Who Controls the Story? MKUltra, Acid Tests, and Psychedelic Fiction with “The Hallucinarrator” Lindsay Kent
6:00 - 8:00 PM
Join award-winning filmmaker, psychedelic historian, and author Lindsay Kent for an immersive talk and reading exploring a central question: Who controls the story of the psychedelic experience, and why does that matter now?
The first half begins with a film excerpt from Going Furthur, tracing the origins of San Francisco's counterculture--from Ken Kesey's MKUltra experiments to the rise of the Acid Tests and the upheaval that followed LSD's criminalization.
From there, the conversation widens to examine how psychedelic narratives have been shaped and constrained over time, from early countercultural myth-making to institutional backlash like D.A.R.E.
The second half shifts to the present. Through readings from My Twin the Murderer, Kent's debut psychological thriller exploring fractured identity and perception, the session takes up three threads: the idea that MKUltra never truly ended but simply evolved into subtler forms;
the ongoing drive to shape and control the human mind; and the role storytelling plays in shaping the future of psychedelic culture, access, and policy.
The session includes a short film clip, live readings, and open Q&A. There will be books for purchase at the end.
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