[pstuart]

Wow indeed. And oh, the irony -- LSD is the ultimate anti-mind-control drug.

[traceddd]

I’m sure you’re aware of the concept of “set and setting.” The environment can greatly influence the character and content of a psychedelic experience.

Mind control can be as simple as attaching trauma to a particular ideology, or invoking a spiritual experience with some specific subject matter.

I think it could probably be done although it would be wildly unwieldy and unethical.

[pstuart]

Yes, I'm very aware. The CIA was engaging in torture in the name of research.

My quip was based on the fact that under proper set and setting LSD has the ability to "open the mind" beyond the "normal world" and its associated conventions.

[walleeee]

Not necessarily. LSD reduces the influence of implicit priors. What gets reintegrated depends on context ("set and setting").

[pstuart]

Brainwashing doesn't need drugs for that, and has been far more successful.

[walleeee]

Definitely. Just pointing out that LSD is not guaranteed to be a psychologically liberating experience.

[pstuart]

Yep. No guarantees. I had a friend that that fried his brain on it.

It's a powerful tool that has been unfairly demonized.

[walleeee]

Agreed!