Grounded in the natural philosophy of the Middle Ages, alchemy formed a bridge: on the one hand into the past, to Gnosticism, and on the other into the future, to the modern psychology of the unconscious.
Carl JungRead
I had always been impressed by the fact that there are surprisingly many individuals who never use their minds if they can avoid it, and yet are not stupid, and an equal number who obviously do use their minds but in an amazingly stupid way.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote highlights the irony of human intellect, where some avoid thinking yet are not foolish, while others think deeply but ineffectively.
Carl Jung's quote suggests that intelligence is not solely gauged by the amount of thinking one does but rather by the quality of that thinking. It reflects on the human condition, emphasizing that there are people who, despite their intelligence, either avoid the use of their minds entirely or engage in thought processes that lack coherence and practicality. This serves as a reminder that thinking alone does not equate to wisdom, and the application of thought is crucial in distinguishing meaningful insights from mere intellectual exercise.
Themes
IntellectThinkingWisdomJudgmentHuman Condition
In practice
Example use cases
In a lecture about cognitive psychology, you might use this quote to emphasize the importance of critical thinking.
More from Carl Jung
All quotes →The majority of my patients consisted not of believers but of those who had lost their faith.
Carl JungRead
Complexes are psychic contents which are outside the control of the conscious mind. They have been split off from consciousness and lead a separate existence in the unconscious, being at all times ready to hinder or to reinforce the conscious intentions.
Carl JungRead
We are in a far better position to observe instincts in animals or in primitives than in ourselves. This is due to the fact that we have grown accustomed to scrutinizing our own actions and to seeking rational explanations for them.
Carl JungRead
From the viewpoint of analytic psychology, the theatre, aside from any aesthetic value, may be considered as an institution for the treatment of the mass complex.
Carl JungRead
I have treated many hundreds of patients. Among those in the second half of life - that is to say, over 35 - there has not been one whose problem in the last resort was not that of finding a religious outlook on life.
Carl JungRead
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