In some ways I feel how Carl Jung
must’ve felt at the brink of World War II, when he saw Hitler at a parade and
immediately turned to his travel companion and said, “that is a man possessed.”
At that moment, Jung recognized the personification of an evil so powerful that
it is mythological, not merely human. If this potential for evil is left
unrecognized, the demagogue and his followers remain susceptible to delusion
and brutality — this is the “possession” of which Jung spoke. Today, with the
prevalence of Trumpism in the U.S. and the Nationalism in Europe, I am
poignantly aware that once again humanity, in the madness of the group, is
dividing itself and placing blame on each other, which inevitably leads to
conflict.
As a young psychiatrist in
Switzerland, Jung despaired over the First World War. This event prompted him
to retreat into an agonizing and prolonged exploration into his own psyche. Later,
he compiled these examinations in his mystical Red Book, the ideas of which
became integral to his psychological model — a psychology that is still
practiced today.
Jung wrote about an aspect of the
personality — remaining mostly latent and embedded within the unconscious —
which holds everything oppositional to the conscious awareness of one’s values
and thoughts. Jung referred to this element of the psyche as the Shadow[1].
The Shadow varies from person to person. This can be observed in the following
pragmatic examples: In an intellectual person — such as a professor who spends
endless hours immersed in his studies — the Shadow may contain aggressive and
violent energies that are not fully expressed. For a business leader — such as
the CEO, who must be cut-throat with his employees — the Shadow may contain
unacknowledged self-doubt and guilt.
For most people The Shadow remains
subliminal and yet active in certain moments. A common experience of this
aspect of ourselves can be observed during arguments. When expressed, this dark
and unruly part of ourselves feels foreign. People often say after the Shadow
has spoken, “I’m so sorry; I don’t know where that came from; I wasn’t myself
when I said that; I don’t know where that came from.”
Carl Jung separated the personal
Shadow, which has just been described, from the archetypal or collective
Shadow[2]. In Jungian literature there is extensive analysis of the collective
Shadow, which examines how groups are tempted to fall into this powerful
reserve of energies that overwhelm the conscious mind. During times when the
“problem of the Shadow plays a great role in political conflicts (Man and His
Symbols, Von Franz, 1961)” entire passages of human history may seem like a bad
dream.
Mind Viruses/Archetypal Possession
Prior to WWI, all of Europe
considered itself so civilized, modernized and globalized that it was no longer
vulnerable to the barbarism of humanity’s past. However these proud and lofty
conscious attitudes were gravely mistaken. WWI and WWII would prove to be the
most brutal and deathly events in human existence.
In a recent poem about this time
period, titled “One Last Photograph,” I
wrote about how ideas possess groups and how destructive this can be. This
quote sums up the pernicious results of ideological possession:
“When man is
compelled towards some vision of an ideal state,
He will lose all
empathy for the people that stand in its subordination (Abelow, 2016)”.
"It is in the madness of the
group where we become blind and deaf to truth." | Mixed media collage, 2016
A metaphor, to simply understand the
concept of archetypal possession is that of a virus. This is because,
psychologically speaking, ideas and archetypes have a life and motive of their
own. Nietzsche and Carl Jung spoke in terms of daemons and gods. Today, Richard
Dawkins, a famous evolutionary biologist, has labeled this phenomena as the
“Mind Virus.” Dawkins wrote that, “Minds are friendly environments to
parasitic, self-replicating ideas or information.” This scientific lingo
essentially describes the autonomy of the ideas, as feeding on their host —
that’s us! Dawkins goes on to confirm Jung, “Minds are typically infected in
masses (Dawkins, 1993)”.
It is often the case that it is
certain ideologues, who embody the virus and, through rhetoric, infect those
who are most susceptible. The only inoculation is the refinement and building
of consciousness — that is, the strengthening of the center of the conscious
mind (the ego) to be resistant to such group-thinking. Throughout Jung’s work
there is the emphasis on the drastic importance for each individual to develop
responsibility and self-awareness, in order to, among other things, resist the
pitfalls of collectivism.
The
Barbarism in All of Us
Being that Jung was aware of these
mind viruses or archetypal possessions, when WWII came he saw that Hitler had
“infected a whole nation to such an extent that everything was set in motion
and had started rolling on its course towards perdition (Essay on Wotan, Jung,
1936)”.
By drawing upon mythology, Jung
examined the archetypal, or primordial, deep-seated energies (the source of the
virus), which had infected Hitler and spread across Europe. The old myth of
Odin, also known as Wotan, a wanderer who stirred up action, was entirely
forgotten during the Christianization of Germany. This expression of the
“unleasher of passion and the lust for war” then resurfaced with a vengeance in
the midst of political and sociological factors, which made the German people
vulnerable. Quickly, much of Europe fell into a pre-civilized state of
barbarism and destructive warring.
The activation of the Shadow, which
possesses an individual or group, always comes along with a projection — a
scapegoat. Marie Louis Von Franz explains in the quintessential book “Man and
His Symbols,” that “Political Agitation in all countries is full of
projections.” Von Franz notes that, “Rather than face our defects as revealed
by the Shadow, we project them on to others — for instance in political
enemies.” In the case of the Nazi’s it was the Jews. The individuals who lead
the group into the collective Shadow, and who are the stokers of the fires of
murderous projection always have similar attributes.
"We are all fools, listless and
weak to the influence of forces greater than ourselves." | Mixed media collage
Carl Jung described an archetypal,
or universal image of the Shadow, as the Trickster. This archetype, when
embodied, is always entrancing and compelling. Sometimes he is as seemingly
harmless and amusing, as with the comedian who breaks taboos on stage, or the
rockstar whose spontaneity and hedonism bring out emulation and adoration or
repulsion in others. However, at other times, he is the politician who provokes
hatred and conflict.
Renowned Jungian scholar Erik
Nuemann explains the phenomena of archetypes displayed, “in mythological motifs
that appear among all peoples at all times in an identical or analogous manner
and can arise without conscious knowledge from modern man (The Great Mother,
Nuemann, 1955)”. This is evident today in president-elect Donald Trump, the
Trickster who has captivated America, as well as with the demagogues prevailing
populism across Europe, discussed earlier.
P
ermission
for the Shadow to Come Out
Today, in the United Sates, Briton
and across Europe, we see a rise in ethnic-nationalism[3]. These
reactionary political movements give permission for the Shadow, within each
individual, to express itself. At rallies for Trump during the election
reporters overheard shouts of “Build a wall — kill them all (New York Times,
Parker, 2016)”. The Trickster has lead the masses into a frenzy; people
are expressing their ugly and hateful Shadow. The New York Times reports that,
“Hate crimes in New York City have risen in the weeks since Donald J. Trump won
the presidential election, a noticeable spike that encompasses ethnic
minorities, Jews, whites and people for their sexual orientation.
All across Europe similar xenophobic
rhetoric has gained popularity. This angry populism has risen in France,
Netherlands and Austria, but the tension in Germany, an economic center of the
continent is most telling.
“In Germany, as in other parts of
Europe, there has also been a recent spate of attacks on mosques, including
attempted arsons and vandalism (Wall Street Journal, Faiola, 2016). The
increasing voices of anti-Muslim nationalists pushed liberal German chancellor,
Angela Merkel, to acquiesce to a ban of Muslim garb — a burka ban. At a
televised meeting of her political party, Merkel said, "The full veil is
not appropriate here, it should be forbidden wherever that is legally possible.
It does not belong to us.” As national collectives re-bond and root into
themselves, they make an “other,” and dehumanize that opposition through heated
xenophobia.
Many political, social and economic
factors go into the discontent of citizens. Many feel that in an increasingly
globalized world they are left out of opportunity; they see international
unions as impenetrable bureaucracies; this leads to detachment from
representation in government, and resentful sentiments towards far-reaching
trade deals. Working-class people begin to angrily perceive globalism as
protecting the elites and hurting the homeland; the fanatical leaders propel
this delusion.
"These European nationalist
parties, which have dwelt in obscurity for decades, are now enjoying real
legitimacy (Politico.com, Hirsh, 2016)”. British politician Steve Hilton
explained populist British view of the European Union: "a stinking cesspit
of corporate corruption gussied up in the garb of idealistic internationalism
(Politico.com, Hirsh, 2016)”.
The progressive push for demographic
diversity, modernization of morality and a globalized economy have lead to an
“anti-Mulsim, anti-immigrant, anti-Euorpean Union firebrand who hail Trump’s
victory as the coming of the ‘patriotic spring.’ (New York Times Magazine,
Buruma, 2016)”. Writer, Ian Buruma, in his New York Times Magazine cover story
“Exit Wounds,” explains that “Trump played on the wounded pride of large
communities and inflamed the passions of people who fear the changes.” When a
demagogue taps into a people’s fear and hatred, he further agitates and evokes
the latent energies of the Shadow in the masses.
The
Eternal Deceiver
Understanding humanity’s history
psychologically is key to the inoculation of individuals against inevitable
viruses (archetypal possession). Coming to terms with the Trickster and his
eternal role as a deceiver is key to breaking the cycle. Throughout ancient and
modern history, the Trickster has contained and embodied the most primal, lewd,
shameless and outrageous aspects of the psyche.
Each individual is tasked with a
massive responsibility: become intimately aware of one’s own Shadow. That is
the only way for societies to become immune to these sorts of regressive
uprisings. As Jung prophetically said, “Everything that is characteristic of
the trickster can happen — even on the highest plane of civilization (Four
Archetypes: Mother, Rebirth, Spirit, Trickster, Jung, 1971)”.
The Trickster, Jung writes,
represents and personifies the earliest grapplings with conscious relation to
the world. Jung wrote that this figure represents the part of ourselves that
has “hardly left at the animal level (Four Archetypes: Mother, Rebirth, Spirit,
Trickster, Jung, 1971)”. Because of its primordial nature, which people have
not fully surpassed, this aspect of the human personality has remained amusing
and captivating virus throughout time. Historical instances of group buffoonery
are eerily similar to today’s ridiculous outbursts of ignorance.
In Jung’s essay on the Trickster, he
recounts the Eleventh Century ass procession (a drunken and rowdy event,
including a donkey) which took over the church in Beauvais, France
annually. “The more ridiculous this rite seemed, the greater the enthusiasm with
which it was celebrated.”
These inane and drunken rites were a
reaction against Christian morality. Today, the uprising of ethnic-nationalism
and extreme conservatism is also reactionary — that is, to the many factors
mentioned earlier. Many Trump supporters have a “burn it all down” sentiment
towards the federal government; they hope Trump might “shake things up.” In
their frustration, which left them mesmerized and stupefied, half of the United
States elected a loud orange man who spoke of “grabbing pussy.”
Intoxicated
by Crowds
There is no doubt that there are
many people who criticize the ignorance of Trump. Yet, there is still a clear
fascination that holds even his opposers. Saturday Night Live hired Alec
Balwdin to impersonate Trump as undecided and juvenile. In the episode from
November 19th, 2016, Trump was characterized as a man who, once intoxicated by
the crowds and the pursuit of power, is now overwhelmed by the responsibility
of actually being the president.
In a slew of panels, comedy bits
about the “liberal bubble,” articles and metropolitan discussions, Leftists now
seek to understand the plight of the working class and the factors that lead to
this extreme populism. J.D. Vance’s “Hillbilly Elegy,” a memoir outlining the
economic and social context of middle America’s grievances, is flying off
shelves in Brooklyn. In this book, we see that the groups possessed by populism
are voting out of spite, out of emotional grievance, not logic or reason.
Those who are voting out of
emotionality — from the gut — are not taking conscious responsibility for the
implications. This lack of awareness is the tell-tale sign of a viral infection
— the archetypal possession, which can cause regression into a boldly ignorant
and impulsive mindset.
Vance wrote, from the perspective of
rural Americans, “Barack Obama strikes at the heart of our deepest
insecurities. He is a good father while many of us aren’t. He wears suits to
his job while we wear overalls, if we’re lucky enough to have a job at all. His
wife tells us that we shouldn’t be feeding our children certain foods, and we
hate her for it — not because we think she’s wrong, but because we know she’s
right (Hillbilly Elegy, Vance, 2016)”.
Every person is susceptible to the
weakness and disregard for personal responsibility. The immense difficulty in
obtaining consciousness and being aware of the choices we make is summed up
best by philosopher Jean Sartre, who wrote that, “Our responsibility is a
blessing and a curse. It leads us to feel things like anguish, forlornness, and
despair (Existentialism is Humanism, Sartre, 1946)”. Without an authority to
determine our ethical choices the burden rests solely on each individual.
Sartre was encouraging his readers to develop self-awareness and enact
conscious choice, rather than fall into the easy, yet corrosive realities of
self-delusion and scapegoating.
This has proved insurmountable
throughout time. Today, as Leftists strive towards ideals of globalism and
egalitarianism, as well as introduce progressive social values, White America
and rural Britons are scapegoating the elites and institutions for their dying
culture and economic hardship. In that fervor, they fall for the Trickster,
whose promises, which are hyperbolic and swing from the hip, and therefore can
never come true.
On a panel discussion titled, “The
Rise of Populism and the Backlash Against the Elites,” liberal, British Deputy
Prime Minister, Nick Clegg stated that it’s time to give the populists a “long
rope,” so that they can see the effects of their vague policies, which are
based on the impulses of the gut, not refined reason. The assumed notion is
that as the irrational populists fail, liberals can re-group.
Some of us may have the patience to
wait for Clegg’s prediction of inevitable failure. Others will remain
perplexed, in a constant stream of outrage throughout Trump’s term and the
Brexit process. But there is no doubt that the world will suffer from the
influences of Trump’s administration, which, judging by the rhetoric and
cabinet appointments, seems set on denying rights to historically marginalized
groups and ignoring environmental destruction. And, as for Britain, and Europe,
this backlash against Globalism and regression towards xenophobia will likely
continue to increase.
A
Perennial Threat
Carl Jung wrote that, “Only out of
disaster can the unavoidable integration of the Shadow [occur]. In collective
history everything depends on the development of consciousness (Four
Archetypes: Mother, Rebirth, Spirit, Trickster, Jung, 1971)”. Jung refers to this
as a gradual liberation from “imprisonment in the unconscious,” which
eventually brings healing.
Make no mistake, Jung recognizes
that this is a process of immense friction and pain. There is no doubt that
humanity is still in the throws of development. We are attempting to, as
Jonathan Haidt says, “live beyond our design constraints,” (a reference to our
evolutionary, biological disposition and psychological limitations). He called
this the “challenge of the 21st century.” I say, “Remember that we are apes in
suits and dresses; do not let the flashy phones and sophisticated entertainment
fool you. The pull towards ignorance and barbarism is a constant and perennial
threat — to all of us.”
This is the challenge we have failed
at for many centuries. Each individual’s lack of awareness of the Shadow is
what allows it to be projected on the “other.” It is vital for each person to
understand their own potential weakness to succumb to evil. Only through
understanding our own capacity for darkness, which has been repeated throughout
all time, can we strive collectively to overcome those universal impulses.
Footnotes:
1: “The shadow represents the
unknown or little known attributes and qualities of the ego — aspects that
mostly belong to the personal sphere and that could just as well be conscious.”
For more read, Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung.
2: The shadow is the unknown
‘‘dark side’’ of our personality–-dark both because it tends to consist
predominantly of the primitive, negative, socially or religiously depreciated
human emotions and impulses like sexual lust, power strivings, selfishness,
greed, envy, anger or rage, and due to its unenlightened nature, completely
obscured from consciousness. For more: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/evil-deeds/201204/essential-secrets-psychotherapy-what-is-the-shadow
3: “Ethnic nationalism, also known
as ethno-nationalism, is a form of nationalism wherein the "nation"
is defined in terms of ethnicity. The central theme of ethnic nationalists is
that "nations are defined by a shared heritage, which usually includes a
common language, a common faith, and a common ethnic ancestry". For more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_nationalism
Citations:
Man and His Symbols, Carl Jung, Marie Louis Von Franz, Angela Jaffe, 1961
One Last Photograph, Sam Abelow, 2016
Essay on Woton, Carl Jung, 1936
Viruses of the Mind, Richard Dawkins, 1993
Voices From Donald Trump’s Rallies, Ashley Parker, NewYorkTimes.com, 2016
Finding Hate Crimes on the Rise,
Leaders Condemn Vicious Acts, Sarah
Maslin Nirdec, NewYorkTimes.com, 2016
Why the New Nationalists Are Taking
Over by Michael Hirsh, Politico.com, 2016
The Rise of Populism and the
Backlash Against the Elites, with Nick Clegg and Jonathan Haidt, IQsquared YouTube Channel, 2016
The Great Mother, Erik Nuemann, 1955
Hillbilly Elegy, J.D. Vance, 2016
Four Archetypes: Mother, Rebirth,
Spirit, Trickster, Carl Jung, 1971
Existentialism and Humanism, Jean-Paul Sartre, 1946
No comments:
Post a Comment