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Learyfan
It's the psychedelic movement!



Registered: 04/20/01
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Today in psychedelic history (02/20) 3
#13994380 - 02/20/11 07:04 AM (13 years, 14 days ago) |
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- 1962: The Harvard Crimson exposes Leary and Alpert's psilocybin project
Quote:
The Strange Case of the Harvard Drug Scandal
In the fall of 1961, the university took a significant step to protect its most vulnerable students. It extracted an agreement from Alpert and Leary that no undergraduates would be used in their research. But following its historic tradition of noninterference with members of the university faculty, Harvard put no other restrictions on Alpert and Leary. Whenever they spoke to university officials, the two psychologists gave highly creditable accounts of their research, always emphasizing that since the things they were studying were unorthodox, their procedures had to be unorthodox. In private however, Alpert and Leary chafed under the prohibition against using undergraduates and ridiculed the stuffiness of regulations that restrained their "applied mysticism." More and more students tried to ferret out sources of the hallucinogens; some succeeded. A chemical supply house in New York City was selling mescaline at $35 a gram, (about two doses) more than four times the normal trade price. Another Manhattan firm sold the drug at regular prices to undergraduates. Knowing the authorities would never get around to checking up, it let the students fill out the brief FDA forms. One student ordered quantities of dried peyote from a Texas shipper and dispensed it to his classmates at reasonable rates. A parcel of LSD impregnated sugar cubes arrived from New York. The cubes sold for one dollar apiece on the burgeoning Harvard Square black market. Alpert and Leary believed that the Government did not have the right to deny citizens the freedom to explore their own consciousness. "Internal freedom" was as important as the external freedoms of speech and religion, they asserted. To shut off access to consciousness-expanding materials was a step toward totalitarianism. Not many outside Harvard's Social Relations Department had yet heard of Alpert and Leary. Although the coterie of interested undergraduates was growing, it represented only a tiny fraction of the students. The first "leak" was an article on mescaline and psilocybin published in the February 20,1962, issue of The Harvard Crimson, the university's daily student newspaper. It gave a sketchy description of the work going on at the center and compared psilocybin to the soma of Huxley's Brave New World. "Ethical and philosophical questions raised by the availability of such a compound are staggering in complexity, yet they will have to be faced," the article concluded. "The work going on now in Cambridge may force us to find answers to them in the very near future."
The researchers reply
The very near future turned out to be just around the corner. Alpert and Leary immediately sent a letter to The Crimson, explaining that they were not "unbounded in their enthusiasm" for psilocybin, as the article had stated, but rather unbounded in their concern— "concern for the many problems created by the consciousness expanding drugs." They emphasized that their research was carefully controlled and in strict adherence to university codes. "All subjects are informed volunteers. No undergraduates or minors." A few days later, the director of Harvard University Health Services, Dr. Dana L. Farnsworth, wrote a letter of his own to The Crimson, in which he suggested that mescaline could do a great deal of harm. "Actually," he wrote, "the ingestion of this drug can precipitate psychotic reactions in some apparently normal persons. It has been known to increase slight depressions into suicidal ones and to produce schizophrenic like reactions." The little skirmish in The Crimson's mail column encouraged critics of the psilocybin project to speak out. The resulting dispute led to a private meeting for all members of the Center for Research in Personality on March 14, 1962. Sitting quietly in the room, unknown to the organizers of the discussion, was a reporter for the Crimson. Herbert C. Kelman, lecturer on social psychology, summed up the feelings of the hostile faction. "The program," he argued, "has an anti-intellectual atmosphere. Its emphasis is on pure experience, not on verbalizing findings." He also charged that graduate students who had participated in the project had formed an insider sect that considered nonparticipants square. Others accused Alpert and Leary of running irresponsible, party like psilocybin sessions and of ignoring or underestimating possible permanent psychological damage to subjects. Leary defended his unorthodox research methods; Alpert pointed out that Health Services physicians were on 24-hour call in case they were needed. The Crimson's account of the stormy meeting touched off violent reactions. Participants in the center debate, including Dr. Kelman, strongly protested the newspaper's intrusion on a private meeting. Other faculty members who had not previously heard of the controversy over psilocybin now joined the battle. The squabble had gotten out of the family, and the Harvard administration was apprehensive. Quickly, the Boston newspapers seized on the affair. A psychopharmacologist in the Massachusetts Public Health Department expressed the belief that one person not under the influence of the drug should be present during all experiments. On March 20, five days after The Crimson's first story appeared. the state food and drug division announced that it had launched an investigation of psilocybin research at Harvard. President Pusey said that the university planned no investigation of its own and added that he was confident David McClelland, director of the center, would satisfy the state inspectors. Other Harvard officials said they had not interfered with the project because to have done so would have been an abridgment of academic freedom. Dr. Dana Farnsworth stated that University Health Services had not taken any action because there was no evidence of any direct harm to any individual involved." Legal issues arose. The deputy commissioner of the Health Department told reporters he thought psilocybin fell into the category of drugs that had to be administered by a physician. He explained that state law permitted physicians alone to administer "hypnotic or somnifacient" (sleep-producing) drugs. If psilocybin was a "harmful drug" under Massachusetts law, he warned, "those who gave it would be subject to prosecution even if they had discontinued their work."
(http://www.psychedelic-library.org)
But whatever qualms the memo soothed were quickly resurrected on February 20, when the Harvard Crimson printed a story about the psilocybin project that contained this worrisome paragraph: "The directors of the Center envision the use of psilocybin in a 'mushroom seminar' for graduate students in theology, behavioral science and philosophy; the course would be based on taking the drug once a month and spending the intervening sessions applying the insights gained to problems in their respective fields."6 Apparently, despite the warnings of everyone around him, Leary still found it impossible to believe that any university could turn its back on a teaching tool like psilocybin. During the fall semester he had urged all his introductory clinical students to avail themselves of a trip or two. Only one had refused. But this one exception was an advisee of Herb Kelman. Brooding that his refusal to take psilocybin might weigh against him (certainly it marked him as a retrograde psychologist in Tim's eyes), he finally went to Kelman and confessed his fears. Kelman was outraged. Leary and Alpert were blurring the lines between what was optional and what was required; they were becoming advocates, not educators. Kelman interviewed other introductory clinical students. Some admitted feeling pressured, others told scary anecdotes about what had happened in the Other World. Armed with these stories, Kelman went to McClelland and demanded a department meeting in which the psilocybin project could be freely debated. McClelland consulted Leary, who agreed it was a good idea. Notices were posted, the rumor mill began to hum, and on March 16, 5 Divinity Avenue's "psychodrama room" was standing room only. David McClelland moderated the debate, which went on for about ninety minutes, and he strove to maintain a posture of skeptical support. The most vigorous opponent was Kelman, who demanded that the psilocybin project either be radically restructured or terminated. "I wish I could treat this as a scholarly disagreement," he said. "But this work violates the values of the academic community … the program has an anti-intellectual atmosphere. Its emphasis is on pure experience, not on verbalizing findings. It is an attempt to reject most of what the psychologist tries to do."7 Kelman's critique was echoed by others in the room. "Have you bothered to read the literature in your field?" demanded Brendan Maher, whose debating style reminded Leary of a prosecuting attorney. "Yes, I've read those papers." "Then how can you continue administering these drugs outside a mental hospital?" Although he had expected criticism, the vehemence of the attack surprised Leary, and he had to work at remaining outwardly unruffled. The same couldn't be said for Alpert, whose reaction was described as cold anger. Leary later claimed that before the meeting Dick had been drawn aside and told that "nothing could be done to save Tim, but if he kept quiet his career could probably be salvaged."8 Whether this was true or not, Alpert did remain silent for about half the meeting before jumping to his feet and attacking Kelman and Maher. In the end, the conflict was resolved, in true academic fashion, with the recommendation that a committee be appointed to thoroughly investigate the differences. "The meeting ended on a note of civilized calm," Leary wrote in Flashbacks.9 The calm lasted less than twenty-four hours. Next morning the biggest thing on the frontpage of the Harvard Crimson was "Psychologists Disagree on Psilocybin Research." From the Crimson the story jumped to the Boston dailies and thence to the wire services, the combination of Harvard's prestige and experimental mind drugs proving irresistible. But that was only the preliminary hoopla. Suddenly agents of the Bureau of Narcotics were calling at 5 Divinity Avenue and the local office of the Food and Drug Administration was making investigatory noises.
(Storming Heaven: LSD And The American Dream)
-------------------- -------------------------------- Mp3 of the month: The Fe-Fi-Four Plus 2 - I Wanna Come Back (From the World of LSD)
Edited by Learyfan (02/20/21 07:36 AM)
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Learyfan
It's the psychedelic movement!



Registered: 04/20/01
Posts: 34,142
Loc: High pride!
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: Learyfan] 1
#15836435 - 02/20/12 06:07 AM (12 years, 14 days ago) |
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Annual bump.
-------------------- -------------------------------- Mp3 of the month: The Fe-Fi-Four Plus 2 - I Wanna Come Back (From the World of LSD)
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lmnopftek
Pioneer


Registered: 02/03/12
Posts: 63
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: Learyfan] 2
#15836645 - 02/20/12 08:06 AM (12 years, 14 days ago) |
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Very nice article here, I've read much on T. Leary and this is article depicts a critical turning point in his history. C:
-------------------- Hidden fear has hidden here as quiet as a place, Tucked away the people stay that fell the human race, and all the kings horse and all his lost men, Had forgotten their purpose all over again, Toiling with what was had in the hand and fighting each as who owned the land, Again Adam falls.
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EvolveShrooms
Brahman Herder



Registered: 05/30/11
Posts: 2,233
Loc: The dream hangar
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: lmnopftek] 2
#15837162 - 02/20/12 11:32 AM (12 years, 13 days ago) |
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Thanks as always LearyFan, awesome article.
It never fails to piss me off when I see a society full of people afraid of their own minds. Makes you wonder how we can be even slightly optimistic about our future as a society.
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The Only Illusion Is Division
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leafing


Registered: 12/23/04
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: EvolveShrooms]
#15837359 - 02/20/12 12:21 PM (12 years, 13 days ago) |
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leary sold out his generation and was a snitch. why be a fan of him?
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LSDylan
bass music enjoyer



Registered: 05/26/10
Posts: 4,992
Loc: Michigan
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: leafing] 1
#15837994 - 02/20/12 02:45 PM (12 years, 13 days ago) |
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Quote:
leafing said: leary sold out his generation and was a snitch. why be a fan of him?
That is a fact, huh?
-------------------- DanceSafe | Voluntaryism
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Sorekaru
Stranger

Registered: 02/20/12
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: leafing] 1
#15838748 - 02/20/12 05:26 PM (12 years, 13 days ago) |
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Quote:
leafing said: leary sold out his generation and was a snitch. why be a fan of him?
I have no problem with opinions and biases forming due to the subjective nature of all things-- but if you are going to make a statement which takes such a strong stance, at least substantiate it.
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leafing


Registered: 12/23/04
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: Sorekaru]
#15838796 - 02/20/12 05:33 PM (12 years, 13 days ago) |
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TIME MAGAZINE
LOOK IT UP I HAVE A LIFE
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leafing


Registered: 12/23/04
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: LSDylan]
#15838800 - 02/20/12 05:34 PM (12 years, 13 days ago) |
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YUP
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Learyfan
It's the psychedelic movement!



Registered: 04/20/01
Posts: 34,142
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: Sorekaru]
#15838867 - 02/20/12 05:45 PM (12 years, 13 days ago) |
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Just ignore him. Basically, the government tried to brainwash our culture into not seeing Leary as the hero he is so that no one else becomes inspired by him, so they put this crap out about him being a snitch, despite the fact that no one was ever arrested or convicted because of Leary's info, and some people fall for it. The last thing the government wants is another Leary or anyone being influenced by him. For instance, not only did tens of thousands of people take LSD because of Leary, but some of the biggest LSD chemists of the 70's, at least, were directly inspired to synthesize LSD because of Leary. People have also been programmed to say that Leary is the reason LSD is illegal because he brought so much attention to it. While it's true that he did bring a lot of attention to it, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, The Grateful Dead and Owsley Stanley are even more to blame. I love those guys just as much anyone, but they were the ones driving around the country in a psychedelic bus, throwing Acid Test parties and dosing anyone who wanted it.
So there's just a disinformation campaign still being waged against Leary to this day. Here's a short synopsis of what really happened with Leary's cooperation:
Quote:
Leary made a pretense of cooperating with the FBI's investigation of the Weathermen and radical attorneys, by giving them information that they already had or that was of little consequence; in response, the FBI gave him the code name "Charlie Thrush". Leary would later claim, and members of the Weathermen would later support, that no one was ever prosecuted based on any information he gave to the FBI.
The Weather Underground, the radical left organization responsible for his escape, was not impacted by his testimony. Histories written about the Weather Underground usually mention the Leary chapter in terms of the escape for which they proudly took credit. Leary sent information to the Weather Underground through a sympathetic prisoner that he was considering making a deal with the FBI and waited for their approval. The return message was "we understand".
(wikipedia)
-------------------- -------------------------------- Mp3 of the month: The Fe-Fi-Four Plus 2 - I Wanna Come Back (From the World of LSD)
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Sorekaru
Stranger

Registered: 02/20/12
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: Learyfan] 2
#15839200 - 02/20/12 06:43 PM (12 years, 13 days ago) |
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Quote:
Learyfan said: Just ignore him. Basically, the government tried to brainwash our culture into not seeing Leary as the hero he is so that no one else becomes inspired by him, so they put this crap out about him being a snitch, despite the fact that no one was ever arrested or convicted because of Leary's info, and some people fall for it. The last thing the government wants is another Leary or anyone being influenced by him. For instance, not only did tens of thousands of people take LSD because of Leary, but some of the biggest LSD chemists of the 70's, at least, were directly inspired to synthesize LSD because of Leary. People have also been programmed to say that Leary is the reason LSD is illegal because he brought so much attention to it. While it's true that he did bring a lot of attention to it, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, The Grateful Dead and Owsley Stanley are even more to blame. I love those guys just as much anyone, but they were the ones driving around the country in a psychedelic bus, throwing Acid Test parties and dosing anyone who wanted it.
So there's just a disinformation campaign still being waged against Leary to this day. Here's a short synopsis of what really happened with Leary's cooperation:
Quote:
Leary made a pretense of cooperating with the FBI's investigation of the Weathermen and radical attorneys, by giving them information that they already had or that was of little consequence; in response, the FBI gave him the code name "Charlie Thrush". Leary would later claim, and members of the Weathermen would later support, that no one was ever prosecuted based on any information he gave to the FBI.
The Weather Underground, the radical left organization responsible for his escape, was not impacted by his testimony. Histories written about the Weather Underground usually mention the Leary chapter in terms of the escape for which they proudly took credit. Leary sent information to the Weather Underground through a sympathetic prisoner that he was considering making a deal with the FBI and waited for their approval. The return message was "we understand".
(wikipedia)

Colleague and close friend of Leary-- never get tired of listening to him speak in this video. Thanks for the additional info on Leary, I enjoy when people support their opinions with details/facts.
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leafing


Registered: 12/23/04
Posts: 2,837
Loc:
Last seen: 8 months, 25 days
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: Learyfan]
#15840247 - 02/20/12 10:22 PM (12 years, 13 days ago) |
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Quote:
Learyfan said: Just ignore him. Basically, the government tried to brainwash our culture into not seeing Leary as the hero he is so that no one else becomes inspired by him, so they put this crap out about him being a snitch, despite the fact that no one was ever arrested or convicted because of Leary's info, and some people fall for it. The last thing the government wants is another Leary or anyone being influenced by him. For instance, not only did tens of thousands of people take LSD because of Leary, but some of the biggest LSD chemists of the 70's, at least, were directly inspired to synthesize LSD because of Leary. People have also been programmed to say that Leary is the reason LSD is illegal because he brought so much attention to it. While it's true that he did bring a lot of attention to it, Ken Kesey and the Merry Pranksters, The Grateful Dead and Owsley Stanley are even more to blame. I love those guys just as much anyone, but they were the ones driving around the country in a psychedelic bus, throwing Acid Test parties and dosing anyone who wanted it.
So there's just a disinformation campaign still being waged against Leary to this day. Here's a short synopsis of what really happened with Leary's cooperation:
Quote:
Leary made a pretense of cooperating with the FBI's investigation of the Weathermen and radical attorneys, by giving them information that they already had or that was of little consequence; in response, the FBI gave him the code name "Charlie Thrush". Leary would later claim, and members of the Weathermen would later support, that no one was ever prosecuted based on any information he gave to the FBI.
The Weather Underground, the radical left organization responsible for his escape, was not impacted by his testimony. Histories written about the Weather Underground usually mention the Leary chapter in terms of the escape for which they proudly took credit. Leary sent information to the Weather Underground through a sympathetic prisoner that he was considering making a deal with the FBI and waited for their approval. The return message was "we understand".
(wikipedia)

TIME MAGAZINE IS MORE RELIABLE THAN WIKIPEDIA; ANYONE CAN EDIT WIKIPEDIA. TIME MAGAZINE IS COUNTRY AND WORLDLY ACCLAIMED AS A ACCURATE AND GREAT MAGAZINE
ALSO READ THE END OF THE FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS BOOK
HE TALKS ABOUT TIMOTHY LEARY AND HOW:
"HE CREATED A GENERATION OF PERMANENT CRIPPLES. FAILED SEEKERS, WHO NEVER UNDERSTOOD THE DESPERATE ASSUMPTION OF THE ACID CULTURE; THE DESPERATE ASSUMPTION THAT SOMETHING OR SOME FORCE WAS TENDING THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL"
IM PARAPHRASING HERE BUT GO ON YOU TUBE AND YOU TUBE THE END OF THE MOVIE... IM ONE OF THOSE CASES THAT HAPPENED TO BE SAVED.
ALSO HUNTER S THOMPSON WAS AN AVID ACID HEAD. AND HE SHOT HIS BRAINS OUT
NOT SAYING TIMOTHY LEARY WASN'T INFLUENTIAL. JUST SAYING HE WAS IRRESPONSIBLE IN HIS WAYS, AND A RAT.
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EvolveShrooms
Brahman Herder



Registered: 05/30/11
Posts: 2,233
Loc: The dream hangar
Last seen: 6 years, 9 months
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: leafing] 1
#15841575 - 02/21/12 07:58 AM (12 years, 13 days ago) |
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/caps lock doesn't make your opinion more valid, in fact, it makes you look like an angry teenager
--------------------
The Only Illusion Is Division
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LSDylan
bass music enjoyer



Registered: 05/26/10
Posts: 4,992
Loc: Michigan
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: EvolveShrooms] 2
#15841845 - 02/21/12 09:37 AM (12 years, 13 days ago) |
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Quote:
EvolveShrooms said: /caps lock doesn't make your opinion more valid, in fact, it makes you look like an angry teenager
I was going to say that. Also, you discredited wikipedia as a source but then cited a fictional novel?
-------------------- DanceSafe | Voluntaryism
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leafing


Registered: 12/23/04
Posts: 2,837
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: LSDylan]
#15842212 - 02/21/12 11:22 AM (12 years, 12 days ago) |
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Quote:
LSDylan said:
Quote:
EvolveShrooms said: /caps lock doesn't make your opinion more valid, in fact, it makes you look like an angry teenager
I was going to say that. Also, you discredited wikipedia as a source but then cited a fictional novel?
didnt know time magazine was a fictional novel
and btw hunter s thompson novels are gonzo not fictional.. cant beleive you do drugs and dont read hunter s thompson..
oh and also my caps lock was stuck yesterday. and im a young adult not a teenager.. therefore not a teenager
Edited by leafing (02/21/12 11:26 AM)
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LSDylan
bass music enjoyer



Registered: 05/26/10
Posts: 4,992
Loc: Michigan
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: leafing] 1
#15842248 - 02/21/12 11:33 AM (12 years, 12 days ago) |
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Your post talked about time magazine and also fear and loathing. I was for sure not referring to time magazine as a fictional novel.
-------------------- DanceSafe | Voluntaryism
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leafing


Registered: 12/23/04
Posts: 2,837
Loc:
Last seen: 8 months, 25 days
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: LSDylan]
#15842253 - 02/21/12 11:35 AM (12 years, 12 days ago) |
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Quote:
LSDylan said: Your post talked about time magazine and also fear and loathing. I was for sure not referring to time magazine as a fictional novel.
Quote:
LSDylan said: Your post talked about time magazine and also fear and loathing. I was for sure not referring to time magazine as a fictional novel.
good so we agree that time magazine > wikipedia
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Learyfan
It's the psychedelic movement!



Registered: 04/20/01
Posts: 34,142
Loc: High pride!
Last seen: 1 hour, 1 minute
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: leafing]
#15842632 - 02/21/12 01:02 PM (12 years, 12 days ago) |
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All you did was mention Time Magazine. You didn't post anything. Show us the Time Magazine article that names the person or persons who were convicted due to Leary's "cooperation".
And just like other people who have been brainwashed into not liking Leary, you site that HST quote as if to say "See, Hunter didn't like Leary, so that's proof that Leary sucks!" Because you don't have your own opinions. But HST loved Leary. He even wrote a book dedicated to Leary after his death called Mistah Leary He Dead. And anyway, Fear And Loathing was, indeed, mostly fiction. So wrong again.
-------------------- -------------------------------- Mp3 of the month: The Fe-Fi-Four Plus 2 - I Wanna Come Back (From the World of LSD)
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BloomingBoomer
The Truth



Registered: 02/20/12
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: leafing] 1
#15842646 - 02/21/12 01:05 PM (12 years, 12 days ago) |
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Time magazine is probably government run/associated in some way. Why so biased?
-------------------- Such Is Life
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LSDylan
bass music enjoyer



Registered: 05/26/10
Posts: 4,992
Loc: Michigan
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Re: Today in psychedelic history (02/20) [Re: leafing] 1
#15843150 - 02/21/12 03:19 PM (12 years, 12 days ago) |
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Quote:
leafing said:
Quote:
LSDylan said: Your post talked about time magazine and also fear and loathing. I was for sure not referring to time magazine as a fictional novel.
good so we agree that time magazine > wikipedia
While I would agree with you there, I never said that or anything to make you believe that. What I said was that you talked bad about wikipedia, but then cited fear and loathing as if it is factual information. So what I do not understand is how you can discredit wikipedia, but then turn right around and tell us your opinion is correct because it is supported by a made up story(fear and loathing).
-------------------- DanceSafe | Voluntaryism
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