I wish Errol Morris would stop fake re-enactments - it's a documentary. He started this with "The Thin Blue Line". Because it was so successful, almost every director since the 1980s uses this technique which I'd call anti-documentary. But he picks fine topics, such as Bannon (which is his best one), "American Dharma" which use Bannon's favorite movies as a parallel dialogue or point of reference to the conversation and it's very effective, partly because the movies are so great, and "Fog of War"
I've been involved with this story for decades. I have always had my doubts about Joanna. I think every person vital in understanding the mind, being involved with the anti-war movement, anti-establishment politics in general feel she is a fraud. And if you remember, she says "I lie all the time and have my entire life". I don't know why she then went on to describe her heritage over and over. I do know why. She wants the sympathy and guilt from the beginning to make the rest of the story (for those on the fence) to believe her.
She thinks she's a CIA plant. Many others think she worked for the CIA to get Timothy Leary in trouble and having to actually "cop-out" or sell-out and become a snitch, an FBI informant working with the government.
Why was that so important, even for President Nixon? Because the CIA, etc., know how influential heroes are, which is why the US Government, and in particular, the FBI were trying to deport John Lennon.
Many in that period became cynical and apathetic, even nihilistic. George Carlin would lament this in his great comedy bit-rant "Everybody's a Rat" (check it out), which is the goal of "power", so that you can substitute that loss of soul nutrition by being obedient consumers, and have money become your god, because then you are easily controlled and playing into the hands of the establishment - doing their dirty work for them. As opposed to sacrificing yourself for a greater cause, even the lost causes, as Mort Sahl would and still says (one example of a man who would not sell-out)..
Free speech isn't a fad - it's our 1st Amendment in the Constitution. If someone tells you "You're not allowed to talk about ______" - do it 10x as much. The most important issues are usually the ones that aren't discussed enough (or hardly at all).
The tale of Timothy Leary is a game of chess/chicken. The government let him escape, but used that as leverage. I don't think anyone won. The people lost.
