Is there one link, story, picture or thought that you saw online this week that you think somebody you know must see?

My friends: Alistair Croll (Solve for Interesting, Tilt the Windmill, Interesting Bits, HBS, chair of Strata, Startupfest, FWD50, and Scaletechconf; author of Lean Analytics and some other books), Hugh McGuire (Rebus Foundation, PressBooks, LibriVox) and I decided that every week the three of us are going to share one link for one another (for a total of six links) that each individual feels the other person “must see.”

Check out these six links that we’re recommending to one another: 

• Psilocybin Desynchronizes The Human Brain, Sometimes – Springer Nature. “I went to see Shane Mauss a few weeks ago, a standup focused on hallucinogens whose show is part Public Safety Announcement, part confessional, and part advocacy. He simply couldn’t have taken a show like that on the road a decade ago; now, he’s got a roomful of people lining up to buy coloring books. I found this somewhat related story fascinating: Drugs like Psybocillin (the active component in magic mushrooms) work when you don’t try to lock yourself to reality. Focusing on mundane, practical tasks defeat the effect of those drugs.” (Alistair for Hugh).
• MDMA Therapy Didn’t Get FDA Approval. Now What? – Vox. “I spoke with a participant in a multinational, 400-person study of treating PTSD with MDMA-assisted therapy. As with all studies, there was a control group which received a placebo. This person was in the control group, but unlike most placebo recipients, knew immediately that they weren’t getting MDMA. Unlike many medications, psychedelics are pretty self-evident to those who are taking them. (Her months of unassisted therapy didn’t work; as part of the trial, she was guaranteed an assisted therapy program afterwards. She was cured in three sessions). Unfortunately, the gold standard for any medical trial is whether it’s “blinded” – and it’s pretty hard to keep mind-altering drugs a secret from those who are given them. There’s compelling evidence that chemicals treat brain chemistry, but medicine lacks the protocols to evaluate them. What comes next?” (Alistair for Mitch).
• Making ‘Food Out Of Thin Air’ – Noema. “Yummm! Just found a great recipe: Take some hydrogen, CO2, Oxygen and Ammonia, mix well and add to a bioreactor with Hydrogenotrophic Bacteria. Wait a bit, pasturize and dehydrate, and you’ve got yourself a delicious meal. Or, at least, you’ve made some food that doesn’t require typical agricultural inputs.” (Hugh for Alistair). 
• Desperately Seeking Mothman – The Hedgehog Review. “On cryptozoology and our desire for a world that is unexplainable or – at the very least – unexplained.” (Hugh for Mitch). 
  
• Families Are Going Into Debt For Disney Vacations – The New York Times\“I have been thinking about this story non-stop. From a business perspective, the market is brutal and will dictate everything from the viability of products and services to the pricing threshold. It’s often unfair and unknown why something works (and, more importantly, why most businesses fail). Disney is a storied brand. It has both held up and endured over the decades. The fact that my kids feel the same affinity to Mickey Mouse in the same way that my grandparents did as kids is a sight to behold. With that, when the customer is willing to go into debt to buy your brand… what does that say? Does Disney have to lower costs? Does Disney even know this is happening? The world has become (almost) unbearably expensive (ask me about my recent family trip and the gripes I have about how much things cost – from flights and hotels to meals and bottled water). The cost of living in an ever-challenging economic environment for the vast majority of our population is simply not working. So… what does one do? Do they stop going to Disney or go in debt? Just think about that for a second, read this article and try to understand the reasoning why families are doing this.” (Mitch for Alistair).
• I Only Have Myself To Blame – Rick Beato. “Unintended success based on an individual’s passion is one of my favorite things. The musician who turns producer and songwriter but truly makes their mark in the music business by becoming a famed YouTuber. This is the short (and over-simplified) ride of Rick Beato. There are so many deep and powerful life lessons in this short five-minute clip. I’ve watched it countless times and will share and share and share it. We all have pre-conceived notions of how a good life unfolds. In my second book, CTRL ALT Delete, I had a chapter on the concept of a ’squiggly life’… and this is a prime example of it. Think you’re too old? Think everyone has already done it? Think it’s too late? You’re wrong. Dead wrong. Watch this, start doing it… and dream…” (Mitch for Hugh).

Feel free to share these links and add your picks on X, Facebook, in the comments below or wherever you play.

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