The idea that Cameron's work was purely malicious and without any medical intent ignores the broader context of 1950s psychiatry. At the time, many treatments were experimental and poorly understood, including electroshock therapy and early psychotropic drugs. The CIA's involvement doesn't automatically mean the procedures were unethical or ineffective in the eyes of those conducting them. It's possible that the methods were seen as a way to explore the mind, even if they later proved harmful.
Discussion
The 1950s context doesn't excuse the fact that these methods were not only unproven but actively harmful, with no evidence of therapeutic value—just prolonged suffering.
The 1950s weren't just a time of experimental psychiatry—they were a time of secrecy, power, and very little oversight. That context matters because it explains why these procedures were allowed to happen, not why they were justified.
The problem isn't just that the methods were harmful—it's that the very idea of "therapeutic value" was defined by those in power, not the people suffering.