Proverbs in an LSD Cult
Journal of American Folklore July 1, 1970 DOI: 10.2307/538808 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Qualitative study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Members of a small LSD cult in Dallas, Texas |
| Topics | LSD |
| Keywords | Cult |
| Citations | 10 |
| Key findings | A small LSD cult in Dallas uses subtle proverb parodies as part of its initiation rite, drawing on traditional proverb form for religious rather than humorous purposes. |
Abstract
FOR THE FOLKLORIST interested in the folk's own conceptualization of the nature and function of their folklore, either conscious or unconscious, folk parodies of folklore forms constitute a highly productive area of investigation. Examination of the ways in which the original forms are altered in the construction of parodies and of how and when the parodies are employed yields insight, by contrast, into the original genre and the people's understanding of it.' One of the most parodied of folklore genres, usually for the purposes of humor, is the proverb. Incongruity and the violation of expectations are among the primary sources of humor, and since proverbs are highly conventionalized in form and content and are generally recognized to be so by the people among whom they are current, the alteration of the wording or context of a proverb, while preserving a recognizable resemblance to a traditional form, makes for an especially heightened feeling of incongruity. Hence the perverted proverbs, pseudo-Wellerisms, and shaggy-dog story punchlines that have themselves become widely popular and now occupy a place in tradition beside the proverbs they parody.2 We have recently discovered, however, a more esoteric kind of proverb parody, not traditional in its own right but extremely subtle in its drawing upon the traditional form and wisdom of the genre. These epigrammatic sayings constitute an integral part of the initiation rite of a relatively small and recently organized (ca. five years ago) LSD cult in Dallas, Texas, and were collected during DecemberJanuary, 1968-i969. The use of LSD as a means to the attainment of a religious experience and as the nucleus for the organization of religious cults has been widely reported and
Comparable studies
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| LSD-assisted psychotherapy for anxiety associated with a life-threatening disease: A qualitative study of acute and sustained subjective effects Patients with anxiety associated with life-threatening diseases | 2014 | Prospective follow-up with qualitative content analysis | n = 10 |
| Response of cluster headache to psilocybin and LSD Cluster headache patients who used psilocybin or LSD | 2006 | Qualitative study | n = 53 |
| Making "bad trips" good: How users of psychedelics narratively transform challenging trips into valuable experiences. Norwegian users of psychedelics | 2021 | Qualitative study | n = 50 |
| Psychedelic microdosing benefits and challenges: an empirical codebook Active microdosing community | 2019 | Mixed-methods study | |
| Psychoactive substances as a last resort—a qualitative study of self-treatment of migraine and cluster headaches Users of online forums discussing cluster headache and migraine treatments | 2017 | Qualitative thematic analysis |