Humans On The Loop Becoming Hyperhuman with Carl Hayden Smith
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Jan 13, 2026 Carl Hayden Smith, an Associate Professor of Media and founder of the Museum of Consciousness, dives into fascinating topics like hyperhumanism, where technology nurtures human abilities rather than replaces them. He discusses the impact of psychedelics on creativity, the dangers of escapism via tech, and the importance of human connection. Carl emphasizes integrating insights from journaling and psychedelic experiences into daily life, while exploring the future of culture beyond screens. His vision of 'hobbitism' presents a refreshing shift towards a multi-species society.
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Humans Are Already Hybrid
- We are already hybrid organisms entangled with bacteria, fungi, and technology rather than discrete individuals.
- Hyperhumanism reframes technology as a catalyst to develop innate human capacities, not to escape them.
Nietzsche Reframed For Hyperhumanism
- Nietzsche's overman maps to hyperhumanism: use technology to cultivate higher human capacities, not to numb or escape.
- Reject the 'last man' transhuman impulse that seeks convenience and oblivion.
Paid LSD Study, Breathwork Revelation
- Carl recounted being legally paid to take LSD in an Imperial College study and experiencing a transformative holotropic breathwork control session.
- That breathwork produced a 5-MeO-DMT-like state and reframed his belief in endogenous technologies.
