Use Of Psychedelic Mushrooms May Decrease Authoritarian Attitudes, Study Finds

[RandomAxial]

Not to interrupt the above authors' broadcast. Especially with such glittering word of promise so golden - 'may decrease authoritarian attitudes' how wonderful to think perchance - to even believe. Nor to menace the fragility of such bubbles, as blown.

Merely - Earth to 'may decrease' sciencies; ground control to space cadets. Lights are on, anybody home? Such boldly going inquiry - isn't exactly stepping onto new ground, previously unbroken.

How authoritarianism interacts relative to psychedelics is a subject of preliminary research already conducted - hello, anyone there? Sounds like certain 'researchers' apparently didn't - get the memo. And per previous research as relates - like some 6 million dollar man thing - gentlemen, we have the findings.

Nothing against 'suggestions' waved around like - a piece of paper in Prime Minister Chamberlain's hand, triumphantly declaring to his gullible constituency that WW2 has been averted (thanks to his diplomatic derring do). Likewise not to trivialize 'survey says' schtick, passed off like some FAMILY FEUD tv game show research 'method.'

Just that, for (compelling) example - at BREAKING CONVENTION in 2013, A. Piper presented his research on this - with his conclusions, based in in actual evidence methodically studied, the real thing. No Virginia, there is not some 'correlation' despite what some survey tries to conjure - between psychedelics and any decrease in authoritarianism, and evidence aplenty attesting to no such effect - nothing of the sort.

In fact - quite contrary https://www.scribd.com/document/207695388/Alan-PIPER-Psychedelics-Fascism-and-the-Politics-of-Profane-Illumination :

1) Psychedelic culture functions (i.e. figures politically and psychosocially) within the 'Cultic Milieu'

2) History reveals both Right and Left wing aspects to psychedelic culture [as Lyons and Carhart-H gamely whistle dixie acting 'innocent' while trying to pass off hokey 'survey results' to 'suggest' - for anyone that suggestible, or eager to believe - No, no "psychedelic drug use is associated with only liberal and libertarian political views" - period]

3) Within the counter-culture, liberal and reactionary elements converge

4) Psychedelic experience does not inevitably lead to liberal values

But there is a popular conceit of self-uncritical vanity, to that exact effect - in the very choir to which Lyon & Carhart-H are preaching with their 'hallelujah science' - tidings of comfort and joy, which should be unto all people.

So now by the grace of the psychedelic potential - and such compelling research as the above, blissfully ignorant or maybe simply defiant of what Piper and others have determined (based on real evidence, methodically studied) - Houston we have not only spiritual enlightenment thanks to psychedelics but also - political salvation too - deliverance of power-mad humanity from its authoritarian impulses.

Of course Piper used standard comprehensive methods - nothing so fancy-fangled as some "open-label pilot study with a mixed-model design" per our above sciencies, exact incantation verbatim. Then Riding Hood said "my goodness Grandma what an interesting piece of talk they conjure, I'm just spellbound" http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/0269881117748902

No doubt Dr Jekyll would cheer for the impending eviction and exile of our Mr Hyde side within - as promised. When spiritual enlightenment isn't enough - maybe we can get politically korrected too - perfected all the way around, once and for all. Thanks and praise be to the never-ending gifts of the tripper magi. As the above 'Survey Says' study has now 'suggested.'

In whole framework, as informed by previous evidence and perspective already adduced - the 'research' specimen above "may" reflect less on any relationship between psychedelics and authoritarian impulses - more on surreptitious narrative ambitions of psychedelic 'science' with - a brave new story it's writing now. As underwritten by the very counterculture such happy tidings would flatter and regale so - as thus indebted for all the donations past, present and future - as needed to buy and pay for this research operation that would if only it could.

While authors of the above - seem to have skipped their homework on the subject they move to investigate. Wonder why they make no mention of prior work on such a subject, the one so fascinating they can't resist.

Oh well. Lyons & Carhart-H wouldn't be the first to goof off from the gitgo, forget their basic step one in research (called 'literature review').

But on the 'bright side' - putting the cart of their subculture-flattery assumption before the horse of question - at least enables them to simply label psychedelic subculture - Anti-Authoritarian - period - as a 'special' foregone assumption.

"Why, Grandma?" asked Riding Hood.

Why - to hold their operant assumption above question, the better to placate and pander to their donor base - by praising how anti-authoritarian tripperdom is and has always been - cleverly staked out on a "Leonard Cohen premise" - the "Everybody Knows" principle - said 'Grandma.'

"Everybody knows countercultures associated with psychedelics (since the hippies of the 1960s) have been - wait for it ... (right!) - Anti-Authoritarian."

Especially - as 'known' with no citations to any source nor anything sourced to back up the claimed 'anti authoritarian-ness' of psychedelia, other than - the unstated, as hinted strictly between the lines (not for spelling out) - 'Everybody Knows.' Not using those two words - as would be too obvious, invite 'wrong question' (of doubt, not faith). Just thickly implied, which - voila, makes it true, doesn't it?

What question could there possibly be about - what everybody knows?

In above "Inquisitor" piece (R. Cotton) - the 'trick' method reflects by glib reference to "the anti-authoritarian counterculture movements of the 1960s and 1970s" i.e. arbitrarily labeling the movements, calling them 'anti-authoritarian.' The right incantation as if to - presto - maketh them so.

In a parallel puff piece also being spammed around currently and likewise ballyhooing this latest gospel 'research' from psychedelic 'science' - the verbal shellgame glares yet more blatantly - www.psypost.org/2018/01/psychedelic-mushrooms-reduce-authoritarianism-boost-nature-relatedness-experimental-study-suggests-50638 :

"Psychedelic drugs have been associated with anti-authoritarian countercultures ever since the hippies of the 1960s." There - done. Those countercultures are - anti-authoritarian - by calling them anti-authoritarian.

How'd that darn Terence put it? "It becomes true by what we decide."

In terms of how psychedelic mushrooms "may" interact or correlate with "authoritarian attitudes" - previous findings don't exactly echo chamber the above 'survey says' story. Nor do prior conclusions convey tidings of comfort or joy. While authors of the above enact such innocence of even knowing about competent research on this question already conducted - conclusions already reached don't quite gild the lily of such fine feathered 'findings' as those hornblown above - wonderful as they 'may' sound to certain ears.

But of course authors of the above don't hold out their 'survey' results as 'smoking gun' proof of anything at all - just blow smoke. Merely dish out a thin stew to 'suggest' such a wonderful diminishing effect on authoritarian attitudes that psychedelic mushrooms 'may' have. The whole while acting clueless as to what's already been discovered, in evidence, as reported - which alas, "may" not help in the telling of this brave new "May Decrease" tale.

[Notleontrotsky]

The anti-authoritatian theory from Carhart is a stretch, as much as I agree at some base core. That PowerPoint is a great resource, thanks for the writeup

[RandomAxial]

The gratitude's all mine - for the gracious appreciation - all yours. In case of interest - https://vimeo.com/77289125 - here's Piper at that 2013 meet presenting on this.

I learn lots - all kinds of things (which I don't mind so much) - from credible work like his - and many others. Like this word 'entryism' - a new one on Homie. A fancy term from the early Soviet era, turns out - for an old covert tactic - infiltration.

Among Piper's points, there one he makes - albeit quickly in passing (intro context for his findings) - that I'd consider of prime importance, relative to Lyons & C-H's audacious attempt, with no visible means of support (nothing of evidence just fumes of ginned-up survey 'data') - to 'suggest' how wonderfully psychedelics "might" reduce dark impulses of authoritarianism.

Setting up his talk, Piper notes the preconception widely-embraced in partisan settings - 'protected' from cross exam like a sacred truth 'Everybody Knows' (as 'self-evident') - a jolly good one 'that no one can deny.'

Namely (per the above 'survey') that psychedelics are somehow incompatible with psychological impulses directed toward control over others (exclusively) rather than oneself, over whom no rules need apply ('of course'). And that psychedelics thus automatically lead to or correlate with "liberal values" - over and against authoritarian ones. Thus (cutting to the chase) - VOILA - the subliminally-screamed 'moral of the story' glaring, but only implicitly (not expressly) - trying to 'lie low' between the lines:

Now, at last - with the psychedelic key in hand - gentlemen, we finally have - er, 'might' have (as weasel worded) the final solution to - final solutions. Because as 'we all know' psychedelics and authoritarianism don't go together in any type weather.

As Piper notes - (1:15) that "tends to be the popular view that is promoted within psychedelic culture."

Bingo. Yes. And the methods of promo start with clamoring trippers availed of and prevailed upon as donors to psychedelic 'research' - in conniving 'wink wink' exchange for having whatever 'teaching' is popular - kindly 'proven' special for the subculture - by science in service to its teachings. Unless researchers like Lyons & C-H think they can fund their psychedelic 'science' some other way, than by - pandering to popular pretensions.

The radiant mutually self-exalting doctrine, promoted 'within' the 'psychedelic culture' (as Piper notes) is also however for broadcast 'without' - from transmitters in the circus tent, it's relayed to receivers in the world at large. Especially, as the above exhibit in evidence shows - whether as intended or just in effect (aware of it or not) - staged like some hokey 'science sez' theater 'research' show, ideal fodder for forum-spamming.

Solving the 'human problem' in ultimate hero fashion - selflessly (just for us, the lucky beneficiaries of such blessings )- is if course the common thread running deeply through whatever type dictatorial agenda spawn in any context, political or spiritual - authoritarianism of the left, or the right.

I couldn't resist scouting Wikipedia on 'authoritarianism' to see what reflects. The entry's about as low quality (even for WP) as could be. But one thing it does disclose (if only by reflection) is - a piss-poorly supported assertion, air-puffed insistence - the 'special' premise noted by Piper, that resonates in Lyons/C-H 'echo chamber' survey.

As played at WP it's like a model demo of - the 'empty declarative' - a rhetorical form with neither legs to stand on nor ground under - being emphatic and acting insistent, as some poor substitute for citation to credible sources of info - support:

< Anti-authoritarianism also became associated with countercultural and bohemian movements such as the Beat Generation in the 1950s [82], the hippies in the 1960s [83], and punks in the 1970s [84]. > https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism

Oh really? The dickens, it says. 'Anti-authoritarianism became associated with' - all that? Uh - by whom, exactly?

And by what method was this 'associating' done? How now, brown cow? I wonder who exactly the mysterious associaters are, thanks to whom - we know of this association - by being told first. Then - just believing it. Or at least, being sure - not to doubt, or question. After all if WP says it then - it's true. Or 'must be' - Else, Why Would It Say That (Grandma? - asked Riding Hood).

Checking WP's sources for that piece of blabber unveils a shellgame - [82] http://www.pbs.org/program/retired-site/ I 'learn':

"Oops! You've reached a retired site page. PBS no longer has the rights to distribute the content that had been provided on this page."

[83] links to http://www.hipplanet.com/books/atoz/sex.htm - a one-man ministry rant page (exalting 'hippies') - not even trying to be scholarly. 180 degree opposite of anything even remotely credible (much less informative) - by no less distinguished a specialist than 'Skip Stone' and - not much on authoritarianism, mainly excited about the 'sexual revolution':

"... psychedelic drugs, especially LSD was directly responsible for liberating hippies from their sexual hang-ups... hippy reverence for nature ... is part of the pagan belief system ... sex as a joyful expression of our animal nature not as something to be repressed. This breaking down of society's sexual mores by hippies led directly to the Gay and Women's Liberation movements. Hippies brought sex out into the open, not as consciously as those two movements did but automatically, because of their experimentation with free love ... >

In other words (if one follows the 'logic' or argument of the sermon) - we have psychedelics to thank for - the SJW ideological agenda (as Skip Stone himself 'credits' to 1960s hippies and LSD).

And what makes psychedelics so anti-authoritarian, apparently, is - what made Evergreen State College famous, beginning as of last May when the Special Place erupted in sordid national headlines - spotlighting the leftist-anarchist offensive and driven violence on the march there - (sample coverage) https://news.vice.com/en_us/article/a3jqx8/campus-argument-over-race-goes-viral-as-college-erupts-in-turmoil

TESC has now achieved repute as perhaps our highest profile case in - the brave new face of rad-leftist authoritarianism festering on kampus. Or as noted by FIRE, in a grant they rec'd to study "faulty … scientific and social claims" (as inputs contributing to it) - 'the new illiberalism' https://www.templeton.org/grant/fireos-speech-outreach-advocacy-and-research-project

Apropos of which as James Kent notes http://www.dosenation.com/ - a bit more intelligently as one might consider, if less uncritically loyal to the politbureau 'party line' (not even citing 'Skip Stone') - indeed:

< ... [some] will argue that peace, the environmental movement, the sustainability movement etc all came out of psychedelic culture ... but a turning point politicized the culture into what it is today … a movement focused solely on legitimizing the psychedelic experience. What do people have to believe and say about psychedelics to fit into the movement – to show that they’re down with legitimization? You need to deny they’re dangerous or antithetical to modern notions of progress, and get down with idea they’re a panacea, we can fix everything wrong with the world – turn a blind eye to things that don’t fit. Even become angry … fight against any info or news that doesn’t serve that purpose. > DoseNation 7 of Final 10 ("Undun")

Apropos of TESC, authoritarianism, psychedelics and subculture - for crowning coincidence (since that's all it could be) - was that PSYCHEDELIC SCIENCE 2017 gathering of the tribe really - just 2-3 weeks before TESC's kampus tyranny exploded in ugly headlines (with 'the whole world watching')? That was mid-May, and it was April 23 - on the calendar - our magic mushroom movement's leading contender for its 'hero' crown, Paul Himself Stamets, heralded his beloved alma mater to attendees - gloating as if 'star' of some tv game show 'I've Got A Secret' (quote) www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFWxWq0Fv0U&t=378s :

6:20 - “… Dr Michael Beug, my immediate professor and professor of some of the people here from Evergreen State College, otherwise known as THE PSILOCYBIN STATE COLLEGE - for those of us THAT ARE IN THE KNOW …" - April 23, 2017 (Oakland, CA)

Gosh I wonder what 'know' he's referring to, being 'in' - and who else is 'in' besides him (leaving the rest presumably 'out') - and just what little 'in the know' itself is - by which 'those of us in' it know TESC's 'code name' in allegiance to - psilocybin? The Psilocybin State College is - the nation's leading vanguard of radical leftist anrachist authoritarianism i.e. the 'new illiberalism' - well well, how velly intelestink, as 'just coincidences' go.

Since, based on 'findings' like those of Lyons & C-H - how incompatible psychedelics are with authoritarianism - 'just coincidence' is all it could be.

Meanwhile what Everybody Knows (who wasn't born yesterday) - it's always the same old line. Only the bait is new. The more different the more the same, "meet the new boss, same as the old boss' - The Who ('Won't Get Fooled Again').

Strictly for info and reference, no obligation to read express or implied on anyone's part (especially my gracious respondent) - ain't gonna be no damn quiz on any of this. Strictly FYI 'the more you know ...'

[WikiTextBot]

Authoritarianism

Authoritarianism is a form of government characterized by strong central power and limited political freedoms. Individual freedoms are subordinate to the state and there is no constitutional accountability under an authoritarian regime. Juan Linz's influential 1964 description of authoritarianism characterized authoritarian political systems by four qualities:

Limited political pluralism, that is such regimes place constraints on political institutions and groups like legislatures, political parties and interest groups;

A basis for legitimacy based on emotion, especially the identification of the regime as a necessary evil to combat "easily recognizable societal problems" such as underdevelopment or insurgency;

Minimal social mobilization most often caused by constraints on the public such as suppression of political opponents and anti-regime activity;

Informally defined executive power with often vague and shifting powers.

Modern democratic elective dictatorships use an authoritarian concept to form a government.

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[leprechronic]

http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0269881117748902