Back in the 1960’s when everyone was sharing free love and peace, they were also sharing of psychedelics like acid and other drugs which would alter your mind-state and cause hallucinations.
But while the government was largely opposed to using the drugs, small companies also experimented with the idea that these mind altering drugs would be able to help users think outside of the box when faced with obstacles in the work place.
Specifically, techies in Silicon Valley were using the mind altering substance to help with coding.
But it wasn’t just happenstance that the coders and businesses were using acid, since Silicon Vally is located right near San Francisco where Ken Kesey was conducting his acid experiments along with the Grateful Dead and other hippie movements.
According to 1843magazine, ” “There were a group of engineers who believed there was a causal connection between creativity and LSD,” recalls John Markoff, whose 2005 book, “What the Dormouse Said,” traces the development of the personal-computer industry through 1960s counterculture. At one research centre in Menlo Park over 350 people – particularly scientists, engineers, and architects – took part in experiments with psychedelics to see how the drugs affected their work.”
Even Steve Jobs experimented with the drug at one point saying,“taking LSD was a profound experience, one of the most important things in my life.”
Ironically that trend is repeating itself today as computer savvy Silicon Valley businesses try to follow in Steve Jobs steps.
Today the concept is dubbed, “self-hacking” as businesses try to find ways to get the maximum potential out of their workers.
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