Turn On, Tune In, Drop In: Psychedelics, Creativity and Entrepreneurship

This review paper (2020) for a management audience looks at (the history of) psychedelics and creativity.

Abstract

“There is a long history of psychedelic use throughout history. A great deal of research was conducted on the possible benefits of psychedelics until LSD and psilocybin became street drugs in the 1960s with reported negative effects. Declared illegal in the late 1960s, research slowed on the benefits of such drugs. A new version of the “street” use of psychedelics has emerged in the form of microdosing, particularly by entrepreneurs and Silicon Valley engineers. This paper reviews the history of psychedelics, possible benefits for creativity and openness for entrepreneurs, and how the issue should be addressed in an entrepreneurship classroom.“

Author: Lawrence S. Silver

Summary

Psychedelic use has a long history and has been researched for its benefits. Microsoding has emerged as a new form of psychedelic use, particularly by entrepreneurs and Silicon Valley engineers.

Albert Hofmann accidentally ingested some LSD in 1943 and had the first known LSD trip. Several days later, Hofmann intentionally took a dose of LSD and had the first known LSD “bad trip”.

After a hiatus in research, interest in psychedelics has resumed, with Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and technology firm employees experimenting with microdoses of LSD to increase creativity and focus.

Psychedelic use has a long history throughout history. New versions of the “street” use of psychedelics have emerged in the form of microsoding, particularly by entrepreneurs and Silicon Valley engineers.

Albert Hofmann accidentally ingested some LSD in 1943 and had the first known LSD trip. Several days later, Hofmann intentionally took a dose of LSD and had the first known LSD “bad trip”.

After a hiatus in research when LSD was declared illegal in the late 1960s, interest in psychedelics has resumed. Silicon Valley entrepreneurs are experimenting with microdoses of LSD to increase creativity and focus.

The paper will look at how psychedelics have been used throughout history, who has used them, and what early research found. It will then summarize the research to date and explore the ethics.

Psychedelics have been used since the ancient Greeks and were found in the Americas when the Spanish arrived. A prominent Greek general and politician named Alchibiades threw a party in which he gave each guest a single-shot of a purple liquid.

Plutarch recounts that a guest at the party was overwhelmed by fear and terror, but then passed into delightful meadows where he was impressed with celestial visions.

The Spanish conquerors found Native Americans using psilocybin and ayahuasca, and cannabis was apparently widely used in the East. Since cannabis works on the brain in a different way, it is not technically a psychedelic.

Psychedelic drugs are used in religious rituals, and are not addictive. Priests, mystics, and congregants can use them without fear of becoming dependent on them.

Some famous people have used psychedelics or other hallucinogenic drugs, including William James, who used nitrous oxide to experience altered states of consciousness.

Bill Wilson took belladonna, a plant-derived alkaloid with hallucinogenic properties, in 1934 and LSD in 1956, and credited it with his sobriety.

The paper will look at what psychedelics have been used for throughout history, who has used them and what early research found. It will then summarize the research to date.

The Greek word psychedelic means mind manifesting and was used by the ancient Greeks, Aztecs, and Spanish explorers. A prominent Greek general and politician named Alchibiades threw a party in which he served purple liquid to guests.

The historian Plutarch recounts that the effects of the drink took hold and that the guests were overwhelmed by fear and terror, but then passed into delightful meadows where they were impressed with celestial visions.

The Spanish conquerors found Native Americans using psilocybin and ayahuasca, and in the East, cannabis was apparently widely used. Although cannabis is not technically a psychedelic, it has been around for thousands of years.

Psychedelic drugs are used in religious rituals, and can be used by priests, mystics, and congregants without fear of becoming dependent on them.

Some famous people have used psychedelics or other hallucinogenic drugs, including William James, who used nitrous oxide to experience altered states of consciousness.

Bill Wilson took belladonna, a plant derived alkaloid with hallucinogenic properties, in 1934 and LSD several times in 1956 to achieve sobriety.

Aldous Huxley experimented with mescaline and LSD, and wrote about his experience in his book, The Doors of Perception.

Timothy Leary was a proponent of LSD use, but his enthusiasm caught on with the counterculture movement of the 1960s and LSD became a street drug. There were reports of bad trips, people trying to fly off buildings, and flashbacks.

Steve Jobs used LSD and psilocybin to enhance his creativity, and this led to increased interest in research on psychedelics.

Research on the effects of psychedelics is being conducted by academic researchers and by individuals experimenting with microdosing.

In 2001, Marcus Raichle and his colleagues published a paper about the default mode network (DMN), which acts like a switching system for old analog telephones. Psychedelics disable the DMN and allow the different parts of the brain to communicate directly.

Aldous Huxley experimented with psychedelics, writing about his experience with mescaline and LSD.

The Harvard psychologist Timothy Leary believed that LSD was so important to the world that everyone should take it. However, widespread use of LSD in the 1960s discredited Leary and led to the Nixon administration passing laws against LSD use.

Steve Jobs contended that his use of LSD was among the most important experiences of his life, and it became more acceptable in Silicon Valley and other high-pressure environments once successful people began using psychedelics for creative problem solving.

Psychedelics are being studied by academic researchers and by individuals experimenting with microdosing.

In 2001, Marcus Raichle and his colleagues published a paper about the default mode network (DMN), which acts like a switching system for old analog telephones, and regulates what our responses should be to incoming messages. Psychedelics disable the DMN and allow the different parts of the brain to communicate directly.

Microdosing is commonly considered an amount of psychedelic substance between one-twentieth and one-tenth of a recreational dose. There is no common definition of a recreational dose, and the best way to describe a microdose is its effect.

Users report enhanced creativity, better sleep, improved athletic performance, and relief from pain caused by menstrual disorders and migraine headaches. One writer tried microdosing and reported an increased focus on work, more patience, and a reduced desire to check the internet as frequently as before.

Alison Gopnik, Ph.D., noted that adult brains on psychedelics provide a richer range of states of consciousness than we normally experience.

There is an extensive amount of academic research on psychedelics, and a selection of these studies are reviewed and summarized in Table 2.

Despite all the interest in microdosing, there is little to no scientific consensus of what microdosing actually is. The best way to describe a microdose is its effect, which is increased focus, creativity, and problem solving skills.

Users report enhanced creativity, better sleep, improved athletic performance, and relief from pain caused by menstrual disorders and migraine headaches. Writer Baynard Woods tried microdosing and reported an increased focus on work, more patience, and a reduced desire to check the internet as frequently as before.

Alison Gopnik, Ph.D., noted that adult brains on psychedelics provide more options for problem solving than we normally experience.

There is an extensive amount of academic research on psychedelics, including their relation to creativity, openness and reduced neuroticism.