Sam Woolfe

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Articles

Collective Effervescence at Concerts

Jan 20, 2025 | rocknheavy.net | Sam Woolfe

In The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life (1912), the sociologist Émile Durkheim argues that religion has its origin in a feeling he calls collective effervescence. This stands for the heightened feeling of energy, euphoria, harmony, and unity that arises when we’re engaged in certain group activities, rituals, and ceremonies. This was a feeling that Durkheim claimed to have observed in Australian Aboriginal rituals.
Quakerism and Psychedelics

Nov 18, 2024 | samwoolfe.medium.com | Sam Woolfe

Sam Woolfe·Follow12 min read·--It is hard to find much information on the connections between Quakerism (or the Religious Society of Friends) and psychedelic use. This is in contrast to discussions on the (actual or possible) influence of psychedelics on other religions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and animistic religions.
Revisiting Terence McKenna’s Idea of the ‘Archaic Revival’

Nov 4, 2024 | samwoolfe.medium.com | Sam Woolfe

Sam Woolfe·Follow16 min read·--The ‘archaic revival’ is one of Terence McKenna’s most popular ideas, and it is the title of his 1991 book that explores a variety of topics related to psychedelics. The core of the idea is that several 20th-century movements represent a return to the spiritual and ecological sensibilities of Paleolithic and Neolithic shamanistic societies. The archaic revival is a return to what McKenna calls ‘archaic values’ or the ‘archaic style of existence’.
Relying on ChatGPT for Content Writing Could Backfire

Sep 30, 2024 | samwoolfe.com | Sam Woolfe

I explored the subject of ChatGPT’s impact on content writing in a previous blog post. I noted that I, and other freelance writers, have cited AI as a potential reason for a massive drop in work opportunities. (Job boards I had used for years for finding freelance writing work had significantly fewer listings, with some having barely any at all.) The worry about AI leading to less writing work is intuitive (and kind of obvious), but research has now borne it out.
The Psychology of New Age Spirituality

Aug 5, 2024 | samwoolfe.medium.com | Sam Woolfe

Why do some people get really into New Age practices and beliefs? Explanations can range from charitable and optimistic ones (e.g. people finding pathways to truth and wellness) to less charitable and cynical ones (e.g. some people are not scientifically literate, or they're prone to cling to wellness trends to feel more 'spiritual').
Did Aldous Huxley's Poor Eyesight Influence The Doors of Perception?

Jul 29, 2024 | samwoolfe.medium.com | Sam Woolfe

The Doors of Perception (1954) by Aldous Huxley is probably the most well-known and influential trip report ever written. The Doors took their name from the title of the book. And many who read Huxley's engrossing description of his mescaline experience would become inspired to embark on their own psychedelic journeys. What stands out in particular about this work - which is part trip report and part philosophical text - are the visual descriptions of the psychedelic experience.
A Case for Psychedelic Scepticism

Jul 16, 2024 | samwoolfe.medium.com | Sam Woolfe

One of the reasons I wanted to write a book on the philosophy and psychology of psychedelic experiences was to defend a sceptical attitude towards these experiences. (You can find preorder links and more information about my book here.) The book's title, Altered Perspectives, is partly related to this motive.
Psychedelic Research Did Not Stop in the 60s Solely Due to Drug Prohibition

Jul 1, 2024 | samwoolfe.medium.com | Sam Woolfe

There is a common narrative in psychedelic culture that early psychedelic research - which flourished in the 50s and 60s - was abandoned in the 60s because of then US President Richard Nixon's 'War on Drugs'. However, while drug prohibition was certainly a contributing factor, it was not the sole reason why psychedelic research slowed and then eventually ground to a halt.
The Human Predilection for Psychedelics May Be an Evolutionary Accident

Jun 17, 2024 | samwoolfe.medium.com | Sam Woolfe

Because psychedelics can have profoundly positive effects on people, this has led to the narrative that they exist for our consumption. Why else would certain plants and mushrooms have evolved compounds that foster better mental health, induce spiritual and transformative experiences, and lead to enhanced connection to others and nature? However, there is evidence that suggests the opposite (more banal) reality: these compounds have functions that have nothing to do with us.
The Debate Over Which Drugs Should Be Classified as Psychedelics

Jun 3, 2024 | samwoolfe.medium.com | Sam Woolfe

In an earlier post on AA founder Bill Wilson, I dispelled the idea that he used a psychedelic to get sober (a claim made on the Netflix series How to Change Your Mind, and which has appeared elsewhere). Wilson was given a deliriant concoction (belladonna and henbane) to beat his addiction to alcohol. This occurred in 1934, four years before LSD was even synthesised.