Aaron Rodgers on an Ayahuasca retreat in the Netflix docuseries Aaron Rodgers: Enigma. | Netflix
Former Buffalo Bill Jordan Poyer when he heard New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers extol the benefits of ayahuasca The Pat McAfee Show In 2023, He was skeptical – but curious. Poyer was struggling with his marriage and his recovery from alcoholism, and after Rogers discussed “plant medicine” — as the psychoactive brew is commonly described among acolytes — he decided to try it, with apparently life-changing results. Poyer relays all of this in a recent Netflix documentary Aaron Rodgers: Enigmawhich looks into the mystery Probably retirement Super Bowl Champion.
Rogers isn’t just an athlete who dabbles in psychedelics and inspires others to do the same. He seems drawn to fringe ideas: He has expressed anti-vax views and is a good friend of public health conspirator Robert F. Kennedy Jr. 9/11 and Sandy Hook conspiracy theoriesThe next one He denied. he believes HIV/AIDS was invented by Govt. Yet the 41-year-old self-confessed perfectionist’s enthusiasm for ayahuasca, in particular, feels predictable to an increasingly mainstream group of men he represents: wealthy dudes obsessed with self-improvement and often relying on their own “research” to a disturbing degree.
Likewise, a growing Number of technology CEOslike Sam Altman of OpenAIreported a “transformational” experience of taking ayahuasca, which increased their productivity, creativity and leadership skills. Controversial bro-science guys like spiritual wellness advocate Aubrey Marcus (also in Rogers’ documentary) have expressed similar enthusiasm. Marcus, who writes self-help books Own the day, own your life And Master your mind, master your lifeRecently done one film About psychedelic rituals. Elon Musk and controversial computer scientist Lex Friedman Got it together. Certain “podcast bro” Joe Rogan has been one lawyer Ayahuasca over the years.
Still, the drug seems to have reached some kind of cultural tipping point. Even film and television have seen their fair share of men getting off on drugs, such as from Oscar-bait movies. Queer Like a semi-prestige show the industry Bravo cast members on reality shows, almost always portraying them ironicallyfeminine“Drugs are being taken by men.
Although there are some notable women who have participated in ayahuasca rituals — including comedians Chelsea Handlerwho said it led her to seek therapy, and Lindsay Lohan, who said “His life changed” — The growing male pop cultural footprint of ayahuasca use in Western culture has recently given the ancient drug a more brutal reputation.
Also popular as tornAyahuasca has been used by indigenous peoples of Peru, Brazil, Colombia and Ecuador for thousands of years. The bitter-tasting herbal drink is made by boiling the stem and bark from the leaves of the Banisteriopsis capi vine and the Psychotrea viridis shrub, which contains the powerful psychedelic drug dimethyltryptamine (DMT). Known for its healing properties, a typical experience involves crying, sweating, vomiting and/or diarrhea for about four to six hours, while intense hallucinations are experienced.
Alison Feduccia, founder of the drug safety organization Psychedelic Support, says that, historically, ayahuasca has had “healing potential for a variety of physical ailments to psychological problems.” However, it has become increasingly known for its effects on mental health. “I would say that the most well-known properties people look to ayahuasca for in the modern day are the healing of past trauma, depression, addiction, disorders and grief,” Feduccia said.
A common selling point for ayahuasca is that it is supposedly “like”10 years of therapy“One day. Likewise, much of the marketing for ayahuasca retreats, including a significant number of all-male listings.”growth,” “purpose,” “brotherhood” and “Weakness” as some of the outcomes that participants can gain from the experience. The retreats also emphasize connection with nature.
There seems to be some truth to these claims of psychological improvement. A 2018 observational study found that participants who took part in an ayahuasca session showed improved emotional control and capacity for emotional regulation 24 hours after consumption. in Another studyLGBTQ participants said they let go of feelings of ritual by becoming more certain of their identity. Researchers did too found That it can reduce depression.
“The psychedelic adept is seen as a creative and inspired individual, a Promethean figure who is not afraid to attain godlike status.”
Mike J
According to some testimonials, it seems that the relative benefits of ayahuasca are a draw for a certain type of people, those who live an optimized life — and perhaps want to shortcut long-term traditional therapy. Rogers highlighted this feature in his docuseries, calling it “the hardest medicine possible”. As strong a trader as an investor Eddie Weisberg and COBE CEO Felix van de SandtTalked about the experience in making them better people and, therefore, better workers.
It is no less surprising that these drugs are popular among men who claim to possess the most knowledge and creativity in society. Cultural historian Mike Jay, who wrote High Society: Mind-Altering Drugs in History and CultureSays psychedelics have always been “attractive to people who see themselves as powerful and or exceptional” and thus drawn to their “magical potential”.
“The psychedelic adept is seen as a creative and inspired individual, a Promethean figure who is not afraid to attain godlike status,” says Jay.
The trend of rich, powerful men turning to ayahuasca has become a noticeable trope in film and TV over the past year, if only because it often highlights the limitations of the drug and the people who take it. In the latest season of the HBO financial drama the industryBanker Robert Spearing (Harry Lotte) is dragged into an ayahuasca ceremony with his client, an arrogant and incompetent venture capitalist named Henry Mook (Kit Harington). Little to no gravity is applied to Robert’s hallucinations, including his mother- and work-related issues, a reminder that those unfamiliar with the experience have no idea what kind of insight they’re actually getting during this trip. In one hilarious moment, he sees a scrolling ticker with the words “eat it,” while his dominant love interest, Yasmin (Marissa Abella), orders him to eat his own semen. As they both exit their respective trips, Henry tells Robert that they “have to find a way to monetize it.”
Cast members of the Bravo reality show have also participated in ayahuasca ceremonies, particularly some troubled men, eliciting eye rolls and skepticism from their cast members and viewers. In the latest season of the Bravo series Southern CharmThe show’s lead “F-boy,” 45-year-old Shep Rose, went on an ayahuasca retreat after confronting the cast for his heavy drinking and belligerent behavior. When he returns in the current season, he is a little less aware of the effect his actions have on his friends. Same goes for Bravo the valleywhere cast member Jessie Lally decides to save her marriage by leaving her family for several days to attend an ayahuasca ceremony. (This no work.)
Luca Guadagnino film QueerAdapted from Williams Burroughs’ 1985 novel of the same name, it also features two men whose attempts at healing through ayahuasca go horribly wrong. In the film’s third act, two emotionally distant lovers travel to Ecuador and drink in the hopes of losing their inhibitions and starting an endless romance. Despite telepathically communicating with each other and metaphorically vomiting their hearts out, it doesn’t bring them together.
So how did ayahuasca become such a man-coded trend? Jay says that, in the West, the field of psychedelics has always been “male-dominated”, with Aldous Huxley, Albert Hoffman and R. From its invention by people like Gordon Wasson to its widespread use throughout the counterculture movement.
“Psychedelics emerged from a culture where men still dominated the worlds of science and medicine, and self-experimentation with drugs was seen as heroic and pioneering,” says Jay. “The counterculture was similar to the scientific world that preceded it. And the tech/business world is underpinned by the same assumptions.”
She says women have always had an “invisible” role in this science. However, traditional gender roles made it difficult for women to undergo these tests, including “public disinhibition” or “episodes that could be seen as psychotic.” Meanwhile, men, especially those of higher social status, did not face repercussions for displaying disrespectful behavior.
“Convenience and social capital make it easy to carry and be taken seriously,” says Jay “For those with more marginalized identities, it’s judged more harshly or seen as a sign of an unstable character.”
This thread of privilege is evident in who feels most comfortable participating in ayahuasca ceremonies, which are often set abroad in remote locations. “Psychedelics are not legal [in the United States]Many women who have children may not want to take that kind of risk,” says Feduccia. “Women can’t travel far from home to take these trips to the Amazon.”
She also noted the number of women who have spoken out about sexual abuse that can occur during such spiritual retreats, in addition to general concerns about safety while traveling. A 2020 report For the BBC, a New Zealand woman described going to an Ayahuasca retreat where she was the only single woman and was forced to perform sexual acts by a male shaman.
All of this may help explain why recent real and fictional depictions of male ayahuasca use are remarkably reprehensible. from Queer from the industry from the valleyThey deny the idea that the drug is automatically transformative or positive for every one of its customers. If you are a toxic husband, a greedy capitalist, or an emotionally repressed person, medicine may not have much to offer you. In fact, it can make you a more helpless and limited person.
Of all these examples, though, Rogers’ docuseries might be the worst advertisement for dudes taking ayahuasca. Between interviews with the quarterback discussing how the drug has positively impacted his life, viewers bombarded with soundbites of Rogers disputing vaccine research and scenes where he mingles with controversial figures like Robert F. Kennedy Jr., despite Poyer’s apparent success, Rogers still seems determined. Searching, trying to find enough self-love to make it through its 20th season NFL, even with a torn Achilles tendon. It says that, despite the drug’s claims of efficacy, he attended the ritual 10 times. Although ayahuasca appears to have some healing powers, it could definitely use better promotion.
