dash

What the ‘decade of the brain’ taught us about drug addiction. (Hint, we had it all wrong before.)

Up Next ► “Drug use is your BIRTHRIGHT” 

Thanks largely to the "War on Drugs," we have been led to believe that drug addiction is the source of most of the problems that we see in our communities.

But much of what we have been told about drugs is pure nonsense. For example, most people who use drugs do not become addicted. To determine if someone is addicted, we should analyze someone's behavior, rather than their brain.

Dr. Carl Hart, professor of psychology, believes that society's drug problems need to be understood within a greater psychosocial context, such as lack of opportunity, education, and healthcare.

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About Dr. Carl Hart:

Dr. Hart is an Associate Professor of Psychology in both the Departments of Psychiatry and Psychology at Columbia University, and Director of the Residential Studies and Methamphetamine Research Laboratories at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. A major focus of Dr. Hart’s research is to understand complex interactions between drugs of abuse and the neurobiology and environmental factors that mediate human behavior and physiology. He is the author or co-author of dozens of peer-reviewed scientific articles in the area of neuropsychopharmacology, co-author of the textbook, Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior, and a member of a NIH review group. Dr. Hart was recently elected to Fellow status by the American Psychological Association (Division 28) for his outstanding contribution to the field of psychology, specifically psychopharmacology and substance abuse.

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Why friendships are becoming rarer in America, explained by author Richard Reeves. Richard Reeves, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, discusses the importance of friendships and the potential “friendship recession.” He notes that loneliness can be as harmful as smoking 15 cigarettes per day, but measuring and quantifying friendships is difficult. According to Reeves, an ideal number of close friends is around three or four. But alarmingly, 15% of young men today report having no close friends, compared to 3% in the 1990s

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Chapters:

0:00 A friendship recession

1:20 4 friendship formations

1:54 How many friends do people need?

2:21 The ideal relationship

3:03 Why are we losing friends?

4:20 Friendship & your health

5:07 Male friendships

5:43 Female friendships

6:27 The dystopia we must avoid

7:20 The hardest thing to admit

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About Richard Reeves: Richard V. Reeves is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, where he directs the Future of the Middle Class Initiative and co-directs the Center on Children and Families. His Brookings research focuses on the middle class, inequality and social mobility. Richard writes for a wide range of publications, including the New York Times, Guardian, National Affairs, The Atlantic, Democracy Journal, and Wall Street Journal. He is the author of Dream Hoarders (Brookings Institution Press, 2017), and John Stuart Mill – Victorian Firebrand (Atlantic Books, 2007), an intellectual biography of the British liberal philosopher and politician. Dream Hoarders was named a Book of the Year by The Economist, a Political Book of the Year by The Observer, and was shortlisted for the Goddard Riverside Stephan Russo Book Prize for Social Justice. In September 2017, Politico magazine named Richard one of the top 50 thinkers in the U.S. for his work on class and inequality. A Brit-American, Richard was director of strategy to the UK’s Deputy Prime Minister from 2010 to 2012

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Neuroscientist Kristen Lindquist on how even on a biological level, emotions are entirely subjective.

According to this neuroscientist, your emotions look different from those of someone who grew up on the other side of the world.

Kristen Lindquist, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, explores the concept of 'affective realism,' where our emotional experiences dictate our true reality. Emotions, Lindquist explains, are cultural artifacts, passed down like art or language, and are distinct reflections of both our biological makeup and our societal norms.

Individualistic societies like the United States and collectivist cultures like Japan interpret emotions like anger differently, leading to varied physiological responses. These findings suggest that there are no “universal emotional expressions,” that even facial muscle movements we associate with certain feelings are not globally recognized, but are instead interpreted through a cultural lens.

Lindquist's work invites us to consider our own emotional responses, encouraging a more open-minded approach to interpreting the feelings of others. Through this understanding, we can appreciate the unique perspectives each individual brings, to eventually unlock better solutions for understanding the world around us.

We created this video in partnership with Unlikely Collaborators

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Primatologist Frans de Waal inadvertently popularized the term ‘alpha male.’ Now, he’s debunking common stereotypes to explain what an ‘alpha male’ really is – empathetic and protective. All social animals establish hierarchies, but being an “alpha male” is not merely about strength or intimidation, according to primatologist Frans de Waal. An alpha male can often be a figure admired for empathy and protectiveness. De Waal criticizes the misconception of the term as synonymous with a bully. He further explores the concept of gender, arguing its flexibility and highlighting the existence of significant individual variability in behavior among primates. De Waal emphasizes empathy as a key factor in social cohesion, suggesting it might hint at morality among primates. Despite our advancements, he believes humans are fundamentally similar to primates emotionally and socially.

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Chapters:

0:00 What is an alpha male?

1:25 ‘Chimpanzee Politics’ and the 1980s cultural fervor

2:20 The alpha male is not a personality type

3:34 Sex & gender: Donna the chimp

5:38 We’re apes with technology and college degrees

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About Frans de Waal: Dr. Frans B. M. de Waal is a Dutch/American behavioral biologist and primatologist known for his work on the behavior and social intelligence of primates. His first book, Chimpanzee Politics (1982), compared the schmoozing and scheming of chimpanzees involved in power struggles with that of human politicians. His scientific work has been published in hundreds of technical articles in journals such as Science, Nature, Scientific American, and outlets specialized in animal behavior. His popular books - translated into 20+ languages - have made him one of the world's most visible primatologists. His latest books are Mama’s Last Hug (Norton, 2019) and Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist (Norton, 2022). De Waal is C. H. Candler Professor Emeritus at Emory University and Distinguished Professor Emeritus at Utrecht University. He has been elected to the (U.S.) National Academy of Sciences as well as the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. In 2007, Time declared him one of "The World's 100 Most Influential People Today."

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The science of sex drive and sexual frustration from Dr. Emily Nagoski. Is our desire for sex fundamentally similar to our drive for necessities like food, water, and sleep? Sex educator Emily Nagoski argues that the answer is no. Although a lack of sex can lead to frustration, this feeling is fundamentally different from what we experience when deprived of the biological necessities of life. After all, nobody has ever died from a lack of sex. The implication is that common ideas about the existence of a “sex drive” are flawed. Check out this Big Think interview with Nagoski to learn more about the nature of sexual desire, and why pursuing connection and pleasure might be better than pursuing sex itself.

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chapters:

0:00 Why sex is not a biological “drive”

1:42 Sexual frustration on the other hand…

3:48 The damage of the “sex drive” myth

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About Emily Nagoski: Emily Nagoski is the award-winning author of the New York Times bestselling Come As You Are and The Come As You Are Workbook, and coauthor, with her sister, Amelia, of New York Times bestseller Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle. She earned an M.S. in counseling and a Ph.D. in health behavior, both from Indiana University, with clinical and research training at the Kinsey Institute. Now she combines sex education and stress education to teach women to live with confidence and joy inside their bodies. She lives in Massachusetts with two dogs, a cat, and a cartoonist.

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Crypto is a lot of things, but it isn’t a currency according to Shark Tank investor Kevin O’Leary, aka “Mr. Wonderful." What would it take to get there? Is the collapse of a $25 billion cryptocurrency startup a death knell for the industry? Not according to Kevin O'Leary, an investor, businessman, and author. He sees the failure of FTX as a speed bump rather than a roadblock, underscoring the distinction between speculative assets like Bitcoin and more stable entities like Stablecoins. Despite the turmoil, O'Leary maintains that the potential of cryptocurrencies remains vast. He foresees their integration into the global economy but contends that this can only happen successfully with appropriate regulation to curtail the sector's “Wild West” tendencies. As the cryptocurrency community awaits the final outcome of the SEC’s lawsuit against Ripple and other companies, it remains to be seen whether or when digital assets will be incorporated into our daily economic lives

Chapters:

0:00 FTX's "utter catastrophe"

0:58 What crypto is missing

1:23 Speculative assets vs. stable coins

3:10 Should we trust the government to regulate crypto?

5:45 Where do we go from here?

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How a ‘heroic dose’ of psychedelics can be therapeutic, explained by a Johns Hopkins professor. Psychedelic research is enjoying a renaissance. Recent studies have shown that psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin seem to be a safe and effective method for treating conditions like depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder. And unlike common antidepressants, some people report long-lasting improvements in their mental health conditions after taking just one dose of psychedelics. What makes these substances so unique and powerful? That’s one of the driving questions behind the research of Matthew W. Johnson, who has conducted numerous studies on the nature of addiction, psychedelics, and other psychoactive substances.

---------------------------------------------

Chapters:

0:00 Effing up the ineffable

1:56 Pioneers of psychedelic therapy

2:35 Psychedelics go underground

3:26 The psychedelic renaissance

4:50 Taking a ‘heroic dose’ at Johns Hopkins

8:44 The challenges of psychedelic therapy

9:46 The mental health revolution

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-------------

About Matthew Johnson: Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D., is The Susan Hill Ward Endowed Professor of Psychedelics and Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins. Working with psychedelics since 2004, he is one of the world’s most widely published experts on psychedelics. He has published research on psychedelics and mystical experience, personality change, tobacco smoking cessation, cancer distress treatment, and depression treatment. In 2021 he received as principal investigator the first grant in 50 years from the US government for a treatment study with a classic psychedelic, specifically psilocybin in treatment of tobacco addiction. He is also known for his expertise in behavioral economics, addiction, sexual risk behavior, and research with a wide variety of drug classes. He’s been Interviewed by Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, NPR, Fox News, Fox Business News, BBC and in Michael Pollan’s book How to Change Your Mind....

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Can psychedelics solve the ‘hard problem’ of consciousness? Johns Hopkins professor Matthew Johnson explains.

It seems safe to say that you have subjective experiences of what it’s like to exist. But things get complicated when you try to prove that phenomenal experiences, or qualia, extend to every human being that you see around you. And things get even more complicated when you try to scientifically explain how the physical matter in your brain gives rise to consciousness, and why such experiences exist in the first place.

This is known as the hard problem of consciousness. It has yet to be solved.

Could the mind-altering power of psychedelics offer a solution to this longstanding problem? Dr. Matthew W. Johnson is leaving open the possibility. As a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Johnson is one of the world’s most published scientists when it comes to the effects of psychedelics on the human brain.

In this Big Think interview, Dr. Johnson explains why we should be both open and careful about the prospect of psychedelics helping us crack the hard problem of consciousness, which remains one of the world’s most puzzling questions.

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chapters:

0:00 Defining consciousness

0:47 The ‘hard problem’ of consciousness

1:44 Psychedelics & consciousness

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----------------------

About Matthew Johnson:

Matthew W. Johnson, Ph.D., is The Susan Hill Ward Endowed Professor of Psychedelics and Consciousness Research at Johns Hopkins. Working with psychedelics since 2004, he is one of the world’s most widely published experts on psychedelics. He has published research on psychedelics and mystical experience, personality change, tobacco smoking cessation, cancer distress treatment, and depression treatment. In 2021 he received as principal investigator the first grant in 50 years from the US government for a treatment study with a classic psychedelic, specifically psilocybin in treatment of tobacco addiction. He is also known for his expertise in behavioral economics, addiction, sexual risk behavior, and research with a wide variety of drug classes. He’s been Interviewed by Anderson Cooper on 60 Minutes, the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, CNN, NPR, Fox News, Fox Business News, BBC and in Michael Pollan’s book How to Change Your Mind...

--------------

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“Masculinity” has become synonymous with “toxic.” Journalist Christine Emba explains how that happened, and how it can change.

Young men are increasingly finding themselves single and struggling to meet traditional expectations. Journalist Christine Emba breaks down the masculinity crisis and what can be done to fix it.

The rise of "manfluencers" like Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan reflects a new type of masculinity that both challenges and redefines what it means to be a man today. While these influencers often offer empathy and simple life advice, their viewpoints tend to escalate into misogyny, resulting in even more societal isolation for men down the road.

Emba’s advice is for men to evaluate what masculinity means to them — Is it strength? Support of a family? Leadership through conflict? She stresses these traits need not exist in opposition to the traits of women, and instead can complement them, leading to a more productive, cohesive, and ultimately happier society.

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About Christine Emba:

Christine Emba is an opinion columnist and Editorial Board member at the Washington Post, and also serves as a contributing editor for Comment magazine. She is the author of "Rethinking Sex: A Provocation." Before coming to The Post in 2015, Christine was the Hilton Kramer Fellow in Criticism at the New Criterion and a deputy editor at the Economist Intelligence Unit, focusing on technology and innovation. She grew up in Virginia and holds an A.B. in public and international affairs from Princeton University.

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Former Yale professor Morgan Levine explains how to calculate your ‘bio age’ to live longer. How old are you? Odds are your answer is a number of years — a metric known as your "chronological age." Although this number isn’t meaningless, it fails to capture the full picture of aging. Your "biological age" may be a far more useful metric. This is the degree to which your biology has changed over a given period of time. “Aging is starting at a molecular level, and over time this is going to give rise to all the functional changes and manifestations that we tend to see with aging,” says Dr. Morgan Levine, author of the book True Age. Unlike chronological age, your biological age is malleable: Scientists know that it’s possible to slow biological aging by maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But is it possible to actually reverse the aging process? See what Dr. Levine has to say about the potential of anti-aging research in this Big Think interview.

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Chapters:-

0:00 The aging illusion

1:42 Chronological age vs biological age

3:17 Your biological age is malleable

4:32 Measuring biological age

6:26 How to find out your biological age

6:54 Get informed, change your age

7:25 Can we reverse aging?

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