The Individual's Understanding of Himself

Notes on and great quotes from the fourth chapter of Jung's "The Undiscovered Self".

"Man is an enigma to himself" (page 31) Since he lacks criteria for self-judgement the psyche remains one of Nature's secrets. While the psyche can be disturbed by processes in the brain it is not a secondary function dependent only on biochemical process. It has a non-reduceable nature and holds within itself the phenomenon of consciousness.

"Consciousness is a precondition of being."

The individual is a manifestation of the psyche and is an exception to the statistical rule. Both science and Church regard individuality as egotistic obstinacy. This is ironic since the core symbol of Christianity is the individual way of life of a man (the Son of Man) which is regarded as the "incarnation and revelation of God himself".

Instincts, the foundations of the psyche, are found in the unconscious. They are ineradicable and their numinous quality arouses fear and impedes self-knowledge. Talking about the medical psychologist Jung says: "At first he will apply principles based on general experience, but he will soon realize that principles of this kind do not adequately express the facts and fail to meet the nature of the case. The deeper his understanding penetrates, the more the general principles lose their meaning." (page 36) Seems to reflect my experience with yoga teaching too!

"there is the natural cowardice of most men to be reckoned with, not to mention morality, good taste and - last but not least - the penal code. This fear is nothing compared with the enormous effort it usually costs people to help the first stirrings of individuality into consciousness, let alone put them into effect." (page 38 - 39)

" Let [society] band together into groups and organizations as much as it likes - it is just this banding together and the resultant extinction of the individual personality that makes it succumb so readily to a dictator." (page 39)

Jung examines the Churches wish to use mass action in spite of their care being the salvation of the individual soul disregarding the axiom that "the individual becomes morally and spiritually inferior in the mass". (page 40)

"If the individual is not truly regenerated in spirit, society cannot be either, for society is the sum total of individuals in need of redemption." (page 40)

"The inner man remains unchanged however much community he has. His environment cannot give him as a gift that which he can win for himself as a gift that which can win for himself only with effort and suffering." (page 41)

In a favourable environment there is a tendency to expect everything to originate from outside - effortlessly. In a mass-movement there is security, no need to think, to make decisions, to take responsibility. This easily can lead to tyranny and spiritual and physical slavery of the individual. Even if an institution still takes some account of the individual it may be compelled to adopt immoral and ruthless behaviour if it comes into conflict with the organized State.

"Resistance to the organized mass can be effected only by the man who is as well organized in his individuality as the mass itself." The dissociated individual needs a directing and ordering principle. Ego-consciousness is unable to take on this role while it is unaware of unconscious factors.

"The religious impulse rests on an instinctive basis and is therefore a specifically human function. You can take away a man's gods, but only to give him others in return." (page 46)

Instinct is specific and irreducible, it is older than the body's form. Our conscious activity is rooted in instinct. This is suited to an archaic mode of life but not the the present. Remolding of such primordial patterns of ideas is required to meet the challenge of the present.