Alan Piper - Psychedelics, Fascism & the Politics of Profane Illumination

Psychedelic culture exists within what sociologists label as a cultic milieu, an esoteric space that attracts seekers and is inherently loosely structured. This lack of clear organization makes it vulnerable to entryism, where groups like radical traditionalists infiltrate these networks to promote specific political ideologies. Within this context, figures like Ernst Junger and Julius Evola are analyzed as individuals who integrated extreme drug experiences into their anti-modernist and aristocratic worldview. Psychedelic experiences do not reliably lead to liberal outcomes or inclusive political values. Ideologies that prioritize elitism, traditionalism, and mystical nationalism can just as easily be framed through radical or transformative self-discovery as egalitarian ones. These contrasting political interpretations of similar internal experiences demonstrate that consciousness expansion remains politically neutral and susceptible to radical ideological appropriation.