Michael Pollan
Author and journalist writing on food, plants and consciousness. Professor at UC Berkeley and co-founder of its Center for the Science of Psychedelics.
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What they believe
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Using plants to alter consciousness is a practice as old as the human species and part of humanity's relationship with the natural world.
Using plants to alter the textures of consciousness is a practice as old as our species, an essential part of our relationship to the natural world.
michaelpollan.comSaid 15 Jul 2021This on korrents
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Addiction is better understood as a symptom of trauma, social disconnection, depression or economic distress than as a disease in itself.
Addiction may be less a disease than a symptom - of trauma, social disconnection, depression or economic distress.
michaelpollan.comSaid 9 Jul 2021This on korrents
The bold line is korrents’ wording; the quote is theirs. These 2: what they wrote before what they said aloud, one per source, newest first.
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Recommendstheir ownrcmnd.app
A World Appears: A Journey into ConsciousnessTheir words
a panoptic exploration of consciousness—what it is, who has it, and why—and a meditation on the essence of our humanity.
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Recommendstheir ownrcmnd.app
Michael Pollan Teaches Intentional EatingTheir words
Over thirteen lessons, you’ll learn about the past, present, and future of meat, from the ways animals and humans are treated in meat processing plants to emerging meat alternatives.
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Recommendstheir ownrcmnd.app
Food, Inc. 2Their words
filmmakers Robert Kenner and Melissa Robledo reunite with investigative authors Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser to take a fresh look at our efficient yet vulnerable food system.
15 July 2021
From one piece The Intoxicating Garden 2 beliefs · michaelpollan.com
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Their words
I'd happily trade that for a greater measure of horticultural freedom. To me, the very idea of a criminal plant seems wrong.
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Their words
Using plants to alter the textures of consciousness is a practice as old as our species, an essential part of our relationship to the natural world.
9 July 2021
From one piece How Should We Do Drugs Now? 3 beliefs · michaelpollan.com
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korrents.com
Most of the harm caused by habitual illegal drug use comes from its prohibition rather than the drugs themselves.Their words
Many, if not most, of the harms of the practice stem from its prohibition.
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Their words
Many people (myself included) are surprised to learn that the overwhelming majority of people who take hard drugs do so without becoming addicted.
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Their words
Addiction may be less a disease than a symptom - of trauma, social disconnection, depression or economic distress.
5 February 2021
From one piece The efficiency curse 3 beliefs · michaelpollan.com
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korrents.com
People are not separate individuals protected by money and geography, but deeply interconnected.Their words
One belief that the pandemic has helped to shatter is that we are separate atoms, able to protect ourselves with money and geography.
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korrents.com
Monoculture farming is efficient but vulnerable, while polyculture farming is more resilient.Their words
It turns out that "efficient" monocultures are vulnerable, but polycultures are resilient.
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Their words
In times of crisis, resilience counts for more than efficiency.
12 May 2020
From one piece The Sickness in Our Food Supply 3 beliefs · michaelpollan.com
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Their words
The president and America's meat eaters, not to mention its meat-plant workers, would never have found themselves in this predicament if not for the concentration of the meat industry, which has given us a supply chain so brittle that the closure of a single plant can cause havoc at every step, from farm to supermarket.
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korrents.com
A country's food system is shaped by agricultural and antitrust policy choices, not by a free market.Their words
our food system is the product of agricultural and antitrust policies-political choices-that, as has suddenly become plain, stand in urgent need of reform.
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Their words
There will always be a tradeoff between efficiency and resilience (not to mention ethics); the food industry opted for the former, and we are now paying the price.
15 March 2020
From one piece Review: Capitalism’s Favorite Drug 2 beliefs · michaelpollan.com
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korrents.com
Climate change will make coffee one of the crops most immediately threatened by rising temperatures.Their words
Climate scientists estimate that at least half of the acreage now producing coffee-and an even greater proportion in Latin America-will be unable to support the plant by 2050, making coffee one of the crops most immediately endangered by climate change.
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korrents.com
Caffeine's stimulating effect on humans is an evolutionary byproduct of a plant's own defensive chemistry.Their words
The chemical compound that the plant makes to defend itself against insects happens to alter human consciousness in ways we find desirable, making us more energetic and industrious-and notably better workers.
12 June 2019
From one piece Where I Stand on Magic Mushrooms 2 beliefs · michaelpollan.com
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Their words
The prohibition of cannabis has been the foundation of the drug war, and led to the incarceration of thousands of people, many of them people of color.
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korrents.com
Unsupervised use of psilocybin carries risks of a different order than unsupervised use of cannabis.Their words
The risks of unsupervised psilocybin use are considerable, and of a different order than the risks of cannabis.
10 May 2019
15 May 2018
3 May 2018
16 January 2017
Nothing matches.
Beliefs
Korrents What they believe 22 beliefs — each backed by an exact quote.
Each is a — compiled by korrents.com, not by them: the one-line wordings are korrents', the quotes are theirs.
Recent
Using plants to alter consciousness is a practice as old as the human species and part of humanity's relationship with the natural world.
Using plants to alter the textures of consciousness is a practice as old as our species, an essential part of our relationship to the natural world.
The Intoxicating Garden Said 15 Jul 2021
No plant should be illegal to grow because of its psychoactive properties.
I'd happily trade that for a greater measure of horticultural freedom. To me, the very idea of a criminal plant seems wrong.
The Intoxicating Garden Said 15 Jul 2021
Addiction is better understood as a symptom of trauma, social disconnection, depression or economic distress than as a disease in itself.
Addiction may be less a disease than a symptom - of trauma, social disconnection, depression or economic distress.
How Should We Do Drugs Now? Said 9 Jul 2021
Show 19 more
The overwhelming majority of people who use hard drugs do not become addicted to them.
Many people (myself included) are surprised to learn that the overwhelming majority of people who take hard drugs do so without becoming addicted.
How Should We Do Drugs Now? Said 9 Jul 2021
Most of the harm caused by habitual illegal drug use comes from its prohibition rather than the drugs themselves.
Many, if not most, of the harms of the practice stem from its prohibition.
How Should We Do Drugs Now? Said 9 Jul 2021
Resilience matters more than efficiency during a crisis.
In times of crisis, resilience counts for more than efficiency.
The efficiency curse Said 5 Feb 2021
Monoculture farming is efficient but vulnerable, while polyculture farming is more resilient.
It turns out that "efficient" monocultures are vulnerable, but polycultures are resilient.
The efficiency curse Said 5 Feb 2021
People are not separate individuals protected by money and geography, but deeply interconnected.
One belief that the pandemic has helped to shatter is that we are separate atoms, able to protect ourselves with money and geography.
The efficiency curse Said 5 Feb 2021
There is always a tradeoff between a system's efficiency and its resilience.
There will always be a tradeoff between efficiency and resilience (not to mention ethics); the food industry opted for the former, and we are now paying the price.
The Sickness in Our Food Supply Said 12 May 2020
A country's food system is shaped by agricultural and antitrust policy choices, not by a free market.
our food system is the product of agricultural and antitrust policies-political choices-that, as has suddenly become plain, stand in urgent need of reform.
The Sickness in Our Food Supply Said 12 May 2020
Concentrating an industry into a few large companies makes its supply chain brittle, so a disruption at one company can cause damage throughout the system.
The president and America's meat eaters, not to mention its meat-plant workers, would never have found themselves in this predicament if not for the concentration of the meat industry, which has given us a supply chain so brittle that the closure of a single plant can cause havoc at every step, from farm to supermarket.
The Sickness in Our Food Supply Said 12 May 2020
Caffeine's stimulating effect on humans is an evolutionary byproduct of a plant's own defensive chemistry.
The chemical compound that the plant makes to defend itself against insects happens to alter human consciousness in ways we find desirable, making us more energetic and industrious-and notably better workers.
Review: Capitalism’s Favorite Drug Said 15 Mar 2020
Climate change will make coffee one of the crops most immediately threatened by rising temperatures.
Climate scientists estimate that at least half of the acreage now producing coffee-and an even greater proportion in Latin America-will be unable to support the plant by 2050, making coffee one of the crops most immediately endangered by climate change.
Review: Capitalism’s Favorite Drug Said 15 Mar 2020
Unsupervised use of psilocybin carries risks of a different order than unsupervised use of cannabis.
The risks of unsupervised psilocybin use are considerable, and of a different order than the risks of cannabis.
Where I Stand on Magic Mushrooms Said 12 Jun 2019
Cannabis prohibition has been a foundation of the drug war and has led to mass incarceration that disproportionately affects people of color.
The prohibition of cannabis has been the foundation of the drug war, and led to the incarceration of thousands of people, many of them people of color.
Where I Stand on Magic Mushrooms Said 12 Jun 2019
Smart political strategy requires deciding not only what to fight for but when to fight for it.
Smart politics is a matter of not only choosing what you want to fight for, but also of deciding when to fight.
Where I Stand on Magic Mushrooms Said 12 Jun 2019
Psilocybin is a remarkably safe drug, with no known lethal dose and no addictive potential.
In some ways, psilocybin is a remarkably safe drug - there is no known lethal dose (something that can't be said for many medicines sold without a prescription) and it is nonaddictive.
Not So Fast on Magic Mushrooms Said 10 May 2019
A psychedelic trip can, in rare instances, trigger a psychotic break in people vulnerable to serious mental illness.
in rare instances, a psychedelic trip can set off a psychotic break.
Not So Fast on Magic Mushrooms Said 10 May 2019
Ballot initiatives are not the smartest way to establish a legal place for psychedelic therapy.
My worry is that ballot initiatives may not be the smartest way to get there.
Not So Fast on Magic Mushrooms Said 10 May 2019
Psychedelic experiences give people a radical new perspective on their lives that lets them let go of old habits.
The psychedelic experience appears to give people a radical new perspective on their own lives, making possible a shift in worldview and priorities that allows them to let go of old habits.
My Adventures With the Trip Doctors Said 15 May 2018
The psychedelic experience is not fixed by the chemical alone but is constructed by the mind from expectation, memory and environment.
the psychedelic experience is not foreordained by the chemical but rather is "constructed" in the mind from an unpredictable mix of expectation, memory, the contents of the unconscious and a variety of environmental factors.
My Adventures With the Trip Doctors Said 15 May 2018
Psychedelics have lower toxicity and less addiction potential than other psychoactive compounds.
Compared with other psychoactive compounds, psychedelics have low toxicity and are nonaddictive.
My Adventures With the Trip Doctors Said 15 May 2018
Beliefs others hold too
There is always a tradeoff between a system's efficiency and its resilience. 2 hold this
There will always be a tradeoff between efficiency and resilience (not to mention ethics); the food industry opted for the former, and we are now paying the price.
The Sickness in Our Food Supply Said 12 May 2020
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Recommends rcmnd
rcmnd What they recommend 3 things — each backed by an exact quote.
Compiled by rcmnd.app, not by them: the quotes are theirs, and each links to the post it was copied from.
Recent
Recommends Food, Inc. 2
filmmakers Robert Kenner and Melissa Robledo reunite with investigative authors Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser to take a fresh look at our efficient yet vulnerable food system.
michaelpollan.com 11 Feb 2026
their own
Recommends Michael Pollan Teaches Intentional Eating
Over thirteen lessons, you’ll learn about the past, present, and future of meat, from the ways animals and humans are treated in meat processing plants to emerging meat alternatives.
michaelpollan.com 11 Feb 2026
their own
What others say about Michael Pollan Teaches Intentional Eating →
Recommends A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness
a panoptic exploration of consciousness—what it is, who has it, and why—and a meditation on the essence of our humanity.
michaelpollan.com 11 Feb 2026
their own
What others say about A World Appears: A Journey into Consciousness →
Where they publish
Site michaelpollan.com His site: books, articles, films and the Berkeley psychedelics centre.
Recent
- The Intoxicating Garden 15 Jul 2021 Every garden tells a story, a tale about nature written by our species and starring an obliging cast of plants. In our time, most of these stories are idylls of one kind or another, with the plants chosen for their beau…
- How Should We Do Drugs Now? 9 Jul 2021 After a half century spent waging war on drugs, Americans seem ready to sue for peace. The 2020 elections brought plenty of proof that voters have leapt ahead of politicians in recognizing both the failures of the drug…
- The efficiency curse 5 Feb 2021 The first teachable moment of the pandemic, for me, had to do with the supply chain. Early on, supermarkets had shortages, and not just of food; other everyday items were also hard to find. The first example everyone no…
Show 7 more
- The Sickness in Our Food Supply 12 May 2020 “Only when the tide goes out,” Warren Buffett observed, “do you discover who’s been swimming naked.” For our society, the Covid-19 pandemic represents an ebb tide of historic proportions, one that is laying bare vulnera…
- Review: Capitalism’s Favorite Drug 15 Mar 2020 Four hundred years ago, Coffea arabica, a tropical shrub bearing glossy green leaves and bright-red berries, was virtually unknown outside of the Arab world and the corner of Ethiopia where it had been discovered in the…
- Where I Stand on Magic Mushrooms 12 Jun 2019 My position on the recent initiatives to change the legal status of psilocybin in various jurisdictions is somewhat nuanced and perhaps for that reason has been misrepresented in several press accounts. To be clear: I s…
- Not So Fast on Magic Mushrooms 10 May 2019 Only a few days ago, millions of Americans probably had never heard of psilocybin, the active agent in psychedelic mushrooms, but thanks to Denver, it is about to get its moment in the political sun. On Tuesday, the cit…
- My Adventures With the Trip Doctors 15 May 2018 My first psilocybin journey began around an altar in the middle of a second-story loft in a suburb of a small city on the Eastern Seaboard. On this adventure I would have a guide, a therapist who, like an unknown number…
- The New Science of Psychedelics 3 May 2018 Recent studies are finding that drugs such as LSD and psilocybin can help to alleviate depression, anxiety and addiction—and may have profound things to teach us about how the mind works
- Food and More: Expanding the Movement for the Trump Era 16 Jan 2017 If the recent election had an upside, it’s this: It demonstrated that the good food movement is real. Four jurisdictions—Boulder, Oakland, San Francisco, and Albany (California)—approved taxes on soda, which will benefi…
Link verified 4 Sept 2026. Recent items update automatically from the channel.
x.com @michaelpollan Food, plants and consciousness.
Recent
- #NoKings North Berkeley 17 Oct 2026
- Today's news in psychedelics: Researchers go undercover to study Oregon’s psilocybin centers; Are psychedelic treatments leaving behind therapy? 16 Oct 2026 themicrodose.substack.com
- Mary Berry Lives Out Her Father’s Farming Vision | Civil Eats 15 Oct 2026 civileats.com
Show 17 more
- The Next ‘It’ Apple Might Be 300 Years Old - NYT Cooking 15 Oct 2026 cooking.nytimes.com
- Check out my PErception Box podcast with @heather_berlin and Christof Koch: Can a Plant, a Chatbot, or Your Gut Be Conscious? With Michael Pollan - YouTube 14 Oct 2026 youtube.com
- Out today, one of the sanest books I've read on what to eat and why: Food Sense | Book by Christopher Gardner | Official Publisher Page | Simon & Schuster 13 Oct 2026
- Tomorrow night! Join us! 12 Oct 2026
- This week's Microdose: FDA asks the public to weigh in on ibogaine clinical studies; Gabon wants its cut of the ibogaine boom 9 Oct 2026 themicrodose.substack.com
- In today's Microdose: What happens when GLP-1s mix with psychedelics? 5 Questions with neuroscientist Ali D. Güler 5 Oct 2026 themicrodose.substack.com
- Inside AOC’s MAHA outreach - POLITICO 2 Oct 2026 politico.com
- Today's Microdose: A dispatch from Tuesday’s MAHA Summit - by Anna Marie Yanny 2 Oct 2026 themicrodose.substack.com
- Michael Pollan & Christof Koch: A Journey into Consciousness | Cal Performances 29 Sept 2026 calperformances.org
- My podcast with Andrew Huberman: What Humans, Animals & Plants Tell Us About Consciousness | Michael Pollan 28 Sept 2026 hubermanlab.com
- My podcast with Alex O'Connor: Are Plants Conscious? - Michael Pollan - YouTube 28 Sept 2026 youtube.com
- Explore this gift article from The New York Times. You can read it for free without a subscription. 27 Sept 2026 nytimes.com
- Today's Microdose: Federal drug enforcement revives proposal to place five hallucinogens in Schedule I category; Oregon reverses planned fee increase for psilocybin licensees 25 Sept 2026 themicrodose.substack.com
- In today's Microdose: Did psychedelics help build ancient civilizations?: 5 Questions for journalist Andrew Lawler 21 Sept 2026 themicrodose.substack.com
- This week's Microdose: Definium trial suggests LSD could help treat anxiety; “One patient meets God. The other gets itchy.”; and Compass funds psilocybin-assisted therapist training 18 Sept 2026 themicrodose.substack.com
- Application for writers' residencies Oct 4. This one is special - Mesa Refuge 17 Sept 2026 mesarefuge.org
- Great review of (wife) Judith Belzer's Walking Project: Animal, Vegetable, Mineral - The Brooklyn Rail 16 Sept 2026 brooklynrail.org
Link verified 4 Sept 2026. Recent items update automatically from the channel.
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