And the growing popularity (and potential profit) of both psychedelic culture and psychedelics as an industry, are shining a spotlight on those problems and creating new ones in the process.
Yet, there is some sense that, if psychedelics are worth anything as a means of bettering ourselves as people, they must offer those of us who work with them some increased capacity to address acute and systemic problems arising within our culture, right? Maybe, maybe not.
Nonetheless, the problems–like ‘bad actors’ in the scene and the cultural distortions rippling out from the encroachment of corporate influence –exist and it is up to those of us within psychedelic culture to address them in a way that generates solutions and increasingly protects from the potential harms those problems cause.
However, how do we do this? What is the best way to address the problems present in psychedelic culture–be it bad actors, corporate influence, or something else just waiting to rear its ugly head?
That’s a big question, which is why it is being explored in this episode of The Psychedelic Café.
Our guest for this psychedelic cafe
(in alphabetical order according to their last name, excluding host James W. Jesso):
Member of ICEERS, which is the International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research, and Service. [Check out Jeronimo’s one-on-one interview on Adventures Through The Mind]
BRIAN PACE
Politics and ecology editor for Psymposia and lecturer of psychedelic studies at Ohio State university
How psychedelic exceptionalism informs how we think about bad actor’s in the scene
The importance of community to resource people addressing conflicts and harm in psychedelic culture
Introducing Psymposia and their perspectives and approach to addressing problems in the culture
Introducing The Canadian Psychedelic Association and the value of community
Creating events to help discuss serious issues psychedelic culture is otherwise bypassing
Wondering about whether or not psychedelics should be held as part of a public politic
Why anti-rival maturity is vital for actual progress in culture, psychedelic and otherwise
Introducing the Netherlands’ Guild of Guides and how they are dealing with bad actors
The psychedelic industry is being led by huge players of corporate Influence
Can the psychedelic experience help us change the business of psychedelics?
What comes after the end of prohibition and how do we get there?
Positive peer pressure and becoming a community that forwards culture towards the future we want to see
The psychedelic community is not “one” community, so how do we work together?
How the forces at work with colonialism are the same forces shaping the modern psychedelic industry through corporate influence
The value of working where you can work rather than trying to work everywhere
Optimism VS naiveté
How distorted exceptions causes those “doing their best to do better” to get torn down for not already being perfect
Medicalization is NOT access
Capitalism and climate change
Not letting ourselves get manipulated into tearing down the lowest hanging fruit
Will the psychedelic industry actually be profitable?
What Is The Psychedelic Café?
The Psychedelic Café is a structured conversational space exploring various, deep questions about the nature of mind, life, and reality.
Each cafe features a curated selection of 4-5 people to explore a question according to a specific structure, based on the method of Dharma Talking, a conversational technology from Jean Robertson, forged in The Liminal Space Agency Meta-Monastery, and based on “The World Cafe”.
Why this style?
The cafe structure creates a quality and dynamic of conversation, idea sharing, and mutual learning that is incredibly ripe and valuable for not only the people involved but the listening audience who will be able to listen to it afterward. In the current times of uncertainty, complexity, and change, I believe the psychedelic cafe will offer content not otherwise available in a time where it is deeply needed.
*** Extra BIG thanks to my patrons on Patreon for helping keep this podcast alive! Especially, Andreas D, Clea S, Joe A, Ian C, David WB, Yvette FC, Ann-Madeleine, Dima B, Chuck W, Alex F, & Eliz C
2 Comments
I LOVE LOVE LOVE the psychedelic cafe group talks — THANK YOU James for putting together and hosting these!
My pleasure 🙂