Creating a Psychedelic Past, 1954–1960

In the 1950s, media coverage of Indian drug rituals shifted from portraying them as backward and superstitious to aligning them with emerging theories about hallucinogenic drugs. This change was driven by an amateur scientist's 1957 article in Life magazine announcing the "discovery" of hallucinogenic mushrooms, which was accompanied by a coordinated publicity campaign. The resulting media frenzy not only created a market for magic mushrooms but also provided a seemingly authentic historical and cultural backstory for contemporary psychedelic drug use, reshaping public perceptions.

Study at a glance

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.