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The American Dream

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Added on  2021-04-21

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However, the book of the journalist Jay Karl Stevens “Storming Heaven; LSD and the American Dream” is unique in its own regard as it explores the idea of the American Dream and its subsequent corruptions and the contribution of LSD towards it, through the lens of psychology (ELcock). It is significant to note that in the later part of the 20th century LSD was primary seen as a substance which could elevate the consciousness of its consumers and thus lead the consumers to higher plains of spirituality

The American Dream

   Added on 2021-04-21

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Running head: PSYCHOLOGY ASSIGNMENTPsychology AssignmentName of the Student:Name of the University:Author’s Note:
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PSYCHOLOGY ASSIGNMENT1“Harmony and understandingSympathy and trust aboundingNo more falsehoods or derisionsGolden living dreams of visionsMystic crystal revelationAnd the mind's true liberation”The above quoted lines from the famous song “Aquarius” by “The 5th Dimension” gives an outline of the basic theme of the American Dream, an idea much in vogue in the 20thcentury America (Stephenson). Many writers have explored the theme of the American Dream and its subsequent corruption. However, the book of the journalist Jay Karl Stevens “Storming Heaven; LSD and the American Dream” is unique in its own regard as it explores the idea of the American Dream and its subsequent corruptions and the contribution of LSD towards it, through the lens of psychology (ELcock). It is significant to note that in the later part of the 20th century LSD was primary seen as a substance which could elevate the consciousness of its consumers and thus lead the consumers to higher plains of spirituality (ELcock). Jay Stevens tries to explore this particular theme in his masterpiece “Storming Heaven; LSD and the American Dream”.James Truslow Adams popularized the term the “American Dream” in his work “Epicof America” (Oram). According to him, “[T]hat dream of a land in which life should be betterand richer and fuller for every man, with opportunity for each according to his ability or achievement. [...] It is not a 20 dream of motor cars and high wages merely, but a dream of social order in which each man and each woman shall be able to attain to the fullest stature of
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PSYCHOLOGY ASSIGNMENT2which they are innately capable, and be recognized by others for what they are, regardless of the fortuitous circumstances of birth or position” (Stevens). Therefore, many individuals flocked to the fertile land of America to make a fortune for themselves, especially after the “Gold Rush” of 1849 (Grant). However, just like the Biblical Eden this particular heaven wasalso susceptible to corruption. The concept gradually lost its sheen and several new proponents were added to the original idea, with the drug LSD being one of the primary ones among them (Oram). This particular book of Jay Stevens tries to explore the corruption of this particular dream and the role played by LSD in it. This particular work of Stevens intends to explore the heart of the hallucinatory shiver which was at the center of the American society in the later part of the 20th century (Smith). The book begins on a 1943 April afternoon when Albert Hoffman first discovered the effects of LSD and moves on the later part on the 1960s when the substance was the fulcrum of the American society (Stevens). The book also provides a penetrating insight into the lives of some famous artists like Aldous Huxley, Henry and Claire Booth and others and some of the famous literary movements like Beat Generation and others (Stevens). It is to be noted that the central fulcrum of the book is on the euphoria caused by the LSD and the higher levels of consciousness which this particular substance helped the users to achieve (Oram). Stevens provides an insight into this particular experience of the consumers in the words like “turn offthe mind.....float downstream” (Stevens). It is also significant to note here that the substance was utilized by many people to achieve a higher plane of spirituality in the middle of the quagmire of the lack of religious faith and others incidents which shook the very belief system of the human beings which is pertinently captured in lines like “"change and elevate the consciousness of every American within the next few years. Slowly, carefully, and beautifully, you can learn to drop out of American society as it is now set up." The League's slogan was the soon to be infamous "tune in, turn on, drop out”” (Stevens). The work also
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