Ask HN: What influenced your personal growth the most?
Psychedelic mushrooms, specifically <i>Psilocybe</i> *.<p>Losing that ego-based view of the world and realizing the interconnectedness of all things, and feeling that connection at the deepest levels of your psyche, does wonders for eliminating the adversarial individualism that I feel generates a lot of issues when enacted in all participants of society. Before, I had (and admittedly still have) some aspects of my self that, when acting through them, generate much undue stress in interpersonal relationships. I&#x27;ve never been particularly social and psychedelics have helped me simultaneously empathize with my fellow participants and remove the stupid anxieties related to others&#x27; view of you. &quot;L&#x27;enfer, c&#x27;est les autres&quot; is still very much a part of my outlook but approaching this mentality from both sides (ego-centric and ego-dissolved) has made abundantly clear how to manage these anxieties, even if I still get caught up in them sometimes, leading to destructive behavior.<p>All interactions are social, and embedded in the expectations and habits of human participants. At work, in romance, in family, and between friends, understanding what is meaningful and mutually beneficial interaction is essential for long-term happiness as a part of society.<p>---<p>A second thing that has helped a lot has been living abroad in very colorful and international communities. The vast array of perspectives and norms gives you a wider understanding and a deep empathy for how people can grow up in flawed societies and how to approach the fostering of your own to overcome those flaws.