stoned ape theory

Fucking lol wiki

I really really doubt that people ate ergot infected grain on purpose. Ergotism led to like black limbs when they fucked up and ate infected grain.

People throw around ergot theory WAY more than is rational. It was not a generic solution to Salem witch trials, did not appear everywhere in every climate, and was very obvious in the grain usually showing up as black horns on specifically your rye that grew in a cold and wet climate.

You would have to have let it grow, then grind the rye still and process it ignoring the black horns on it, then sell that flour or eat it. This was a major fuck up and not just bread that got moldy. It was rye that had very obvious infection and still got processed. Bread doesn't just grow ergot mold after being baked.

There's probably way more psychedelics they could have fucked with to hunt and even then I doubt it unless it was like a ritualistic/religious activity related to hunting.

Another thing on historical myths... The Salem witch trials weren't just people attacking mid wives and herbalists. Herbalists were called physics and respected as not witchcraft. They didn't care if you brewed people teas to heal ailments and shit like that. That wasnt considered magic and evil.

People literally still practiced folk magic and there were some girls admitting to doing Venus eggs, where you crack an egg over water and divine what trade your future husband would do. Divination was legitimately considered evil. And when they confessed and repented, they were forgiven and led normal lives.

Interestingly, it was the people who confessed and repented that survived these times, and likely just a bunch of shitty cops going after people who the confessers pointed the finger at who said "lol no of course I didn't sign my name in the devil's book". Several people who didn't confess died, people who others said they saw them do it. And some dude who was actually going around telling peoples futures got executed.

But it was all a bit more complicated than ergotism or even plain misogyny.

AND ANOTHER MYTH... There is no real evidence your brain floods you with dmt when you die. They did experiments with mice. No proof. It's a wild ass theory, because it's in our brain and people see weird shit.