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The modern tech industry's obsession with psychedelics will always baffle me.

by sehr 12y ago

civilian 12y ago
Why?
- tim333 12y ago
  I've got a theory that people who hack about with silicon based information processors are curious to muck about with the biological ones too.
- sehr 12y ago
  The communities I explored them with's values are completely antithetical to SV culture. It's hard for me to reconcile the two to say the least. Plus they just seem overly idealized. They're just drugs, but I feel like a lot of folks see them as a possible step to becoming Thompson, Richie, Jobs or Gates.
  - civilian 12y ago
    Those a valid complaints. And I agree that they're overhyped. But I do think that psychedelic drug experimentation match up with SV values. We're pro-risk and we're fine with breaking barriers. Psychedelic experiences can be good, but I think it's just a good signal on someone's willingness to explore, curiosity and bravery if they're willing to try it. You might consider doing psychedelics with other engineers. It's good times.
inDigiNeous 12y ago
I've heard a friend once tried LSD, and could visualize a whole router in his head with 16 channels of network ports running traffic parallel, bits of streaming data coming in and out, seeing how the whole router operated realtime, all the parts pulsating and flowing data through, so that he could focus completely on the big picture and still see all the details intricately while it was operating, purely in his minds imagination. Many modern technological inventions are build upon psychedelic visions, maybe even the whole concept of computers. Heck, even our language could be built upon psychedelic visions if we believe some of the theories out there. It has a deep rooted connection with human development, not just some industry alone. It happens more than we can imagine, and more than we can speak about, as it is considered illegal and tabu in a way in most of the places sadly. Shamans have used these tools for the whole existence of human life probably, to heal and to connect to the bigger picture of life. Why wouldn't modern engineers do the same thing ? These can be great tools in problem solving and thinking outside the box, and especially in healing people who are building the new society.. if used in the correct environment, in the correct setting, with the correct people. And in modern day, those in power have made them illegal, so we wouldn't see a way out of our modern prisons of materialism and 8 hour day work culture, but luckily for us, they have already lost their battle, and all they can do is try to struggle with their last powers ..
mycroft-holmes 12y ago
I'm guessing you've never tried them?

The modern tech industry's obsession with psychedelics will always baffle me.

by sehr 12y ago

The modern tech industry's obsession with psychedelics will always baffle me.

civilian 12y ago

Why?

tim333 12y ago
I've got a theory that people who hack about with silicon based information processors are curious to muck about with the biological ones too.
sehr 12y ago
The communities I explored them with's values are completely antithetical to SV culture. It's hard for me to reconcile the two to say the least. Plus they just seem overly idealized. They're just drugs, but I feel like a lot of folks see them as a possible step to becoming Thompson, Richie, Jobs or Gates.
- civilian 12y ago
  Those a valid complaints. And I agree that they're overhyped. But I do think that psychedelic drug experimentation match up with SV values. We're pro-risk and we're fine with breaking barriers. Psychedelic experiences can be good, but I think it's just a good signal on someone's willingness to explore, curiosity and bravery if they're willing to try it. You might consider doing psychedelics with other engineers. It's good times.

inDigiNeous 12y ago

I've heard a friend once tried LSD, and could visualize a whole router in his head with 16 channels of network ports running traffic parallel, bits of streaming data coming in and out, seeing how the whole router operated realtime, all the parts pulsating and flowing data through, so that he could focus completely on the big picture and still see all the details intricately while it was operating, purely in his minds imagination. Many modern technological inventions are build upon psychedelic visions, maybe even the whole concept of computers. Heck, even our language could be built upon psychedelic visions if we believe some of the theories out there. It has a deep rooted connection with human development, not just some industry alone. It happens more than we can imagine, and more than we can speak about, as it is considered illegal and tabu in a way in most of the places sadly. Shamans have used these tools for the whole existence of human life probably, to heal and to connect to the bigger picture of life. Why wouldn't modern engineers do the same thing ? These can be great tools in problem solving and thinking outside the box, and especially in healing people who are building the new society.. if used in the correct environment, in the correct setting, with the correct people. And in modern day, those in power have made them illegal, so we wouldn't see a way out of our modern prisons of materialism and 8 hour day work culture, but luckily for us, they have already lost their battle, and all they can do is try to struggle with their last powers ..

mycroft-holmes 12y ago

I'm guessing you've never tried them?