How To Change Your Mind
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How To Change Your Mind
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A Lot or a Little?
The parents' guide to what's in this TV show.
What Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that How to Change Your Mind is a docuseries about the health and creative benefits of psychedelics. Each episode focuses on a different substance: LSD, hallucinogenic mushrooms, MDMA, and mescaline. Hosted by author Michael Pollan (The Omnivore's Dilemma) and based on his book of the same name, the series explores the cultural histories of these psychedelics, why they may have negative connotations in American culture, and the ways they have been used scientifically, spiritually, and medically. There is some emphasis on the dangers of using psychedelics for purely recreational purposes, but that is mostly presented as a gray area.
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What's the Story?
Based on Michael Pollan's book of the same name, HOW TO CHANGE YOUR MIND digs into the cultural and scientific history of psychedelics. The series retraces Pollan's own experiences with discovering psychedelics in his 50s and 60s, after becoming an expert on the social and cultural impacts of food and plant consumption. Each episode explores the cultural history of a specific substance, from the scientific discovery of LSD to the ceremonial usage of mescaline by Native American tribes.
Is It Any Good?
Michael Pollan's aim with this series is to reopen a discussion about psychedelics, which have mostly been stigmatized in American culture since the 1970s. How to Change Your Mind makes those arguments by examining the social and cultural history of LSD, psilocybin, MDMA, and mescaline. It's notable that all of the featured advocates for psychedelics are also practitioners, which means that there's no strong counterargument presented for why psychedelics might be harmful, even in controlled environments. Otherwise, the series deftly weaves together science, American history, and the spiritual importance of psychedelics to some Native American tribes and other cultures, and presents it in a clear, accessible way, filtered through Pollan's own experiences and curiosity.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about psychedelics. How familiar are you with the substances featured in How to Change Your Mind? Where do they show up in American culture or entertainment? Do they have positive or negative connotations?
What are some of the ways psychedelics are used in this series? Does the discussion sway your opinion of them? Why, or why not?
How does the series place an emphasis on the responsible use of psychedelics? What are some of the dangers of using psychedelics in non-controlled environments?
TV Details
- Premiere date: July 12, 2022
- Cast: Michael Pollan
- Network: Netflix
- Genre: Educational
- TV rating: TV-MA
- Last updated: July 15, 2022
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