The Uneven Origins of Eco-Consciousness in the First Psychedelic Revolution

This essay examines the writings and trip reports of key figures from the first psychedelic revolution—Ken Kesey, Timothy Leary, and Jane Dunlap (Adelle Davis)—through an eco-critical lens. It questions whether psychedelic experiences genuinely foster a love of nature and ecological consciousness, a concept termed psychedelic biophilia. The analysis includes an incident from the 2011 film The Magic Trip, based on 1964 footage by the Merry Pranksters. The essay argues that the relationship between early psychedelic advocates and nature has been neglected, despite the countercultural ethos that influenced the Earth Movement.

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Abstract

This essay focuses on the writings and trip reports of several key figures of the first psychedelic revolution from an eco-critical perspective. Although the Earth Movement can be said to have emerged from the countercultural ethos of activists heavily influenced by the psychedelic revolution, the relationship of these earliest psychedelic advocates – such as Ken Kesey and Timothy Leary – to nature and to ecology has never been carefully examined. The larger issue of psychedelic biophilia comes into play in this investigation: to what extent is it accurate to say that LSD and other psychedelic experiences promote a love of nature and an ecological consciousness? In addition to the writings of Kesey and Leary, this essay examines the contributions and insights of Jane Dunlap (a.k.a. the well-known nutritionist Adelle Davis) and an incident from the 2011 film The Magic Trip, based on footage filmed by the Merry Pranksters in 1964.