A Time-Machine Thought Experiment on the World That Could Have Been.

Imagine this.

You step into a time machine, travel back a few thousand years, and change just one variable in human history:

Instead of alcohol becoming the socially accepted “pub substance,”

THC becomes the norm.

Same rituals.

Same celebrations.

Same Friday nights.

Same social bonding.

Different chemistry.

Now imagine what the world would look like because of that one switch.

This isn’t about glamorising weed or demonising alcohol.

It’s about exploring a simple “what if?” from a psychological, scientific, and energetic lens.

Here’s what would have changed; and why the timeline might have been a kinder one.

Far Less Violence, Especially Against Women

Alcohol disinhibits the brain.

It shuts off:

• impulse control

• empathy

• rational thought

• emotional regulation

That’s why violence spikes around alcohol.

Not because people become different; but because their brakes fail.

THC, however, does the opposite:

• slows impulses

• softens aggression

• heightens awareness

• increases introspection

• encourages stillness over confrontation

A world built on THC instead of alcohol would have seen:

• fewer domestic violence incidents

• fewer pub fights

• fewer angry outbursts

• less “heat of the moment” harm

• less generational trauma passed down

Imagine whole family lineages that could have been spared.

Public Spaces Would Feel Safer

Think about every chaotic pub scene you’ve ever witnessed.

Now replace the alcohol with THC.

Suddenly, instead of:

• yelling

• shoving

• smashing glasses

• testosterone-fuelled ego battles

…you’d have people:

• chatting

• laughing

• relaxing

• talking about life

• eating

• going home early

• rethinking their choices

Police would be bored.

Hospital emergency rooms would be quiet.

Ambulances wouldn’t spend Friday nights on repeat pickups.

The entire emotional baseline of nightlife would shift from amped to softened.

Generations Would Have Grown Up With Less Trauma

Alcohol has shaped family dynamics for centuries.

• kids walking on eggshells

• adults with mood swings

• unpredictable outbursts

• forgotten apologies

• emotional neglect

• cycles of addiction

Swap alcohol for THC, and the chain reaction changes:

• fewer explosive arguments

• calmer households

• more introspective parents

• less shame-driven behaviour

• fewer traumatic attachments formed in childhood

Imagine the ripple effect across millennia.

War, Politics, and Power Could Look Entirely Different

Leaders throughout history have made catastrophic decisions under ego, adrenaline, and intoxication.

Alcohol feeds bravado.

THC dampens it.

A THC-based society may have produced:

• fewer impulsive wars

• more negotiation

• more thoughtful leadership

• less reactive policy-making

• more collaborative global relationships

When your nervous system is calm, you don’t launch a crusade.

You talk.

You think.

You feel the weight of consequences.

Humanity’s entire political landscape could have shifted.

Hospital Systems Would Look Different

Alcohol has left behind centuries of:

• liver disease

• brain damage

• heart conditions

• car crashes

• injuries

• domestic violence trauma

• addiction rehabilitation needs

THC doesn’t tax the body the same way.

A world built on cannabis culture instead of alcohol culture would have:

• fewer chronic illnesses

• fewer accidents

• lower healthcare strain

• more resources for preventative medicine

The system would not be patching up the same wounds over and over.

Mental Health Would Be Treated Sooner, Not Ignored

Alcohol numbs.

THC reveals.

People on THC often introspect.

They notice patterns.

They question their own behaviour.

They reflect instead of exploding.

Imagine thousands of years of humans being gently nudged toward self-awareness rather than self-abandonment.

We might have:

• earlier recognition of trauma

• emotionally literate households

• healthier communication

• more self-regulation

• less stigma around mental health

A very different psychological climate.

Creativity, Innovation and Culture Might Have Expanded in Softer Ways

Alcohol creates chaos and highs.

THC creates focus, curiosity, imagination.

If humanity had grown up with THC as the social norm:

• art might have been deeper

• science more intuitive

• spirituality more integrated

• innovation more reflective

• culture more collaborative

We would still have breakthroughs, but with less destruction along the way.

The Energetic Landscape Would Have Shifted Too

In a metaphysical sense:

• alcohol fragments the aura

• THC softens and expands it

Alcohol disconnects people from their intuition.

THC often reconnects them.

A civilisation built on a grounding plant medicine instead of a disinhibiting depressant might have:

• developed spiritual practices earlier

• connected more to nature

• honoured intuitive intelligence

• understood emotional states more clearly

• created gentler social structures

Imagine a world where emotional sensitivity was the norm, not the exception.

The Bottom Line: One Substance Could Have Shifted the Entire Timeline

If humanity grew up socially on THC instead of alcohol, we’d likely see:

• less violence

• less trauma

• fewer broken families

• safer public spaces

• better health outcomes

• more emotional literacy

• wiser leaders

• more creativity

• fewer generational scars

It’s a simple thought experiment,

but it reveals something profound:

The substances we normalise shape our culture, our relationships, our decisions, and our future.

Alcohol created one version of history.

THC could have created a very different one.

What about the risks of THC?

THC may cause issues in a small minority of people.

Alcohol does cause issues in the majority of people, and every year.

THC vs Alcohol: Real-World Impact Chart

“What people think weed does vs what alcohol actually does.”

The Honest Bottom Line

THC may cause problems in a small handful of people, mostly those with a genetic predisposition, heavy teenage use, or pre-existing vulnerabilities.

But alcohol harms millions every year, in predictable, measurable, and devastating ways.

THC issues = uncommon, usually psychological, usually reversible.

Alcohol issues = common, severe, physical + psychological, generational.

If a society had chosen THC instead of alcohol as its social lubricant, we would statistically have:

• fewer assaults

• fewer injuries

• fewer deaths

• fewer broken families

• fewer long-term health complications

• fewer mental health crises

• far less generational trauma

Even the “lazy stoner” stereotype falls apart next to “violent drunk.”

Alcohol became the default because it was legalised early, THC was criminalised early

The criminalisation of cannabis was political, not scientific:

• hemp threatened paper and cotton industries

• THC was associated with minority cultures

• propaganda painted it as dangerous

• alcohol companies funded anti-weed campaigns

So one substance became the “norm,”

and the other became the “enemy.”

Which locked the world into the alcohol timeline.

Alcohol fits capitalist culture better than THC

Alcohol:

• boosts nightlife

• boosts spending

• boosts tourism

• boosts festivals

• boosts social events

It creates a high-energy, impulsive, consumption-driven culture.

THC:

• slows people down

• makes people thoughtful

• reduces violence

• reduces consumerism

• makes people introspective

• reduces risk-taking

THC is not profitable for capitalism the way alcohol is.

So the world leaned into what makes money, not what makes health.

In short: Alcohol won because it served the system, not the people.

Alcohol became popular because it:

✔ solved contaminated water problems

✔ was easy to make and store

✔ fit group bonding behaviours

✔ became tied to ritual

✔ made people predictable

✔ enriched governments

✔ aligned with capitalist values

✔ was legally and culturally protected

THC didn’t become popular because:

❌ it didn’t solve a survival problem

❌ it made people too introspective

❌ it wasn’t profitable early on

❌ it threatened certain industries

❌ it was criminalised and vilified

A Final Thought: THC or Alcohol, Which World Sounds Kinder?

Alcohol is celebrated, normalised, and given the hero’s edit. It’s how we’re taught to unwind and socialise, despite being hard on the body and mind. It fuels inflammation, disrupts sleep, worsens anxiety, and often leaves people feeling worse the next day.

THC, meanwhile, is still treated like the villain.

So ask yourself: which world sounds safer and kinder?

One where people drink too much, lose control, wake with regret and inflammation?

Or one where a small, intentional amount of THC supports relaxation, pain relief, calmer nerves, and better sleep?

THC isn’t for everyone, but the conversation deserves honesty. Alcohol’s harms are well documented, yet culturally excused. For many, responsible THC use is far gentler on both body and mind.

Maybe it’s time we stop asking what’s traditional, and start asking what’s actually compassionate. -Ang