Nineteen years ago, the scientist, psychologist, progressive public figure and writer Timothy Leary passed away. The activities of a person who personified his time with his work and ideas gradually faded away about half a century ago. We know him as one of the most influential personalities of the last century. Timothy Leary's biography is inspiring and shocking. He won the honor of the public with narcotic experiments, battles with the blindness of the layman. Leary Timothy knew exactly what his mission was, and confidently carried it out.
Early childhood and family
Such an outstanding personality was born in the small town of Springfield in Massachusetts on October 22, 1920. An inspiring example for him was his grandfather - a wealthy Catholic who inspires little Tim with awe and love for art. Timothy's father worked as a dentist in the army and drank heavily. Domestic violence was unbearable. When Timothy was twelve years old, his father gave him a hundred dollars and left home to seek a better life alone. Leary was raised by his aunt pious to the core. In contrast to his upbringing, the boy grew up as a rebel with a subtle spiritual perception of the world. Having set up mentors against himself at school, Timothy did not receive the necessary recommendation to college. Instead, he went to a Jesuit school near Worcester. Despite strict discipline, the guy excelled in his studies and stayed there for almost a year.
Military Academy and the first steps in the study of psychology
Having discovered a craving for military art, Leary Timothy successfully passed exams at West Point, a military academy. At that time he was twenty years old. Holding out for three months in the strictest discipline, the guy began to drink alcohol and solder his peers. He was punished: for a whole year he could not communicate with classmates.
In the summer of 1941, Leary leaves the army and enters the University of Alabama at the Department of Psychology. There he also does not linger - he is kicked out in the fall of 1942 for his dissolute behavior. Leary was drafted into the army in 1943. In the courses where officers were trained, Timothy meets the girl Marianne, who later becomes his first wife.
The future scientist is still gravitating to psychology, therefore, despite the title of corporal, he returns to science. Timothy received a diploma from the University of Washington by studying statistical analysis of intellectual indicators. He defends his doctoral dissertation at the University of California. Leary comes to success and recognition. He begins multifaceted work (at the same time exploring interpersonal diagnostics and group therapy), works at Berkeley and helps to select candidates for priests. His research was gaining popularity, and the first book, Interpersonal Diagnosis of Personality, was honored to be called the Book of the Year by the American Psychological Association in 1959.
Wife and kids
The personal life of Timothy Leary was full of tragedies. With his wife Marianne, they raised two children. Leary Timothy did not differ in parental talent: together with his wife, they often got drunk. Marianne committed suicide the day after Timothy's 35th birthday. The following year, Leary picks up the children and leaves for Europe. He is worried about the future - it seems gloomy and unpromising.
Acquaintance with psilobicin and the first experiments
At this very moment Leary learns about the wonderful properties of sacred Mexican mushrooms. At first, Leary is frightened of their properties and tries to dissuade her friends from using them. While in Florence, Timothy meets McClelland, who promises him a successful future in psychology and gives him three years to work at Harvard.
In the summer of 1960, at the age of forty, Dr. Leary visited Mexico and gained experience in eating mushrooms. Leary's experiment is described in his work, Religious Experience: Its Implementation and Interpretation. Returning to Harvard, the scientist establishes a project to study psilobicin. His goal was to study the hidden possibilities of the human nervous system. The project was a success: hundreds of people became interested and joined it. The press actively covered their discoveries, demonstrating the potential of psychedelic drugs.
"Good Friday"
Leading artists, intellectuals and scientists of that time participated in the development of Leary. The methodology of Timothy Leary consisted in the fact that participants in the experiment took psilobicin, and then shared their experiences. The so-called Good Friday, an experiment with a religious beginning, was carried out by Walter Panke. Students of theology took psilobicin and had religious visions comparable to those of famous saints and mystics.
Expansion and conclusion
To expand the scope and popularize research, Leary Timothy and his fellows found the International Federation of Internal Freedom. All experiments and research on psychedelic experiences are made public. Leary believes that his own development is more important than a position at Harvard, so management dismisses Timothy and his assistant. Leary believed that education anesthetizes consciousness, euthanizes it, and prevents you from thinking on your own. In his opinion, education is designed to fully control the student’s mind.
Leary expands the scope of his propaganda. He is interested in environmental, anti-war and anti-war movements, in which he immediately occupies important positions. At their headquarters, Timothy and staff announce the estate in New York, where they continue their activities with the well-known motto "Cut, tune, lean back", for which Leary will lose his membership in the scientific community.
Three years later, Leary was waiting for an arrest: marijuana was found from him. Not only did he win the trial, subsequently, thanks to his case, marijuana tax laws became unconstitutional. Leary decided to run for governor of California, which caused a flurry of negative reactions from prosecutors, and the case was resumed. Everything was adjusted so that Leary could not get out of the water dry. The largest pledge in the history of the court of America (five million dollars), several crumbs of marijuana as evidence, a denial of appeal and ten years in prison were the result. Timothy escaped after nine months.
Flight and Second Conclusion
Leary and his second wife Rosemary went to Europe, to Algeria, and a year later fled to Switzerland. He sought political protection in different countries, and in the meantime, the entire intellectual elite rebelled in his defense. Switzerland agreed to shelter Leary, but later gave him away anyway. Even Rosemary left her spouse, she will spend the next quarter century underground.
Leary has been in prison since 1973. Now he was waiting for a period of 75 years. Leary testified against his friends that after being released a year later, he tried to deny it.
The last years of life and death
The last twenty years of the idol’s life passed in glory. He continued to personify the psychedelic movement, although he did not so eagerly propagate them.
Even his death was a spectacular event. He was diagnosed with "inoperable prostate cancer." On May 31, 1996, the psychologist died, his death was captured on video. Leary's cremated remains were distributed to friends and relatives, some of them were burned in the atmosphere.
The great scientist and psychologist Timothy Leary was pleased with his life and believed that he had done everything he wanted. Leary personifies the entire stunning and rebellious twentieth century. His life is perfectly described by his last words: “Why not?”.