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
Man is not a machine that can be remodelled for quite other purposes as occasion demands, in the hope that it will go on functioning as regularly as before but in a quite different way. He carries his whole history with him; in his very structure is written the history of mankind.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Humans are complex beings shaped by their history, not mere machines that can be easily altered.
This quote by Carl Jung emphasizes the intrinsic complexity of human beings, arguing that unlike machines, which can be designed and modified for various tasks without regard for their past, humans are deeply influenced by their personal histories and experiences. Each person's identity is a culmination of their life experiences, cultural background, and historical context, suggesting that one cannot simply change a person's nature or purpose without considering their intricate past.
Themes
HistoryHuman NatureIdentityComplexityExperience
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote in a motivational speech about personal growth and self-acceptance.
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.
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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.
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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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