon, Atticus Kelbley, Daniel, Jason Gross, Clifford Hudson, Miller Hooks, Scott Martin, Sandra Dreisbach, zeph Tam, Rochelle Martin, Gurpreet Saini, Jason Seidel, Will Petersen, Jeff Davis, Alexandra Adams, Daniel S /episode/index/show/plusthree/id/21813209

#46 - Part One: Right-Wing Psychedelia 01/10/2022

#46 - Part One: Right-Wing Psychedelia We discuss Brian Pace and Neşe Devenot's recently published paper: "Right-Wing Psychedelia: Case Studies in Cultural Plasticity and Political Pluripotency" Abstract: Recent media advocacy for the nascent psychedelic medicine industry has emphasized the potential for psychedelics to improve society, pointing to research studies that have linked psychedelics to increased environmental concern and liberal politics. However, research supporting the hypothesis that psychedelics induce a shift in political beliefs must address the many historical and contemporary cases of psychedelic users who remained authoritarian in their views after taking psychedelics or became radicalized after extensive experience with them. We propose that the common anecdotal accounts of psychedelics precipitating radical shifts in political or religious beliefs result from the contextual factors of set and setting, and have no particular directional basis on the axes of conservatism-liberalism or authoritarianism-egalitarianism. Instead, we argue that any experience which challenges a person's fundamental worldview—including a psychedelic experience—can precipitate shifts in any direction of political belief. We suggest that the historical record supports the concept of psychedelics as “politically pluripotent,” non-specific amplifiers of the political set and setting. Contrary to recent assertions, we show that conservative, hierarchy-based ideologies are able to assimilate psychedelic experiences of interconnection, as expressed by thought leaders like Jordan Peterson, corporadelic actors, and members of several neo-Nazi organizations. Read it here: Support: ☼Patreon: ☼Donate: Thank you to our Patreon podcast supporters: Dave Hodges, James Hubbard, John Hanna, Dave Ayers, Tehseen Noorani, Myster Psoul, Samy Tammam, Amanda Alexander, Maryann Kehoe, Daniel McQueen, Annick McIntosh, Aaron Williams, Julia A, Christian Dawley, Dustin T, Leon Boroditsky, Myster Psoul, John Bannon, Atticus Kelbley, Daniel, Jason Gross, Clifford Hudson, Miller Hooks, Scott Martin, Sandra Dreisbach, zeph Tam, Rochella Martin, Gurpreet Saini, Jason Seidel, Will Petersen, Jeff Davis, Alexandra Adams /episode/index/show/plusthree/id/21733250

Power Tripping #5: House Full of Sh*t 01/02/2022

What's a year of Psymposia worth to you? 12/29/2021

What's a year of Psymposia worth to you? Dear Plus Three listeners, Thanks so much for your continued support throughout the year. We couldn't do it without y'all. Psymposia is a small 501(c)(3) non-profit entirely funded by people who believe in our work. We're a volunteer organization and 100% of the funds we raise go into operating costs, which add up quickly. Please consider supporting us monthly on or making a . All donations made by December 31st at midnight are tax-deductible. Thanks for your support! (Read Psymposia's full 2021 Year in Review with selected stories ) 2021 was a watershed year for psychedelics, marked by both mainstream excitement about their potential benefits alongside warning signs about the risks of harm—to both individuals and society—caused by the people who wield them. What a wild ride it’s been. Local organizers have continued to decriminalize psychedelics throughout the United States, new research centers have been announced almost monthly, and long-overdue conversations about ethics are gaining prominence. Despite these positive developments, there is cause for alarm. From a self-described “shaman” to revelations about , 2021 witnessed multiple bellwether events for psychedelic authoritarianism, which highlight the need for ongoing ideological harm reduction to protect against abuses of power. At the same time, special interests and corporations backed by right-wing funders are trying to grab the reins and control the psychedelic narrative. We’re determined to even the playing field. Through it all, Psymposia has provided unmatched reporting and analysis to challenge the polished pitches and that have been disseminated by psychedelic pharma and the mainstream medicalization movements. Our mission is not to simply deconstruct the logic of prohibition, but to democratize access to the information we need to build a post-prohibition world that works for all of us. While psychedelic decriminalization is a positive first step, Psymposia continues to advocate for complete drug decriminalization. Psymposia exists as a result of the relentless work that our volunteer staff pours into our projects—projects that have garnered national and international attention for our groundbreaking and . Now, more than ever, we believe in the necessity of our work, which is unfettered by the , , and that have become commonplace in the field. Psymposia is a 100% independent non-profit media and research organization that is dedicated to challenging the narratives of the powerful and of the power-seeking on behalf of the public. Through articles, podcasts, videos, and peer-reviewed research published in top academic journals, our team continues to impact the conversation about psychedelics and drug policy—despite repeated industry efforts to silence us and marginalize our work. But in order to do our work as a watchdog, Unlike other media outlets covering psychedelics and drug policy, we refuse to compromise our mission or create conflicts of interest by accepting funding from the corporations we are tasked with covering. While other psychedelics organizations have blacklisted us and , we are unapologetic about our work and stand by our mission. We are sustained by people and communities who believe in the work we do. You can support us or make a (and, until Friday at midnight, donations are still tax-deductible for 2021). If you’re unable to donate, you can support us in other ways, like sharing an article with a friend, leaving our podcasts a rating and review, or simply sending us a message. We appreciate the non-monetary support and solidarity we've received this year. It means a lot to us. Thank you for your continued support. In solidarity, The Psymposia team Subscribe to the Psymposia email list . /episode/index/show/plusthree/id/21628310

Power Tripping #4: Bad Hug 12/26/2021

Power Tripping #3: I Am the Wolf 12/19/2021

Power Tripping #3: I Am the Wolf Michael Pollan, Tim Ferriss, Gabor Maté, and a number of other "thought leaders" have offered glowing endorsements of Françoise Bourzat and her approach to training psychedelic guides. However, amidst the wave of allegations and revelations about Bourzat, her husband Aharon Grossbard, and their training program, many of these individuals have refrained from weighing in on these events, or even retracting their endorsements. In light of "Susan's" experiences, detailed in episode three of , what does it mean to have such visible figures endorsing such questionable methodologies? The Psymposia team, discusses how the "Psychedelic Community" responded to T's abuse of Lily in the Ecuadorian Amazon and her attempts to call attention to the wider issues around her experience. We recall our own experiences of Lily's efforts dating back to 2012, and consider a number of individuals and institutions we've experienced as insulating harmful people in psychedelic communities. It takes a village to enable and cover up ongoing harm; how many people in psychedelic communities are complicit? For full episodes, transcripts, supporting documents, and more, visit: Psychedemia 2022 Conference: Support: ☼Patreon: ☼Donate: Follow: ☼Twitter: ☼Instagram: ☼Facebook: ☼Twitch: ☼Website: ☼Podcast: ☼Newsletter: Thank you to our podcast and video tier Patreon supporters: Reliable Spores, Houston Puck, Dave Hodges, Jon Hanna, James Hubbard, Lindsay Munson, Evan Freimuth, Abigail Bianchi, Meghan Kennedy, Dave Ayers, Darrell Duane, Tehseen Noorani, Tariqul Islam, Clifford Hudson, Daniel McQueen, Maryann Kehoe, Ben Yono, Nathan Espinosa, Annick McIntosh, Starbuck, Aaron Williams, Jenine Innes, Julia A, Jesse Liberty, Christian Dawley, Leon Boroditsky, Samy Tammam, Amanda Alexander, Jason Gross, Paige Hausfeld, John Bannon, Clifford Hudson, Sandra Dreisbach, Will Petersen, Jason Seidel, Gurpreet Saini /episode/index/show/plusthree/id/21526160

Power Tripping #2: That's an Old Story 12/12/2021

Power Tripping #1: I See a Sh*tshow 12/05/2021

#45 - Part Two: Digital Capitalism on Psychedelics with Emma Stamm 09/08/2021

#44 - Part One: Talking Acid Communism with Emma Stamm 08/12/2021

#43 - Part Two: Dave Rubin Courts Right-Wing Psychedelic Billionaire Christian Angermayer 08/05/2021

#42 - Part One: Dave Rubin Courts Right-Wing Psychedelic Billionaire Christian Angermayer 07/29/2021

#41 - We (Still) Hope Michael Pollan Changes His Mind 07/22/2021

#40 - Part Two: Has Atai Taken the Psychedelic Throne from MAPS? (The Murderous Dictator Episode) 07/20/2021

Psymposia Podcast

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