Secret parties in Silicon Valley
Not only Elon Musk should take drugs
By Hannes Vogel
6/28/2023, 6:19 p.m
Magic mushrooms, LSD, ketamine – according to insiders, psychedelic drugs are commonplace in the startup scene: tech bosses, financiers and founders apparently take them, and not just to boost their creativity. They also see a new business area in this.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), there is a culture of liberal drug use in Silicon Valley – right down to top managers and tech billionaires. As the newspaper reports, Tesla boss Elon Musk would consume ketamine. Google founder and venture capitalist Sergey Brin is said to occasionally use so-called magic mushrooms. And the Founders Fund, one of the biggest tech funds that owns shares in SpaceX and Facebook, is said to be having psychedelic drug parties.
The paper relies on insiders who claim to have seen Musk personally using ketamine or who Musk is said to have told about it himself. Accordingly, the tech billionaire said he takes small doses of ketamine for depression and larger doses at parties. Brin’s use of hallucinogenic mushrooms and the Founders Fund parties are backed up by sources familiar with what’s going on.
Neither Musk nor Brin responded to inquiries from the newspaper. However, Musk tweeted a few hours after the article was published that he thought occasional use of ketamine “is a better option” for battling depression. The experience of friends would have shown him that. “It’s certainly far too common for people to be zombified on antidepressants.”
Ketamine is an anesthetic that is actually used in animals and also in humans. In small doses, however, it can also cause hallucinations. With frequent or regular use, it has a high potential for addiction. In the USA, therefore, the free use of the drug is prohibited. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only cleared it for use under the supervision of a healthcare professional in the treatment of depression. Ketamine is also prescribed to treat post-traumatic stress.
Tech managers get bulk discounts at drug dealers
Musk and other tech giants, on the other hand, frolic at parties where hallucinogens are liberally served, writes the WSJ. Invitations to the exclusive meetings are sent via the signal messenger. Similar parties would not only take place in Silicon Valley, but also in Miami and Mexico. The guest lists would be kept top secret. In addition, the participants would have to sign non-disclosure agreements. And sometimes pay hundreds of dollars to enter.
The paper even speaks of a “movement whose proponents hope for an expanded mind, a better life and a commercial breakthrough”. Twitter owner Musk and Google founder Brin are just the most prominent faces of this tech culture. Across the industry, many managers and employees would routinely take psychedelic drugs to gain mental clarity, increased creativity, and spiritual enlightenment. One of the most famous drug dealers in San Francisco’s tech scene is a man named “CostCo”. He was named after the US wholesale market because his customers from the industry would get volume discounts from him, writes the “WSJ”.
“Millions of people are currently taking psychedelic drugs in microdoses,” the newspaper quoted ex-marketing consultant Karl Goldfield from San Francisco, who advises friends and colleagues in the tech world on the correct dosage of the narcotics. He has no medical qualifications and acquired the knowledge by trying it out, writes the paper. “Think of it as a smart drug. It gives you the ability to be more analytical and perceptive.”
Despite any positive effects on mental health, experts warn against improper use of the drugs without medical professionals. Because an alleged micro-dosage can quickly become a dependency. Without supervision, “some people would fall into self-destructive rather than self-healing behavior,” the paper quotes an addiction expert as saying.
Psychological Drug Venture Fund
Apparently, the pressure to succeed in the startup industry is a major reason for the widespread use of drugs. Investors and venture capitalists have high expectations: “They don’t want a normal person or a normal company. They want something extraordinary. You weren’t born extraordinary,” says the managing director of a start-up who regularly takes LSD, the newspaper.
Some of the investors have long sensed new business in the culture of their industry. More and more money is pouring into companies working on psychedelic drug treatments. According to a study by a US analysis company, the market is expected to more than double to $11.8 billion by 2029.
The Founders Fund, which according to the WSJ is said to have thrown parties with hallucinogens, also holds shares in a company that promotes the commercial use of psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms. In addition, Peter Thiel, one of the fund’s founders, has personally invested in a company that develops psychedelic drugs.
“Research shows that psychedelic drugs can produce significant improvements in mental health. We support public and private sector efforts to make these drugs available in a safe and legal manner,” the fund tells the WSJ.