In Part Two, the Psymposia crew continues to deconstruct a conversation between two self-described entrepreneurs who recently discussed psychedelics and medicalization during an event called Psychedelic Capitalism with Alexander Beiner [Rebel Wisdom] and Lars Wilde [COMPASS Pathways, Atai Life Sciences]— while studiously avoiding a debate of capitalism altogether. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNHX3OIO3-4 Co-hosts: Neşe Devenot, Brian Pace, Brian Normand, David Nickles. Editor: Matt Pay...
Jul 07, 2021•1 hr 26 min
The Psymposia crew deconstructs a conversation between two self-described entrepreneurs who recently discussed psychedelics and medicalization during an event called Psychedelic Capitalism with Alexander Beiner [Rebel Wisdom] and Lars Wilde [COMPASS Pathways, Atai Life Sciences]— while studiously avoiding a debate of capitalism altogether. Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNHX3OIO3-4 Read: https://newrepublic.com/article/159019/break-big-pharma-monopoly-covid-19-vaccine Co-hosts: Neşe Deve...
Jul 01, 2021•1 hr 17 min
Ioan Grillo is a journalist who has reported on the Mexican Drug War and cartel violence for the last 20 years. His books include " El Narco : Inside Mexico's Criminal Insurgency,” " Gangster Warlords : Drug Dollars, Killing Fields, and the New Politics of Latin America,” and " Blood Gun Money : How America Arms Gangs and Cartels.” In this episode we discuss his newest book, Blood Gun Money, which is a look at how the illegal gun and drug trades are intertwined, and how U.S. gun laws result in f...
May 12, 2021•1 hr 19 min
Ioan Grillo is a journalist who has reported on the Mexican Drug War and cartel violence for the last 20 years. His books include " El Narco : Inside Mexico's Criminal Insurgency,” " Gangster Warlords : Drug Dollars, Killing Fields, and the New Politics of Latin America,” and " Blood Gun Money : How America Arms Gangs and Cartels.” In this episode we discuss his newest book, Blood Gun Money, which is a look at how the illegal gun and drug trades are intertwined, and how U.S. gun laws result in f...
May 12, 2021•1 hr 12 min
Psymposia sits down with Thought Slime to chat about carving out a leftist space in psychedelia. Co-hosts: Neşe Devenot, David Nickles, Brian Pace, Russell Hausfeld. Editor: Matt Payne Support us on Patreon or make a tax-deductible donation Watch this episode: https://youtu.be/NoIX8Gj30HQ Thought Slime’s YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ThoughtSlime/ Contents of this podcast Reasons for reaching out to Thought Slime "Making the world a harder place to have a bad trip” Introductions / W...
Apr 15, 2021•3 hr 4 min
Psymposia advisory board member and psychedelic researcher, Jae Sevelius, joins us to talk about queer theory, psychedelic research with transgender and gender diverse people, and what happens when political assumptions go unexamined in both research contexts and the world at large. Drawing on the work of Dr. Sevelius, as well as Dr. Devenot and Dr. Ross, we discuss some of the ways that research and social relations reproduce the logic of mainstream culture, and how queering acts as barrier to ...
Mar 24, 2021•1 hr 41 min
Psymposia editors discuss Dr. Martin Ball’s “session info” document that the retired 5-MeO-DMT practitioner sent to Psymposia. Dr. Ball has referenced the document in defense of his practices and cites it as evidence that his clients consented to him touching their genitals or vomiting on them while under the influence of 5-MeO-DMT. Our analysis shows that this isn’t actually a consent document. It sets the stage for what is considered normal, and positions Dr. Ball as the ultimate authority on ...
Mar 18, 2021•2 hr 4 min
Psymposia Advisory Board member Alex Zaitchik drops in to chat about his work and experiences as an investigative journalist with a critical analysis of capitalism. Alex has covered topics ranging from the effects of extractive industry on Indigenous communities, to the existential need for degrowth, and the economics of vaccine development. Check out Alex's writing here: https://www.zaitchik.com Co-hosts: David Nickles, Brian Normand, Brian Pace. Editor: Matt Payne Support us on Patreon or make...
Feb 11, 2021•1 hr 24 min
In this episode, we're joined by our new advisory board member Yarelix Estrada to discuss her experiences with organizing psychedelic societies, psychedelic exceptionalism, and harm reduction on the streets of New York. Yarelix shares insights from her formal and practical training in public health as well as her interactions with frontline communities and her personal experiences. Co-hosts: Neşe Devenot, David Nickles, Brian Pace. Editor: Matt Payne Support us on Patreon or make a tax-deductibl...
Jan 28, 2021•1 hr 38 min
Brian Normand and David Nickles are joined by Psymposia Senior Writer Russell Hausfeld to discuss MindMed's CEO, Jamon Rahn's, recent claims that his company "may be creating effectively the Tesla of mental health,” and that the company is now a "$1B+ Unicorn.” Tesla, for those unaware, has been sued by (and settled with) the SEC for securities fraud, flaunted COVID-19 (and other) safety guidelines, and has experienced so many lawsuits and controversies even its wikipedia page acknowledges, "Thi...
Jan 20, 2021•39 min
In this episode, we discuss a prominent participant in the bumbling coup attempt of January 6: "QAnon Shaman" Jake Angeli. Along with a coalition of Donald Trump supporters and assorted right wing ideologues, Angeli stormed the Capitol following a speech by Trump. Featuring a dissection of an "Ascension Masterclass" that was hosted on Angeli's now-deleted Star Seed Academy Facebook page, we (once again) wade into the disturbing world of psychedelic authoritarianism. Support us on Patreon or make...
Jan 13, 2021•1 hr 7 min
This episode explores the rise of self-styled “thought leaders” within the psychedelic community, using Anand Giridharadas’ book “Winners Take All” as a jumping off point. Although people have been on the conference circuit for years, the recent explosion of capital investments means that there’s an unprecedented potential for money, celebrity, and status in the space. The thought leader proposes quick fixes that are palatable to the people who are in positions of power, who then seek to privati...
Dec 23, 2020•1 hr 17 min
We kicked off the start of our ongoing livestreams with the announcement of Psymposia's 501(c)(3) non-profit status, discussions of corporadelic dynamics, fond memories of helping people learn how to extract psychedelic drugs during an Ivy League University's psychedelic conference, and a whole bunch of back and forth with the audience about the current state (and future) of psychedelia. Co-hosts: Brian Normand, Neşe Devenot, David Nickles, Brian Pace, Russell Hausfeld. Editor: Matt Payne Suppor...
Dec 03, 2020•2 hr 48 min
In this episode we explore the myriad of problems that result from media outlets treating corporate press releases as though they're legitimate news sources, rather than advertisements. We examine "science by press release" cases ranging from psychedelic pharmaceutical firms who claim their barely-studied compounds are superior to (and safer than) psilocybin (one of the safest psychoactive compounds in the human pharmacopoeia), to students who claimed Oreos were as addictive as cocaine, to pinea...
Nov 19, 2020•1 hr 10 min
Recorded live at the Capital Psychedelic Summit, hosted virtually in Washington D.C., Russell Hausfeld joins Brian Normand and David Nickles to discuss the infiltration of the psychedelic pharmaceutical industry by companies, investors, and executives from extractive industry. This episode explores the destructive nature of extractive industry and the effects of introducing those dynamics into psychedelia. If the same people destroying Indigenous lands told you they believed in "sacred reciproci...
Nov 11, 2020•43 min
Recorded live (online) for the Capital Psychedelic Summit in Washington D.C., the Plus Three crew picks up the threads of a recent panel discussion about the effects of corporations and capitalism on the emerging psychedelic landscape. Examining the logic of capitalism, the realities of medicalization, and the need for radical social transformations, we explore philosophies underlying the "Grow, Gather, Give" model, which the Capital Psychedelic Summit organizers explicitly centered for this eve...
Oct 29, 2020•1 hr 16 min
Terence McKenna once mused, “Conspiracy theory is a kind of epistemological cartoon about reality.” Looking around at the world, things appear awfully cartoonish at the moment. We're joined by Psymposia Senior Writer, Russell Hausfeld, to discuss the propagation of coronavirus conspiracies, recent revelations about QAnon, and the likelihood that some "conspiracy" claims are simply warped articulations of systemic critique. 5G won't give you COVID-19, but it sure will help you download this episo...
Oct 05, 2020•1 hr 41 min
Dr. Ido Hartoghson joins the show to talk about the ideas in his new book, American Trip: Set, Setting, and the Psychedelic Experience in the Twentieth Century . Acknowledging psychedelics as non-specific amplifiers of consciousness, we discuss different historical (and present) paradigms of use in order to interrogate the role of psychedelics within our culture. As we find ourselves staring down a number of existential questions, we must ask ourselves, "What do we hope to achieve through our pe...
Sep 09, 2020•2 hr 6 min
In response to the unexpected early release of William Leonard Pickard from prison, we discuss some of the characters and stories surrounding the case. Having served twenty years of a double life sentence for conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and dispense LSD— charges which he disputes— Pickard has never spoken publicly about the specifics of his case, and some of the drug-media coverage of this story has evidenced glaring omissions. Using court documents, lesser-known first-person accounts...
Aug 27, 2020•1 hr 28 min
In this episode, we explore the implications of MAPS’ main political strategy: demonstrating affinity for and utility to the police, the military, the far right, and individuals who have repeatedly upheld violent white supremacism. Unpacking a recent article by David Nickles, we examine the “ends justifies the means” logic that has become pervasive in psychedelic research. As uprisings against the police rage on from Portland to Chicago, we—as as part of a drug-using, criminalized subculture—mus...
Aug 12, 2020•1 hr 34 min
In this episode, we unpack some of the characters and dynamics of the psychedelic “arm” of the Intellectual Dark Web. We use Neşe Devenot’s recently released video on Jamie Wheal, Lucian Tarnowski, and other affiliates of the Rebel Wisdom media platform to explore questions of power, class, and ahistorical theories of social change. Just how much sense do these self-labelled "sensemakers" actually make? Co-hosts: Brian Normand, Neşe Devenot, David Nickles, Brian Pace. Editor: Matt Payne. Support...
Aug 04, 2020•1 hr 26 min
Brian Normand, David Nickles, and Russell Hausfeld continue their conversation about neoliberals in psychedelia, including companies using the coronavirus pandemic to promote psychedelics for mental health. They also deconstruct non-profit vs. for-profit rhetoric and propose more pragmatic frameworks for examining the implications (and material realities) of psychedelic corporations and their operating structures, such as cooperative vs. non-cooperative. Support us on Patreon or make a tax-deduc...
Jul 08, 2020•1 hr 38 min
Brian Normand and Dave Nickles are joined by Psymposia Senior Writer Russell Hausfeld to discuss capitalist logic in psychedelia, the principles of open science, and the increasing eagerness of extractive industry players (including gold and lithium mining outfits and traders) looking to capitalize on psychedelics. Support us on Patreon or make a tax-deductible donation . *Patrons* Reliable Spores, Houston Puck, Dave Hodges, James Hubbard, Lindsay Munson, Evan Freimuth, Abigail Bianchi, Meghan K...
Jun 18, 2020•1 hr 26 min
Sexual abuse in psychedelic therapy (above and underground) is a long-standing, documented , and enduring reality maintained through cultures of silence, coercion, and victim blame . The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) has received complaints about therapists affiliated with their clinical trials and integration list. In spring 2019, MAPS published a Code of Conduct which outlines sexual boundaries, use of touch, and erotic transference, which are necessary but not s...
May 20, 2020•1 hr 29 min
On this episode we talk with Douglas Rushkoff, author, teacher, and host of the Team Human podcast. Rushkoff’s work explores how different technological environments change our relationship to narrative, money, power, and each other. His latest book, also called Team Human, calls for the retrieval of human autonomy in a digital age. Rushkoff is also no stranger to the psychedelic scene having collaborated with Timothy Leary, Robert Anton Wilson, Terence McKenna, Ralph Metzner, Mark Pesce, and Er...
May 01, 2020•1 hr 16 min
In this episode we discuss our recent stories: Dear Psychedelic Researchers Amidst Pandemic, Psychedelic Investor Christian Angermayer Can't Imagine Life Beyond Capitalism "Flattening the Curve is Complete BS": Pandemic Advice From Psychedelic Investor Christian Angermayer Co-hosts: Brian Normand, Neşe Devenot, David Nickles, Brian Pace. Editor: Matt Payne. Support us on Patreon or make a tax-deductible donation . *Patrons* Reliable Spores, Houston Puck, Dave Hodges, James Hubbard, Lindsay Munso...
Apr 15, 2020•1 hr 14 min
In the midst of increasing global engagement with the fallout of the novel coronavirus, we examine some responses to the pandemic within the "psychedelic community.” Recognizing that the US has a longstanding history of privatizing profits while socializing costs, we also discuss the normalization of a "capitalist animism"—treating social phenomena like markets or financial capital as living entities—that fixates on "economic health" at the expense of public health. As this unprecedented situati...
Mar 26, 2020•1 hr 25 min
Alan Piper is a maverick historian of ideas with a penchant for unique, deep dives into rich veins of psychedelia. His 2015 monograph, Strange Drugs Make for Strange Bedfellows: Ernst Jünger, Albert Hofmann, and the Politics of Psychedelics was foundational for the critique explored in Brian Pace’s controversial Lucy in the Sky with Nazis: Psychedelics and the Right Wing . In this interview, Pace interviews Piper about Hofmann's tripping buddy and Wehrmacht Captain Jünger, LSD and ideology— clar...
Mar 11, 2020•1 hr 21 min
It's not the Hokey Pokey, but psychedelic mainstreaming seems to be what it's all about. We explore some of the realities and questions of what it means to take psychedelics "mainstream.” Co-hosts: Brian Normand, Neşe Devenot, David Nickles, Brian Pace. Editor: Matt Payne. Support us on Patreon or make a tax-deductible donation . Patrons Reliable Spores, Houston Puck, Dave Hodges, James Hubbard, Lindsay Munson, Evan Freimuth, Abigail Bianchi, Meghan Kennedy, Dave Ayers, Darrell Duane, Tehseen No...
Mar 03, 2020•57 min
We discuss Brian Pace's recent article , which stirred up quite a bit of controversy. To stir things up a little more, we've unpacked some of our perspectives while exploring questions of psychedelics as non-specific amplifiers of consciousness, the far right, the so-called "Intellectual Dark Web," white supremacy, and psychedelics and social change. Co-hosts: Brian Normand, Neşe Devenot, David Nickles, Brian Pace. Editor: Matt Payne. Support us on Patreon or make a tax-deductible donation . Pat...
Feb 13, 2020•1 hr 33 min
