The rise of “spiritualism” from Victorian mediums and séances in the 19th century especially provided much fodder for the popular imagination.

24 Oct 2024

1.

While the idea of ​​“psychology” (studying and manipulating paranormal/psychic phenomena using electronics and science) was coined by scientists Bertold Wiesner and Robert Thoels in 1942,

2.

However, by the 1950s, following World War II and in the midst of the Korean War, the American government was in a state of defensive paranoia and tensions were rising with the Eastern superpowers, Russia and China.

3.

At that time, the idea of ​​"brainwashing American soldiers" came to mind both among government employees, especially military ones, and the general public.

4.

This resulted in a pivotal moment in 1953, when CIA Director Allen Dulles gave a speech to Princeton alumni in which he said:

5.

Reports of "brainwashing" were already making headlines in the mainstream American media, and although Dulles used his speech to denounce communists for such tactics,

6.

He approved the creation of the CIA's secret "mind control" program, MKUltra, just three days after his speech. In fact, MKUltra was actually only the latest such program.

7.

Project Artichoke had been underway since 1951 as a coordination between the FBI, Air Force, Army, and Navy, with the goal stated in a 1952 memo:

8.

These programs, highly illegal and hidden from the public, allow subjects, often prisoners or volunteer college students, to use drugs (see the Firestarter connection). 

9.

The establishment hippie movement for which LSD played such a central role can largely be traced back to these government experiments, which were the first major use of LSD in American history.

10.