Carl Jung, part 3: Encountering the unconscious
By Mark Vernon on Monday, June 13 2011, 11:11 - Journalism - Permalink
The third of my posts on Jung has just gone up at the Guardian's Cif. A taster:
By way of illustration, Jung considers the example of a man whose public image is one of honour and service but who, in the privacy of his home, is prone to moods – so much so that he scares his wife and children. He is leading a double life as public benefactor and domestic tyrant. Jung argues that such a man has identified with his public image and neglected his unconscious life – though it won't be ignored and so comes out, with possibly explosive force, in his relations with his family. The way forward is to pay attention to this inner personality, literally by holding a conversation with himself. He should overcome any embarrassment in doing so and allow each part of himself to talk to the other so that both "partners" can be fully heard.
A non-judgmental attitude is critical. If one side judges the other, then the other side actually gains power because it feels wronged, and so justified in its complaints. This is where therapy can help. "The course of therapy is thus rather like a running conversation with the unconscious", Jung writes. And when properly heard, the tensions between the inner and outer personality should subside. The result will be a more honest saint who is a lot easier to live with. Moreover, he will find that he has more energy for life because he will be less at war with himself and those around him.
Comments
Jung once said, The brighter the light, the darker the shadow.
Jung's light shines bright, is easy to see. Less obvious is his shadow, very dark and a master at disguise.
I used to be a card-carrying Jungian, proud of the association. I now find this association deeply embarrassing. I believe Anthony Storr includes Jung on his "feet of clay" list. In my experience, more than Jung's feet are made of clay.
As for Jung's followers? Even Jung said, Thank god I'm not a Jungian.
Storr does include Jung in his guru book yes. Though, I think it'd be fair to say that Jung is one of the candidates he considers just about exonerated. 'He made valuable contributions to psychology and to our perception of human nature,' is the last sentence of his Jung chapter.
Unfortunately, I know very little about Jung. I do wonder though
whether it's not predictable that the "explosion" from someone
living such a one-sided life is just as likely to splatter his public
persona as his private one. Example too obvious to need noting....
Jung has a power effect on my life . When life become repetitive with the same tasks are conscious sometime sways away whether in be in our personal life or public life. It full job in itself to keep yourself unconsciously happy with one's self
I have read most of Jung and the Jungians (not the book by that name, although I have read that also), much by Freud & Adler, and many criticisms. What we find is that Jung was a human being with foibles. He is not a Nature God or an Epic Hero or a Gnostic Saint. I know it is easy to poo-poo Freud, Adler and Jung, but they delved in places we mortals often reject. However, every film, TV show, or book you read today has been directly or indirectly influenced by these men. Their theories, though at times conflicting, are windows into the facets of the human psyche. If people do not see that, it is more an example of their inability to comprehend what these thinkers have communicated than any shortcoming of their efforts. Think deeply before you cast stones...