Why tech bros worship psychedelics (and think you should too) : It’s Been a Minute

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Why are tech bros and CEOs so into psychedelics?

John Moore/Getty Images


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John Moore/Getty Images


Why are tech bros and CEOs so into psychedelics?

John Moore/Getty Images

America is a deeply spiritual nation. Over 70% of us say that we feel spiritual in some way. But – at the same time – we’re getting less religious. So for people who are spiritual-but-not-religious – what’s replacing organized religion? What do they believe – and where does that show up in their day-to-day lives? In our new series called Losing My Religion, It’s Been a Minute is going to find out.

This week, we’re getting into psychedelics. That’s an umbrella that includes the drugs LSD, magic mushrooms, peyote, and often ketamine and MDMA too, among others. And some of these drugs have a history of spiritual practice spanning millennia. But there’s a new group that’s really taking on the psychedelic mantle: tech bros and CEOS. Brittany is joined by Maxim Tvorun-Dunn, PhD candidate at the University of Tokyo, and Emma Goldberg, business reporter at the New York Times, to discuss what it means that these drugs are getting championed – and sometimes financially backed – by the tech elite, and how might that affect our culture’s relationship to psychedelics as spiritual tools.

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This episode was produced by Liam McBain. It was edited by Neena Pathak. Our Supervising Producer is Barton Girdwood. Our Executive Producer is Veralyn Williams. Our VP of Programming is Yolanda Sangweni.

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