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Once upon a time men were possessed by devils. Now they are not less obsessed by ideas
Carl Jung
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote suggests that while humanity has shifted from being influenced by external evil to being consumed by internal ideas, the obsession continues.

Carl Jung's quote reflects on the evolution of human thought. Historically, people may have believed they were subjected to external demonic forces, but in modern times, they find themselves more often preoccupied with their own ideologies and thoughts. This shift highlights the continuous struggle between external influences and internal beliefs, emphasizing how ideas can possess us just as much as any external entity.

Themes

ObsessionIdeasThoughtsPhilosophyBeliefs

In practice

Example use cases

During a lecture on the influence of thoughts on our actions, quoting Carl Jung can illustrate how ideas shape our lives.

More from Carl Jung

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.
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The majority of my patients consisted not of believers but of those who had lost their faith.
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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.
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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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