Anyone else read leary? I have gotten through The High Priest and What Does WoMan want. I think his early work as a psychologist is far more credibale than his later psychodelic works. Any thoughts?
Leary went through phases - the early work, which I don't know much about, the 60's 'politics of ecstacy' period, and the time after his bust and release/escape from prison. The whole thing after acid initially took a kind of quasi-religious turn. It was all hopelessly over optimistic, as history has shown. After his imprisonment, some say Tim did a deal with the law, and certainly, his late works are different in tone. Religion is out, space-migration, life-extension, and computers are in. But again, it was all wildly over optimistic, and indeed, a bit wierd. In 'The Game of Life' for instance, Leary says that by the end of the 1980's we'll all be living in mini-space stations, and have discovered drugs to increase our life spans to hundreds of years. Myself I think he got blown away on acid, and read too much science fiction. But - an interesting character.
I've read The Poltics of Ecstasy and Your Brain is God. Definitely some out there stuff, and I agree with the previous poster that he got a little carried away. I thought there was some really worthwhile stuff in Your Brain is God, especially as a "trip packing" book.
all of leary's stuff ranging far and wide on all topics ive found to be illuminiating, fresh, highly challenging and interesting and intelligent, and maybe most of all it held my interest and that is saying something for me lol
Yes well, what I said before is only one way of viewing it- Leary's more 'outre' ideas can be seen as pushing the limits towards the future. Maybe he got carried away a bit - but probably in the right direction. Overall, I think he was a genius, and his books contain a lot that is really very interesting. The main message though is 'think for yourself'.
