Note: This is a sociological theory for explaining the development and workings of psychedelic culture. None of this is true in the literal sense, but merely a concept expressed in words to edify the change in society over the past 60 or so years, and where we are now.
Society works much in the same way the brain works. There are individual pieces, which provide different signals and perceptions to communicate within each other. The difference parts within the brain are able to put each other to the scientific test. Testing each other out while acting within their own context and understanding of life. Part of the problem is, society doesn?t realize that it working together to create a greater whole, unified society, or in terms the brain, a singular consciousness made up of a nearly infinite processes.
America, up until the 60?s, was a rather puritanical society. While it was high on a set of morals and order, it had not been exposed to psychedelics. Upon the discovery of LSD and psilocybin mushrooms, Leary and his colleagues saw through many of the psychological facades the more conservative leaders used (the leaders themselves might not have been aware of the mind games played, but just reacting within their upbringing). The goal was to distribute LSD to help empower human beings and realize their connection to each other. There was a tremendous success within the psychedelic community, and it gained support. Artists began experimenting and its affect within the art itself was clearly seen. People began listening to the new ideas and adapting to them. It seemed as if it was going to work, as there was tremendous leaps within civil rights, electronics, and conceptualization in science.
One important factor to remember is the way genetic, biological, and chemical makeups in people differ within a given population, and how this affects evolution. Examine the range of response to drugs themselves. On the most negative side, we see addiction, an inability to stop a compulsion even given dangerous and hurtful situations. This, as neurology is exploring (and still has an incomplete picture of), has its basis on chemical reaction in the brain causing the reward mechanism in the limbic system to expect an unachievable high (or reward) making it override all other functions in order to achieve it. It?s estimated that less than 10% of the population has this reaction from continual use of drugs which act strongly within the limbic system (namely alcohol, cocaine, opiates, amphetamines, and others).
On the other side of the reactions to drugs, I estimate a large part of the population is able to achieve an ineffable enhancement of cognitive functions. Many new ideas have been formed from the use of psychedelics as a catalyst. Again, it?s important to remember that words have a limitation in express a concept. Human beings have attached written and spoken words, or terms to ideas, items, places etc.. In order to decipher the world around them. As Huxley suggested, humans also become so accustomed to using language to decipher the world around them, that they forget the items themselves aren?t really the words themselves.
This has a significant limitation in science, as science itself is merely human interpretation of the world around them. While it allows us to understand a concept, we also become so accustomed to the idea that scientific laws and theories are real in the literal sense, when they are merely the human decoding of the actual workings of life.
This is where psychedelics play a huge part. They enable a portion of the population to conceptualize and understand the actual events themselves beyond a linguistic level. Unfortunately, society has tried to suppress this side of itself, so many of the ideas conceptualized aren?t shared, testing, and proven or disproven. In other words, the scientific process of the unexplainable goes unfulfilled.
An example of this concept in action is right here on the shroomery. We have two polar opposites utilizing psychedelics in different fashions. Shroomism manages to explore whatever his consciousness provides (and what he provides his consciousness). Swami plays the role of the scientific process of testing the theories. The two interact, share ideas for the rest of the shroomery to see, and new territory to explore.
So while it can be seen that the counter-culture revolution failed, it?s also true that it played a completely different role, exposing a new territory and chemistry for the human gene pool to explore. Some achieved understanding and peace. Others tried and just couldn?t hold onto it. Some didn?t understand but wanted to see what the fuss is about. Others had negative experiences due to their biological and personal experiences. The entire population wasn?t able to live in harmony, but those who were able to benefit from these chemicals were finally exposed to them. They shared ideas and grew in many ways. But in the course of give and take, the establishment recognized the threat and tried to protect itself through misinformation and scare tactics. It was successful in breaking up the difference factions of the counterculture, but the individuals still remained.
The 90?s brought about an electronically and informational change. Suddenly, those experienced in psychedelics could share information and ideas. People from all angles brought their own personal experiences and abilities to interact with each other. Those with neurological information provided that perspective. Those with spiritual or shamanistic experience shared that angle.
The psychedelic revolution isn?t going to come soon, because it?s already here. It?s been happening, slowly, for the past 10 or so years. We are expecting and waiting for a Leary of Mckenna to come along and guide us, not realizing that we are creating the path collectively and individually. Part of the key is for us to realize the ability and freedom to conceptualize and challenge ourselves. If we provide the rest of society our abilities and realize they are apart of us, things will change, as they have already been.
Remember, this is just a sociological theory and model. It?s not meant to be happening literally, but as a way of explaining what?s going on, and what can happen if we make it. This doesn?t require a movement, nor a creed to follow, just to for us to follow through on.
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The very nature of experience is ineffable; it transcends cognitive thought and intellectualized analysis. To be without experience is to be without an emotional knowledge of what the experience translates into. The desire for the understanding of what life is made of is the motivation that drives us all. Without it, in fear of the experiences what life can hold is among the greatest contradictions; to live in fear of death while not being alive.
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silversoul7 
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Damn, he was just trying to express a pespective geez, did't have to bust out the "socialogy major" on em'. 
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