Benjamin Breen, an associate professor of history at UC Santa Cruz and author of "Tripping on Utopia," dives into the intriguing connections between Margaret Mead, psychedelic drugs, and concepts of utopia. He discusses Mead's pioneering work in social anthropology, her collaborations with Gregory Bateson, and how their ideas shaped societal views on psychedelics. Breen also explores the moral complexities faced by scientists during the Cold War and examines the potential of psychedelics for enhancing creativity and consciousness.
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insights INSIGHT
Pre-Psychedelic Era
The term "psychedelic" wasn't coined until 1957.
Before that, discussions about these substances lacked a unifying term.
question_answer ANECDOTE
William James and Nitrous Oxide
William James, an early psychologist, experimented with nitrous oxide.
He found it gave him a false sense of insight, not genuine understanding.
insights INSIGHT
Mead's Vision
Margaret Mead's work aimed to create a science of expanded consciousness.
She believed science could help humans consciously shape their evolution.
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In *Tripping on Utopia*, Benjamin Breen delves into the early history of psychedelic science, highlighting the contributions of anthropologists Margaret Mead and Gregory Bateson. The book explores how their utopian visions for psychedelics collided with government interests during the Cold War, revealing a complex narrative of scientific idealism and espionage. Breen's work is deeply researched and offers a fresh perspective on the history of psychedelics.
Mescaline
Mike Jay
Mike Jay's 'Mescaline: A Global History of the First Psychedelic' delves into the rich history of mescaline, tracing its use from ancient American cultures to its modern applications in psychiatry and beyond. The book offers a nuanced exploration of mescaline's impact on art, science, and indigenous traditions, weaving together diverse narratives to create a captivating account of this influential substance.
Coming of Age in Samoa
Margaret Mead
In 'Coming of Age in Samoa,' Margaret Mead presents a vivid and descriptive account of Samoan adolescent life, challenging the Western notion that adolescence is inherently a time of stress and rebellion. Mead spent nine months observing and interviewing 68 girls in three villages on the island of Ta'u, concluding that the smooth transition from childhood to adulthood in Samoan culture was due to its stable, monocultural society. The book contrasts Samoan adolescent experiences with those in Western societies, highlighting the role of cultural demands and expectations in shaping developmental stages. Despite criticisms and controversies, the book remains a classic in anthropology, influencing debates on nature vs. nurture and the impact of culture on individual psychology.
The twentieth century was something, wasn't it? Margaret Mead, as well as her onetime-husband Gregory Bateson, managed to play roles in several of its key developments: social anthropology and its impact on sex & gender mores, psychedelic drugs and their potential use for therapeutic purposes, and the origin of cybernetics, to name a few. Benjamin Breen discusses this impactful trajectory in his new book, Tripping on Utopia: Margaret Mead, the Cold War, and the Troubled Birth of Psychedelic Science. We talk about Mead and Bateson, the early development of psychedelic drugs, and how the possibility of a realistic utopia didn't always seem so far away.
Benjamin Breen received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Texas at Austin. He is currently an associate professor of history at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Among his awards are the National Endowment for the Humanities Award for Faculty and the William H. Welch Medal of the American Association for the History of Medicine. He writes on Substack at Res Obscura.
Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas 
