Creating a Psychedelic Past, 1954–1960
University of Illinois Press eBooks – April 20, 2017
Source: OpenAlex
Summary
The new salience of hallucinogenic drugs dramatically reshaped perceptions of Indian drug rituals. Previously dismissed as backward, these practices were rehabilitated in 1950s media coverage. A pivotal moment was an amateur scientist's 1957 *Life* magazine article "discovering" hallucinogenic mushrooms, sparking a frenzy. This, alongside a coordinated publicity campaign, created a market for "magic mushrooms" and disseminated an authentic backstory for contemporary psychedelic drug use. This historical shift highlights critical themes in Media studies and Psychedelics and Drug Studies. Aside from market creation, it redefined cultural understanding.
Abstract
This chapter analyzes how the new salience of hallucinogenic drugs inspired a media interest in Indian drug rituals. Indian practices that were previously described as backward and superstitious were seemingly rehabilitated in 1950s news coverage to align with contemporary theories about the drugs. Of particular interest was the “discovery” of hallucinogenic mushrooms by an amateur scientist writing for Life magazine in 1957 and the frenzy that that discovery sparked in the media, in part due to the author's coordinated publicity campaign. Aside from creating a market for magic mushrooms, the coverage also disseminated a seemingly authentic backstory for contemporary psychedelic drug use.