Trump’s Trippy Gold Rush
Posted November 07, 2024
Chris Campbell
Another day, another weird AI thing.
Recently, an AI artist (@arikuschnir) created this AI-generated “micro-documentary” of Trump’s ayahuasca journey.
And it’s actually SCARY how hilarious it is.
A couple moments that stood out…
While perhaps done for a laugh, the video does tap into a weird societal shift that’s ensued over the past few years.
Let’s take a step back.
And then we’ll see why this could represent a major opportunity for investors plugged into this trend.
Things Turn Into Their Opposites
The 1960s saw the countercultural left embrace psychedelics as tools for enlightenment and rebellion against the establishment…
While the right moreso championed the pharmaceutical industry's ordered (but booming) progress.
Today, we're witnessing a strange inversion.
Largely led by figures like Tucker Carlson, Joe Rogan, and Peter Thiel, many on the right are becoming staunch psychedelic advocates.
This shift, while laced with its own brand of utopianism (as Shayla Love notes in The Atlantic), represents a fundamental realignment.
Conservative voices from Rick Perry to the National Review now champion opening the psychedelic industry.
And, ironically, they’re viewing it through the lens of morality and social order -- the very establishment values the right once used to oppose it.
(In the ‘60s, the focus was on preventing moral decay and social instability. Today, the focus is on defending personal choice and gaining social stability.)
Same as it always was.
On a long enough timeline, things tend to turn into their opposites.
But, for our purposes, it could be a goldmine.
Right now, right this second, may be the (relative) calm before the storm. The signs are everywhere.
Trump’s Trippy Gold Rush
While nobody was watching, psychedelics have received massive mainstream acceptance from all corners of society.
First, books like Michael Pollan's "How to Change Your Mind" brought psychedelic therapy into the mainstream conversation.
Then, the FDA designated psilocybin therapy for severe depression as a “breakthrough therapy”.
Many veterans have advocated for psychedelic therapies to treat PTSD and other mental health issues. (After a few trendsetters saw success.)
And then there’s one industry’s embrace that’s having a HUGE influence on the American cultural embrace: sports.
Elite golfers are turning to mushrooms and psychedelics to upgrade their swings…
NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been a vocal advocate for psychedelics, particularly ayahuasca. (Rodgers claims it has improved his performance on the field and has called for the legalization of certain psychedelics.)
Mike Tyson has said he’s been using psychedelic mushrooms during his training for the Jake Paul fight. Tyson described the experience: “It takes me to heaven, baby.”
UFC President Dana White has said the organization is researching psychedelic drugs as a potential therapy for fighters' brain health.
And finally, Trump has surrounded himself with outspoken supporters.
> Musk is open about his use of prescribed ketamine, a quasi-psychedelic drug.
> RFK Jr. -- who Trump said he would let “go wild” on health policy -- is definitely on board.
> JD Vance is open to applications for PTSD.
In all, especially with the changing of the guard…
Psychedelics may also be on the verge of a gold rush. We’re putting it on the radar.
Stay tuned for more as we heat-seek the opportunities.