In “The Politics of Ecstasy,” Timothy Leary expresses his belief that psychedelics are the next progression in human development due to the fact that they allow the expansion of mankind’s consciousness. Leary believes that faith should be invested in the visionary that provides a philosophy or idea beyond the conception of the vast majority, in particular, established institutional structures.
Furthermore, Leary also believes that the suppression of psychedelics is ingrained in Puritanical American culture and despite many studies that prove their healing and pleasurable qualities, they have been condemned because of their ability to induce a religious experience outside of religious institutions.
In particular, Leary is trusting of radical ideas that have the ability to shape the future. His analogy of the automobile’s conception is very relevant in that represents an idea that was developed even though the infrastructure to make it work was not yet conceivable. With belief that LSD and other psychedelics have the ability to unlock the human mind to develop new ideas and break from cyclical historical failures, Leary defends psychedelics by recalling their benefits. However, Leary believes a great divide continues to exist between skeptics so long as they remain inexperienced. In reference to George Bataille’s, “The Festival, Or Transgression of Prohibition,” the psychedelic experience can be viewed as “sacred” among “profane life” and having more value. This value results from psychedelics having new possibilities defined against the “profane life” which in contrast is limited. Hence, the “profane life” attempts to prohibit the “sacred” or betters stated, divine. Therefore, psychedelics have gained divinity in American culture and is thus condemned for its disruptive nature to the status quo.
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