Alex
Administrator
nice :) adding one bit of historical evidence to the screenplay:Good show. As others have said, I don't agree with all of Atwill's points, but I appreciate the different ideas on Wasson and other characters from those days.
I think this point about "soft power" is an important one. And I think, in reflecting on Alex's question about the deep state's interest in consciousness, it seems important to consider the powerful people of our world to be complex, conflicted, flawed human beings.
Soft power--The world changes, the powerful respond to the changes. Their responses are motivated by complex and even conflicting impulses and personal agendas.
I like to think that at the highest and/or deepest levels of power, the conversation about consciousness, psi, UFOs, etc. resembles my own rather agnostic thinking on these matters. I can imagine some top official making a report to one of the grand poobahs about these matters:
Top Military Adviser: Well, sir, obviously our best scientists and engineers understand a lot about the world, the nature of life, the laws of physics, etc. But when it comes to consciousness, UFOs, time, non-material entities, etc we still are dealing with conflicting evidence and conflicting theories.
Deep State Poobah: You mean we don't know?
Top Military Adviser: Yes, sir. That would be one way to put it.
Deep State Poobah: What are you doing to solve this problem?
Top Military Adviser: We are watching (and/or conducting) research into these questions, sir. [He lists off historical and contemporary research, including Strassman's group's psychedelic studies.]
Deep State Poobah: What if we figure out this stuff about the nature of consciousness, the truth about the afterlife, psychadelic drugs? Would there be a threat to the social order? To the status quo? [Unspoken but implied: to my power base?]
Top Military Adviser: Possibly, sir. But the nature of the threat depends on what the truth is at it emerges. There's very little grassroots threat as of right now. Popular grassroots movements could emerge as the answers are unveiled, and that's something we are watching very closely. We have some intelligence assets involved with the weak underground movements, and we can ramp up that work if any particular movements become more powerful.
Deep State Poobah: And what about monetization? I have a meeting with my pharmaceutical companies, we'll be discussing their efforts to figure out how to capitalize on the changing culture around psychedelic drugs, cannabis, etc. Is there any intel you can give me on these efforts? But first, I don't know if you heard, I'm going to Peru for my annual ayahuasca experience. I tell you, there's nothing like plugging into the mother jungle to get a leg up on Dick, Tom, and Harry (the other grand poobahs he's in competition with).
So Wasson and the other establishment figures who were involved in the counter-culture were perhaps motivated by their thirst for power. Perhaps they were motivated by their business interests. Perhaps by personal interests. Could Wasson have had a genuine personal interest in the spiritual or emotional healing potential of magical potions in addition to his interest in power and money? Could it be that these establishment figures had complicated feelings and personalities?
[edited to add in piece about "historical and contemporary research"]
Top Military Adviser: Well, sir, obviously our best scientists and engineers understand a lot about the world, the nature of life, the laws of physics, etc. But when it comes to consciousness, UFOs, time, non-material entities, etc we still are dealing with conflicting evidence and conflicting theories... but one thing is for sure -- the Soviets are using psychics to spy on us and are having success.
Everyone else in the room: Oh shit, let's get on it!