February 22, 2021
#284 – Hamilton Morris – Creating The Future Of Psychedelics | Modern Wisdom
Key Takeaways
- Drugs are perceived differently in areas depending on the marketing, cost, and social connotation
- “Consciousness isn’t a single thing that can be understood and characterized [the way DNA can], it’s a collection of different computational experiential phenomena that in concert create a perceived experience.” – Hamilton Morris
- In the right setting and under the right psychological state, psychedelics have the potential to dramatically enrich life
- Psychology plays a large role in psychedelic experience: there are determinants of psychedelic experience that are not tied to the physical properties of the drug alone
- The war on drugs has had such a lasting impact on the perception of drugs and addiction, it’s has set therapeutic research back
- One of the most damaging things happening in society is that we’ve become disconnected from the way things are made – this applies to drugs, movies, articles, etc.
Introduction
Hamilton Morris (@HamiltonMorris) is a journalist, documentary producer, and chemist.
In this episode of Modern Wisdom, host Chris Williamson discusses Morris’ TV documentary series, Hamilton’s Pharmacopeia, and the research behind his work. They take a deep dive into psychoactive drugs, psychedelics, and implications for medicine.
Host: Chris Williamson (@ChrisWillx)
Science & Consciousness
- Chemistry is to understand the natural world
- Chemistry is important to everyday existence, controlling every aspect of reality at all times
- Astrophysics destroyed an interest in chemistry that should be present
- Consciousness will be better described by science and better understood – but science will explain it away
- Consciousness is many things, the same way life is complex and multifaceted
- “Consciousness isn’t a single thing that can be understood and characterized [the way DNA can], it’s a collection of different computational experiential phenomena that in concert create a perceived experience.” – Hamilton Morris
Psychedelic Drugs & Culture
- Psychedelics have the potential to dramatically enrich life
- Cultures exist which see peyote as a spirit, not a drug
- The toad is not a tradition with no spirituality associated – it started in the 80s by a man from Texas
Experience Of Psychedelics
- Psychology plays a large role in psychedelic experience: there are determinants of psychedelic experience that are not tied to the physical properties of the drug alone
- Determining factor of a psychedelic experience is probably psychological, not chemical
- Unlike ibuprofen, environment and mindset changes the outcome of psychedelics
- Psychedelic experience is probably closest some people get to religious transcendence
- The way we think about drugs impacts the experience
- Having respect for the drug positively impacts your experience and is associated with responsible use
Legalization Of Drugs
- Drug policy is complicated
- Drugs are perceived differently in areas depending on marketing, cost, social connotation
- Some people are so irresponsible, you have to appreciate the role of regulations
- When things are sold as medicines, they should be regulated; when things are sold as chemicals, they should be unregulated
- With education, people will work out how to use psychedelics for therapeutic use
- Cars are dangerous but we practice, we learn, we put in safety measures such as seatbelts and snow chains in bad weather, etc.
- Drugs could provide an opportunity of uniting people through growing farms, artwork, etc.
- “The responsibility associated with liberalization of drug laws could mature the world.” – Hamilton Morris
- There are a lot of lingering impacts of the war on drugs and how society perceives addiction
- All the horrible things we associate with cocaine are tied to cocaine’s illegality – in many other countries cocaine is consumed via leaves in a morning tea and is similar to a caffeine boost
- When a drug becomes illegal, people panic buy huge quantities
Media Illiteracy/Literacy
- One of the most damaging things happening in society is that we’ve become disconnected from the way things are made – this applies to drugs, movies, articles, etc.
- We read articles and don’t even look at the date or author to understand whether the source is current and reputable
- We are a society that hates people for what they’re not instead of loving people for who they are
- So much of what we consume is made and released within short timespans (e.g., podcasts are made and released quickly), we are becoming disconnected from appreciating classics
- The internet has made people mean or allowed people to have a space where it flourishes
