I think some people are shown to be more arrogant and egotistical after psychedelics.

I know some folks in the HN audience will not like this example, but Elon Musk is one.

An older cannonical example is Timothy Leary.

No names are coming to mind, but I feel like there have been plenty of psychedelic informed cults, with cult leader narcissists who continue to abuse people despite experiencing psychedelics.

It may open some doors and cause you to consider more angles, and for many people it helps them with empathy and connectedness, but in another sense it's amplifying what you've already got. A "bad" input can get amplified too.

> No names are coming to mind, but I feel like there have been plenty of psychedelic informed cults, with cult leader narcissists who continue to abuse people despite experiencing psychedelics.

Manson would dose himself and his followers to, IMO, lower inhibitions and make them more receptive to his ideas.

Supposedly mkultra was also experimenting with that use case.

Manson's parole officer met with him at the Haight Ashbury Free Clinic, which allegedly was funded by the CIA and was a vector for the distribution of LSD from the state.

> I know some folks in the HN audience will not like this example, but Elon Musk is one.

Isn't he also a ketamine junkie? Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic, although some call it psychedelic, it's not exactly the same thing.

Recent reporting is that he's also using LSD and mushrooms.

In addition to other, unrelated drugs.

It amplifies things. If your core it truely rotten, only rotten stuff can come out.

And further manifest itself. I have limited experience with LSD myself, but lots of experience with pseudogurus, who believe they know and understand everything, because holy wisdom was brought to them while tripping.

I used to think this until I learned the most racist person I knew dropped acid every weekend. Seemed to only make him more racist.

The best cure for arrogance is a rough and dirty sparring session with a strong, experienced fighter. It's the most grounding experience you can have. Punches that come through openings you didn't know you had, kicks that seem to bury themselves into your flesh and marrow, and if you get to grappling you'll experience wonders you never knew existed.