>>512050304The connection of the CIA to the psychedelic counterculture seems totally misunderstood.
Keep in mind, they then hardcore criminalized psychedelic drugs like LSD and psilocybin (Schedule I, highest scheduled drug in the U.S., along with things like methamphetamine, crack cocaine, heroin), and nabbed people for it. After many years ago, yes, admittedly, the CIA and some hospitals, researchers or schools they were working with were giving it out to test its effects.
The counterculture also mostly was a big anti-war movement, against the Vietnam War of the day specifically.
The establishment of the day, as represented by or working through the CIA, definitely did NOT want a big antiwar movement on their hands, they wanted to get the draft dodgers and keep the war going.
If anything what it seems like is, they couldโve knowingly pushed the psychedelic movement (and to countercultural, anti-authoritarian or rebellious types), so they could THEN go after exactly such people by clamping down on it,
I doubt this means the Grateful Dead or guys like them were knowing CIA assets. It means the CIA was infiltrating the counterculture, the history of the day even had CIA and I think sometimes FBI agents being trained on infiltrating hippies and looking, dressing, talking, acting like hippies themselves, even being allowed to participate in the drug use if needed, smoke a joint or whatever. They certainly also couldโve gotten some more organic members of the community to turn into informants for them.
That doesnโt mean literally the entire counterculture was a CIA op or every band and musician or anyone affiliated with them. After all, Intelligence doesnโt have to try to โinfiltrateโ something if itโs already fully controlled by them or doing what Intelligence wants.