Psychedelics & Social Justice
- Thu 10th Oct 2024, 7pm – 9pm BST (UTC +01:00)
While psychedelic experiences can evoke deep feelings of oneness, their transformative potential has historically extended beyond individual healing to drive social change.
In the 1960s, psychedelics fuelled the anti-war movement, fostering a collective consciousness that challenged societal norms and sought peace. This spirit of activism continued into the rave culture and free party scene of the 80s and 90s, where communal experiences promoted unity and resistance against oppressive systems. Today, however, the narrative around psychedelics is overwhelmingly dominated by their therapeutic potential for individual healing.
While this focus on personal growth and mental health is undeniably valuable, it often comes at the expense of broader societal engagement. The shift from collective activism to individual therapy has side-lined the potential for psychedelics to catalyse social justice movements. Moreover, this therapeutic narrative has opened the door for alliances with power structures like the military-industrial complex and the British aristocracy, aiming to legitimise and expand access to psychedelic therapies.
This talk will delve into the current state of the psychedelic movement, urging a return to its activist roots. By focusing not just on the healing of the individual but also on the healing of society, we can harness the transformative power of psychedelics to foster meaningful, collective change and social justice.
This talk will be recorded, and all ticket-holders will have a copy of the event recording.
About Oli Genn-Bash
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Oli Genn-Bash is co-founder of the University of Kent Canterbury Psychedelics Society, the longest running student psychedelic society in the UK. Since this time he has collaborated with various figures within the psychedelic space to organise talks in London, Margate, and Brighton, along with recently collaborating with the Sunflower Studio CIC to host accessible events in Brighton related to topics surrounding psychedelics and herbalism.
Oli’s postgraduate research has been within the field of politics, philosophy, and mysticism, with a specific focus on stand-up comedy as a practice of resistance and how psychedelic substances have played a role in influencing the work of notable American comedians, such as Bill Hicks and George Carlin. Oli is currently focused heavily on his creative output, playing in a psychedelic rock band and collaborating with other musicians in Brighton.
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