October 25, 2020

Last evening Rebecca and I were talking about history, archetypes, seminal events in my life, and Carl Jung. She was interested in the words crone, hag, and witch. According to Wikipedia " in folklore, a crone is an old woman who may be disagreeable, malicious, or sinister in manner, often with magical or supernatural associations that can make her either helpful or obstructing. The Crone is also an archetypal figure, a Wise Woman. As a character type, the crone shares characteristics with the hag." But prior to about 7000 B.C. these three words had much more positive meaning including wise benevolent women who guide and are facilitators of well being and goodness. In Europe and the Middle East the religions of the times evolved so that patriarchal authoritarian bible, papal, and Koran based social rules and practices made these three words mean the first sentence as described in Wikipedia. I've reviewed Gabbert book in my past posts. She pointed out that many (maybe over one million at the time) women and men were tortured, put on trial for the inquisition and other place, killed after confessing or if denying killed because they must be guilty since they deny their guilt. Salman Rushdie in Satanic Verses describes in fiction how women were subjugated in the Middle East 1500 years ago. I mentioned to her an article I came across in which the writer discusses Amy Coney Barrett's originalist approach to interpreting our constitutional law. The author Eve Erringer grew up in a family in which her father ruled through using the old and new testament as a means to control the author. His admonitions and directions attempted to put blinders on his daughter's development as a person through having her read bible passages that said that women were at best the help mates of the men and needed to know their place as lesser than the man. https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bible-study-supreme-court-amy-coney-barrett_n_5f8895d7c5b6e9e76fbb6877

But our conversation last evening went into how the feminine point of view is so powerful and important to our times and times past. Carl Jung deviated from the psychoanalytic circle of Freud in being introspective but acknowledging the collective unconscious. This concept suggested that in all of us are universal issues in which there are different parts to ourselves that influence and even take over our personality to our detriment. His treatment approach was to help the person identify, explore, make more conscious these parts so we could become a whole person. He identified the Persona, Shadow, Anima and Anima, and The Self.    https://medium.com/personal-growth/4-carl-jung-theories-explained-persona-shadow-anima-animus-the-self-4ab6df8f7971  

These archetypes were active in contributing to complexes.  "A complex is a core pattern of emotions, memories, perceptions, and wishes in the personal unconscious organized around a common theme, such as power or status". (Wikipedia). What is interesting about Jung is that artist and writers have used his ideas to explore our culture and create new, interesting, and thought provoking  art (see closing picture). 

As our conversation evolved I was reminded about my own individuation (Jung). First that came to mind was  when 55 I had my heart attack while at home with Ann. I rationalized my discomfort as gastrointestinal distress. She told me that if I don't get into the car for her to drive me to Castle Medical Center now she would call the ambulance. Joshua came by and gave me an aspirin while I was in the driveway in our car. Two days later I had bypass surgery with various complications along the way. Weak, helpless, and post surgical I was blessed with such a caring partner. Already changed with past events that opened my eyes into my character defects I was able to see that my pretences of character, intellect, power, and status were meaningless. What mattered was my behavior and plans for the future with those who I loved and cared for. So when Rebecca greeted me again at the hospital this January while I was helpless, weak, in pain, frightened, and practically naked in a freezing intensive care bed I was again grateful and humbled at my good fortune. 

I am learning with her and I can be interesting and have my point of view without pretense. 

Yesterday while hiking Richard Rovin sang some bars from a Country Joe and The Fish. 

Country Joe And The Fish - Vietnam Song lyrics
  
Here's a song about a war that we lost and never should have 

Well, come on all of you, big strong men,

Uncle Sam needs your help again.

He's got himself in a terrible jam

Way down yonder in Vietnam

So put down your books and pick up a gun,

We're gonna have a whole lotta fun.

And it's one, two, three,

What are we fighting for ?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,

Next stop is Vietnam;

And it's five, six, seven,

Open up the pearly gates,

Well there ain't no time to wonder why,

Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Come on Wall Street, don't be slow,

Why man, this is war au-go-go

There's plenty good money to be made

By supplying the Army with the tools of its trade,

But just hope and pray that if they drop the bomb,

They drop it on the Viet Cong.

And it's one, two, three,

What are we fighting for ?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,

Next stop is Vietnam.

And it's five, six, seven,

Open up the pearly gates,

Well there ain't no time to wonder why

Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Well, come on generals, let's move fast;

Your big chance has come at last.

Now you can go out and get those reds

'Cause the only good commie is the one that's dead

And you know that peace can only be won

When we've blown 'em all to kingdom come.

And it's one, two, three,

What are we fighting for ?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,

Next stop is Vietnam;

And it's five, six, seven,

Open up the pearly gates,

Well there ain't no time to wonder why

Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Come on mothers throughout the land,

Pack your boys off to Vietnam.

Come on fathers, and don't hesitate

To send your sons off before it's too late.

And you can be the first ones in your block

To have your boy come home in a box.

And it's one, two, three

What are we fighting for ?

Don't ask me, I don't give a damn,

Next stop is Vietnam.

And it's five, six, seven,

Open up the pearly gates,

Well there ain't no time to wonder why,

Whoopee! we're all gonna die.

Here's a song about a war we lost and never should have fought. Our world does present dangers and we do have adversaries that will cause us catastrophes. Should we go on witch hunts? Can we individuate more to free ourselves of these violence tinged complexes? Are we destined to have psychopaths cause more hardship and pain to meet their narcissistic ends? Richard and I did discuss how paranoia, personality disorders, and conspiracy theories part of our social discourse is here to stay. The group dynamics create a home for the those troubled minds that are into the Shadow and archetype complexes and help bolster self esteem for the paranoid and psychopathic selfish who look for sycophants and followers they can lead. Richard had an argument for confronting these groups. Their participation in our social fabric causes harm to others. He and I mused about our treatment experiences with violent predators who may have had disturbed childhood's associated with some victimization. Treatment includes maybe assisting them in seeing that they have become the monsters they were terrorized by in their youth. Could you swallow that?    

Well, I have a sanctuary with my wife, family, and friends to assist me be centered and not allow my shadow and anima control me. I wish you all the same who are reading this muse. 

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/10/19/t-magazine/barbara-kruger.html