Then and Now; Now and Then

A look at how America’s confidence in the 1950s—shaped by postwar triumph and fear of communism—compares to today’s swirling anxieties about technology, politics, climate, and truth itself. Inspired by Gordon Wasson’s 1957 Life article and reflected through the lens of Her Magic Mushroom Memoir, this post explores how our points of view shift across eras and why noticing those shifts matters.