Researchers are urging the public to be cautious of misleading supplements that contain Amanita muscaria instead of the expected psilocybin.
  • Etterra@lemmy.world
    5·
    10 months ago

    Government: this thing you want is illegal

    Media: new thing being used because old thing is illegal turns out to be way more dangerous

    Government: this new thing is illegal

    Media: new new thing being used because old new thing is illegal turns out to be way, way more dangerous

    Government: surprised Pikachu face

  • TheBigBrother@lemmy.worldBanned
    116·
    10 months ago

    I have always been surprised by the amazing human ability to find more and more new methods of killing themselves with the excuse of connecting with the cosmos.

    I guess making people avoid fighting their own reality it’s a big business.

    Business is business…

    • scrion@lemmy.world
      14·
      10 months ago

      I assume you don’t have a lot of experience with psychedelics, based on the fact that you believe these substances help you avoiding reality. Part of the recently re-discovered, therapeutical properties of psychedelics are due to the fact that they make you face your realities (and their general effect on the default mode network, of course).

      Also, A. muscaria has been used for thousands of years, e. g. very likely as part of the Vedic Soma, or as ingredient in Haoma in Iran. The use of the mushroom has also been documented in Siberia, where, if your beliefs align with Alice Beck Kehoe, the only “real” shamans are located.

      This is not a new development.

      That being said, the effects of A. muscaria are probably not what people would think of when they think about psychedelics. As such, I don’t believe the majority of users would believe they are “connecting with the cosmos” in the first place.

      Edit: Marketing the product as psychedelic alternative under the guise of allowing consumers to “connect with the cosmos” is a completely different (and despicable) beast, sure.

      • TheBigBrother@lemmy.worldBanned
        115·
        10 months ago

        I still didn’t see why people need to consume these things, but anyway maybe some kind of “spiritual” stuff…

        If you think about it spiritual stuff sometimes it’s just a way to avoid the reality.

        • scrion@lemmy.world
          5·
          10 months ago

          That is perfectly fine, you do you.

          However, if your mind is already set that way and you don’t want to expand your knowledge on the topic, there is nothing to be gained by simply expressing your disagreement and inability to understand another viewpoint - none of that benefits our discussion, and people may feel offended by the stubborn and quick dismissal of their stance.

          That being said, spirituality is not a faith. Etymologically, we could argue that spirituality is closely related to religion, to Christianity even, and the desire to bridge the gap between man and god. That’s not how the term is typically used nowadays and would in fact confuse many people who are not aware of its original meaning.

          It is absolutely possible to still interpret spirituality in a religious context, but it is no longer necessary to do so. Many people consider themselves to be non-religious or atheist and still express confidence and trust in spirituality. What spirituality means for these people should be defined on a case by case basis, but it can simply be about becoming a better person, finding ways to be content (or even happy) in life, or to find a greater, existential meaning. None of these things are necessarily connected to faith or any idea of a pantheon, salvation etc.

          I do not know where you get your ideas about spirituality, about psychedelics etc., but I must say I find those views somewhat antiquated and maybe a bit hostile - they remind me a bit of the criticism the Hippie movement faced, and they’re certainly not overly nuanced. I can only implore you to try and find something positive in those things, something that speaks to you and that you can accept - you don’t have to agree with the conclusion, the lifestyle, or any individual aspect of it, but any time someone dismisses an entire field / movement / idea etc., it’s probably time to step back a bit and reconsider. I feel that should also be true for both psychedelics and spirituality.

        • captainlezbian@lemmy.world
          2·
          10 months ago

          LSD forced me to confront my traumatic experiences (I have a ptsd diagnosis). Did it have entheogenic effects? Yeah. But at the crux of the effect was an acute awareness of the reality I generally spend my life avoiding.