The Bigger Picture

Welcome to Alexander Beiner’s Substack. I write about pop culture, philosophy, psychology, psychedelics in an ongoing inquiry focused on making sense of the times we live in, and finding new ways to move toward a better world.

You can read more about my work on alexanderbeiner.com. I’m the author of ‘The Bigger Picture: How psychedelics can help us make sense of the world’, (Hay House, 2023) one of the founders of the now-completed project Rebel Wisdom, and a co-Executive Director of Breaking Convention.

As a free subscriber you’ll receive all my features, articles and interviews. As a paid subscriber, you’ll receive exclusive interviews, and curated lists of books, podcasts and films. You’ll also have access to exclusive subscriber-only articles and a few surprises.

To get started, check out some of my most popular pieces below:

The Bigger Picture

Reality Eats Culture For Breakfast: AI, Existential Risk and Ethical Tech

A Leviathan is stirring in the depths. On the surface, those who called it into being are reeling in their nets, terrified it will pull them down. Our Leviathan is artificial intelligence. Our hapless fishermen are the growing number of technologists, ethicists and sociologists calling for a halt in research as Microsoft and Google face off in a new AI …

Read more

8 months ago · 126 likes · 34 comments · Alexander Beiner

The Bigger Picture

Broken Men in a Broken World: The Last of Us, God of War and The Banshees of Inisherin

Men are in trouble. Around the world, boys are rapidly falling behind girls in education, and are increasingly feeling adrift in society. Men are committing suicide at significantly higher rates than women, and living increasingly isolated lives in many developed nations. Our cultural story around masculinity is fraught and confused, and the struggles f…

Read more

10 months ago · 139 likes · 34 comments · Alexander Beiner

The Bigger Picture

The Truth About Trauma: Bessel van der Kolk, Rachel Yehuda and George Bonanno

As a child, James was regularly beaten by his alcoholic father. His mother was emotionally distant and pretended not to notice. His home was a living nightmare, a threatening place where he never felt safe or loved. As an adult, James struggled with addiction, and found it hard to maintain intimate relationships…

Read more

a year ago · 116 likes · 46 comments · Alexander Beiner