ipl-logo

Reflection Paper Of Free Speech Drugs And Social Justice

704 Words3 Pages

Free Speech, Drugs, & Social Justice: A Reflection Paper The readings that look at drugs within certain spheres of 60's culture seem to highlight a shifting sociocultural sentiment towards hallucinogens. Within the Momaday excerpt, the reader observes the unfolding of a traditional peyote ceremony. It depicts the psychedelic plant as an enhancer, one that complements spiritual rituals by inducing symbolic hallucinations and intensifying emotion. While I was aware that there were spiritual uses for mescaline, I had never imagined its apparent centrality. This is a significant contrast to traditional views of all drugs as "unholy" and detrimental. Even more, the intro presents a picture of the substances as vehicles for social and cultural revolutions, not life-altering traps to be avoided at all costs. Here, it was interesting to discover that hallucinogens were perceived by some as a bridge to enlightenment, a means to expand one's …show more content…

government sought to suppress. Within "Che's Last Letter," there is a call to youth to persevere against repression and fight. This message goes hand-in-hand with the 1969 "Battle of Berkeley," a protest that shows young people uniting and rebelling to speak up for what they believe in. Before completing this week's readings, I did not know that this event had even occurred, let alone that it resulted in both murder and the arrests of over nine hundred people. Within it, one can observe music's unique power to spark social change, as observed via the songs that comprise The Free Speech Songbook. The lyrics are not only catchy, they are also informative, and thus illicit a desire to act. Here, however, I am left wondering as to why Ginsberg invites "Muslims and unions" to march in Berkeley, but inside the masses (read: hidden from view). What were perceptions of these groups during the

Show More
Related

  • The Vietnam War Rhetoric Analysis

    1524 Words  | 7 Pages

    Not to mention, “not only has music been a direct means of anti-war protest, but the culture of peace and love, seen especially in the Woodstock festival, has also pervaded the minds of the public” (Hopkins). The controversial Vietnam War affected many people in the United States, but the war caused a socio cultural revolution through the power of

    Read More

  • Jacob Sullum's 'Saying Yes'

    280 Words  | 2 Pages

    This is a summary taken from “Saying Yes” by Jacob Sullum; Chapter 8; “Body and Soul”. An ever-present theme in Sullum’s book is what he calls “voodoo pharmacology”—the idea, promoted in large part by the government, that certain drugs have the power to hijack people and enslave them in an inescapable prison of craving and compulsion. Sullum seeks to show that this idea is a myth, that only a tiny percentage of illegal-drug users become addicts, whereas the vast majority of people who use illegal drugs live normal, productive, loving lives. The book is filled with valuable insights derived from deconstructing government statistics about drugs and drug use. Sullum shows how even the most vilified drugs, such as heroin and crack cocaine, are

    Read More

  • Cesar Chavez Rhetorical Summary

    701 Words  | 3 Pages

    The late twentieth century is the pinnacle of civil rights movements in the United States of America. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was one of many who held America’s hand into this time of racial metamorphosis, he was one of the main leaders of the Civil Rights until his tragic and violent assassination. To venerate the marking of ten years since King’s death, Cesar Chavez-- a labor union organizer and civil rights leader-- continues to uphold/argue King’s ideals of peaceful protest in this newspaper article by incorporating distinctive diction, alongside contrast and then progresses to reason with the morality and beliefs of the general american populace. At the start of the text, Chavez bluntly states to the reader the partnership of nonviolent

    Read More

  • Review Of Fear And Loathing On The Campaign Trail By Thompson

    673 Words  | 3 Pages

    Thompson believed that drugs were not for everybody; compare the difference Hunter Thompson made while taking drugs during the sixties and seventies to the holistic change that the LSD counterculture made, and observers can conclude that Thompson’s assessment is correct. It takes a liberal-minded person to open up to the idea of taking drugs and trying new experiences; Thompson had the open-mindedness that was necessary and the initiative to still make a difference. In Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail, Thompson once again critiques the LSD Subculture, “The importance of liking yourself is a notion that fell heavily out of favor during the Coptic, anti-ego frenzy of the acid era – but nobody guessed back then that the experiment might churn up this kind of hangover; a whole subculture of frightened illiterates with no faith in anything.” By now it is safe to say that Thompson is definitely an avid liberal but condemns any group, regardless of political ideology, that lacks the purpose or the drive to make a difference. Thompson was a righteous liberal activist that promoted making change where it needed to

    Read More

  • Civil Rights Movement Summary

    1026 Words  | 5 Pages

    Project Report: Oral History and the History of the Civil Rights Movement - Kim Lacy Rogers, The Journal of American History, Vol. 75, No. 2 (1988), pp. 567-576 The civil rights movement of the early 1960s was one of the most significant events in the modern history of the United States, one that has elicited much examination and research by historians. An era that saw the power and influence of the movement play an integral role in the eradication of legalised segregation and the disenfranchisement of African Americans. Given the historic importance of the civil rights movement, this paper aims to examine Dr Kim Lacy Rogers ‘Oral History and the History of the Civil Rights Movement’, published in the Journal of American History in 1988.

    Read More

  • David Courtwright's Forces Of Habit

    1820 Words  | 8 Pages

    Each part explains something different about the drugs and how it has influenced millions of people. The first part is “The Confluence of Psychoactive Resources” and this section helps to explain what was products were part of this new revolution. The second section of the book is called “Drugs and Commerce” and here we get to read about the medicinal value, but also the psychoactive revolution. Then the third part of the book is called “Drugs and Power” and here it explains to us the power of alcohol and drugs.

    Read More

  • Three Common Drugs In The 1960's

    430 Words  | 2 Pages

    During the great 1960’s drugs were heavily consumed by the people, thus the iconic view of the 1960’s was born. People weren’t necessarily addicted at first, but because the “hippies” were a group of mostly teens and young adults they were still exploring themselves. Whether it was spiritually or self realization, it still involved most often one of three common drugs for the time period. Marijuana was one of these major drugs that was used in the 1960’s. Marijuana has been used by humans for many years.

    Read More

  • The Sunshine Makers Documentary Analysis

    544 Words  | 3 Pages

    ‘The Sunshine Makers’ is a 2015 documentary by Cosmo Feilding-Mellen, covering the fabled exploits of American clandestine LSD chemists Nick Sand and Tim Scully. Written by Connie Littlefield (who also wrote the excellent ‘Hofmann’s Potion’), the subject seems like a natural progression for Feilding-Mellen, given that he’s the son of legendary self-trepanees and counter-culturalists Amanda Feilding (artist and activist – now Lady Neidpath, heading up the Beckley Foundation) and Joe Mellen (gallery owner and author of the seminal ‘Bore Hole’). Tim Scully & Nick Sand - LSD chemistsMuch anticipated by the cognoscenti, ‘The Sunshine Makers’ (aka ‘Breaking Good: the Untold Adventures of Two Underground Psychedelic Chemists and Their Mission to Save the World One Trip at Time’) is a well-presented and warm take on a fascinating period of the underground psychedelic culture. Based around interviews with the chemists and their fellow travellers, we learn exactly what it was that

    Read More

  • How Did Jazz Music Influence Politics?

    871 Words  | 4 Pages

    For African Americans, jazz music, has always had a political undercurrent. Slave songs spoke of the “Israelites” enslaved by the Egyptians, such as in Go Down Moses, symbolising their own yearning for freedom. However, it took time for the assertion of the political message to develop in a more discernible way. Jazz’s status as a form of entertainment had effectively subdued the message for many years, because of the ostracisation of those involved and because of the early popularity of the white swing bands. The majority of jazz musicians were not political activists, rarely explicitly political in their work, however, they often expressed their political ideals, sometimes more subtley other times more overtly through their music.

    Read More

  • The Decriminalization Of Drugs In The United States

    1077 Words  | 5 Pages

    The legalization of drugs has been at the center of interminable debate. Drugs have widely been perceived as a dominant threat to the moral fabric of society. Drug use has been attributed as the source responsible for a myriad of key issues. For instance, it is believed that drugs have exacerbated the already weak status of mental health in the United States in which some individuals suffering from mental illness administer illicit substances such as heroin or cocaine in an attempt to self-medicate. Moreover, drugs are blamed for turning auspicious members of the community into worthless degenerates.

    Read More

  • Essay On Decriminalisation Of Drugs

    1629 Words  | 7 Pages

    Would the decriminalisation and / Legalisation of controlled substances improve or hinder the economic, health and social circumstances of drugs users, their families, communities and society? This essay will briefly outline the current policies on drugs in Ireland and will examine the policies and substance misuse from a European and international perspective; then it will discuss how decriminalisation of drugs and substances can improve or hinder the economic, health and social circumstances of drug users, their families, communities and society in general. Examples of controlled substances in Ireland include cocaine, heroin, methadone, cannabis (full list of controlled substances found in the schedule Misuse of Drugs Act 1977).

    Read More

  • Ginsberg Howl Counterculture

    1363 Words  | 6 Pages

    The Beat Generation was America’s first real counterculture movement of the 20th century, preceding movements such as the Hippies of the of 1970’s. Though at their core, these two groups maintained a similar desire for rebellion or protest against the American norms of materialism and superficiality, they differed significantly in the expression of such sentiment. The Hippies took more of a passive role, proclaiming ideals such as peace and love through music and drugs, but the Beats actively expressed their disgust with society with very different mediums, literature and poetry. One of the greatest pieces of Beat Generation literature was Allen Ginsberg’s Howl, written in 1955. Written in three distinct parts, the poem made clear Ginsberg’s

    Read More

  • How Does Drugs Affect Consciousness

    1864 Words  | 8 Pages

    Such drugs that affect consciousness are: depressants, stimulants, and hallucinogens. In this essay, all three drugs will be discussed. Depressants

    Read More

  • New Age Movement Research Paper

    1437 Words  | 6 Pages

    During this time an author by the name of Aldous Huxley wrote essays entitled, “The Doors of Perception” and “Heaven and Hell.” Which is viewed by many as the “first popular effort to tie together two erupting trends: the attraction to Eastern ideas and the use of psychedelic drugs.” While self-proclaimed gurus and spiritual guides Timothy Leary and Richard Alpert (Ram Dass) went on to popularize said ideas for a mass American audience. This introduction immediately made it possible not only to “sanctify experimentation with drugs” but also to “interpret one’s personal drug experience in terms of Eastern spirituality.” In that way the counterculture became inextricably connected to strands of Eastern philosophy and

    Read More

  • Argumentative Essay On The War On Drugs

    865 Words  | 4 Pages

    As of recent, the war on drugs has been a very often discussed topic due to many controversial issues. Some people believe the War on Drugs has been quite successful due to the amount of drugs seized and the amount of drug kingpins arrested. I believe this to be the wrong mindset when it comes to the war on drugs. The war on drugs isn’t a winnable one so we must do all that is possible to assist those who struggle with drug addiction and decriminalize small amounts of drugs. These minor changes in the way we combat drugs will create significant change and have lasting effects.

    Read More

More about Reflection Paper Of Free Speech Drugs And Social Justice

Open Document