What is happening with psychedelics?
Research studies on psychedelics have gained increasing importance and visibility both in the scientific press and mainstream media, suggesting that we are in the midst of a “Psychedelic Renaissance” (Sessa, 2018). Many clinical studies have demonstrated that psychedelic substances such as LSD, MDMA, and psilocybin, offer numerous therapeutic benefits for mental health and psychotherapy (dos Santos et al., 2018).
More recently, psychedelics have gained new attention in society with the phenomenon of microdosing, being used as a new technology-of-self for self-enhancement and personal growth. Microdosing refers to the practice of consuming small doses of psychedelic substances, mainly LSD and psilocybin, repeatedly over a period of time with a specific intention (Fadiman, 2011; Kuypers et al., 2019). Getting popular and hyped in Silicon Valley corporate culture as a new ‘productivity hack’, microdosing is praised for subtle improvements in mood, focus, ease, and motivation, contributing to an overall better quality of life and promoting creative thinking and problem-solving. This popularisation of microdosing’s enhancement benefits has resulted in significant online activity and public support and even inspired famous design firms to conceptualize new products for microdosing.
Despite the growing interest and ongoing positivist hype in mainstream media, there is still a lack of evidence regarding the short- or long-term effects of microdosing (Kuypers et al., 2019). The potential ethical consequences of increased, socially accepted use remain unknown, and there is uncertainty about regulations due to unforeseen challenges and political tensions.
How can design surface the risks, benefits, and challenges of microdosing as a future socially accepted practice?
My primary goal with this project is to stimulate discussion and gather public opinion on the trending use and developments of psychedelics, particularly in the context of microdosing for self-enhancement.
To achieve this, I employed critical and speculative design approaches to surface the tensions in psychedelic practices and explore the topic more deeply through design-based research. These approaches helped me to explore the topic in more depth and expand the possibilities of future microdosing applications for collective imagination and critical discussion. By presenting alternative possibilities, I aim to resist the sense of inevitability and challenge this prevailing “techno-utopian positivist narrative of Silicon Valley” (Mitrović et al., 2021).
To create scenarios that resonate with the audience and prompt meaningful discussions, the project is grounded in existing practices and studies. The grounding research included an extensive literature review of microdosing studies, interviews with members of psychedelic societies and organizations, an online questionnaire to catalog different microdosing practices, and observations at various microdosing events to gain deeper insights into the context.
“There are so many people who at some point are so exhausted. Their lifestyle is so out of balance, it is so maladaptive. They become constantly exhausted. Those people cannot work anymore. They have either burn-out or they are on the edge of burn-out. And they cannot afford to have a burn-out, they are just looking for solutions to keep working.”
Interviews
Later, based on the initial themes that emerged from the grounding phase, I created several speculative artifacts to address issues and initial tensions within these themes. The artifacts were shared with a wide audience, including experiments in an Open Microdosing Event and an weekly office meeting, to encourage reflection on different scenarios and to surface the tensions in microdosing better.
“This (the app) would allow me to, for example, react sooner to when I need to microdose. So.. It will allow me to be proactive. That’s very useful.”
Public experiments
Tensions are employed as a tactic to make conflicting situations tangible and experiential.
I identified four overarching tensions in microdosing: (1) Perspective: delves into conflicting perspectives on the use and implications of psychedelics in Western culture, between spiritual and utilitarian views. (2) Reasoning: explores the tension between intuitive and logical decision-making in substance use. (3) Outcome: looks into the tension between the use of microdosing for self-discovery and its use for self-regulation to meet ever-increasing expert expectations. (4) Potential: discusses the tension between the hype and hope surrounding microdosing.
These tensions become more pronounced in the workplace context, highlighting the contrast between the healing, connecting, and spiritual purposes of psychedelics and the pragmatic, commodified approaches to microdosing as a corporate activity.
How can a film make the tensions tangible and experiential
to initiate public discussion?
Initially identified during the grounding research phase and refined through speculative design explorations, four core tensions were brought to life in a 9-minute film featuring four key moments and several artifacts as the final concept of this project. The movie was shared with the audience to stimulate discussions and reveal the potential benefits, risks, and challenges of microdosing as a future corporate activity.
In addition to making the four core tensions experiential, the film scenario draws on some key insights from design research, particularly the emphasis on “smartness” and the “quantified self”. By integrating these elements with psychedelics and spiritual practices, the film explores the impact of microdosing becoming a future daily practice in the workplace as a new technology to support employee “self-growth”.
“This whole discussion has sparked by the things the film does not show. That ambiguity is a part of this discussion and that is the strongest point.”
Film Discussion Sessions
"I definitely kind of imagine this future happening. It is a possibility. And it is very concerning."
Film Discussion Sessions
“So, next to the coffee machine, there is a microdosing machine? Not that unimaginable.”
Film Discussion Sessions
Public Discussions
While often promoted as a way to boost wellbeing, creativity, and focus, reflections on the film reveal concerns about the significant social and ethical risks of this trendy technology. A major concern is the potential for authorities to use microdosing as a means to further control and regulate employee performance, highlighting the limited focus on personal wellbeing in a profit-driven environment. The media hype around cognitive enhancement through microdosing creates an illusion of quick fixes for deeper personal or systemic problems, which this project critically examines.
Discussions around the film also highlight possible cultural appropriation and the risk of commodification of indigenous traditions and psychedelics in Western contexts. It raises ethical questions about the use of plant-based medicines and rituals for purely capitalistic and utilitarian gain and urges reflection on wider implications.
The project's findings are intended to contribute to ongoing debates by highlighting the need for careful consideration of the ethical and social consequences, as well as discussion of the potential benefits and health risks before microdosing is more widely integrated into corporate culture.
