Modern Man in Search of a Soul by C.G. Jung - Paperback

Carl Gustav Jung held some very strange ideas. Lucky me; I’m a sucker for very strange ideas. But these ideas must have seemed even more strange over a hundred years ago, when Jung was writing about them and publishing them.As a psychiatrist and the founder of Analytic Psychology, Jung was at the forefront of an entirely new way of thinking about human beings and how we operate in the world. In large part, you could say that he was a man attempting to reconcile the diverging worlds of science and religion. I think in 2017, when a layperson thinks of psychology, many of us think of it as a hard science, completely separate from philosophy, religion, and medicine. But in 1933, those lines weren’t so clear, at least not to Jung.Some of Jung’s pioneering concepts have taken hold in the modern lexicon, such as the concepts of extraversion, introversion, and the idea of a complexes. Other concepts posited by Jung in Modern Man In Search of a Soul, like the “shadow,” may not ring a bell with the layperson as much in 2017, but to me that’s one of the most interesting topics Jung explores in the book.“…inasmuch as I become conscious of my shadow I also remember that I am a human being like any other.”The shadow Jung refers to represents the capability of man to do malevolence. I think Jung is telling us that if we understand our capacity to do evil, we have a real shot at harnessing our capacity to do good.Jung also writes quite a bit about the difference between material truth and spiritual truth. This is something that I’ve spent considerable time thinking and reading about in recent months, and I’m still trying to fully grasp Jung’s thoughts on the matter. In effect, he argues that in the past couple of centuries, civilized humanity has undergone a shift in our thinking that has led us to only believe in things that we can see and touch, often holding up any ideas that don’t fit those criteria to ridicule. He finds this to be to the detriment of society at large because it has done irreparable harm to the psychological health of the world. Thus, in his clinical experience, religion is essentially the cure for neurosis.“…religions are systems of healing for psychic illness.. Man is never helped in his suffering by what he thinks of himself, but only by revelations of a wisdom greater than his own. It is this which lifts him out of his distress.”Also look out for his thoughts on archetypes and the collective unconscious. Unfortunately, I’ve reduced his complex ideas far too much. But this review may give an idea of what to expect from Modern Man In Search of a Soul.Final say: Jung is a brilliant man with fascinating insight. Read it!

Great work and still, 90 years later, central themes in the lives of modern people. Like many of his books, this is a collection of essays. The central theme is man's inner struggles and unconcsious but there's an essay on dream interpretation, on problems with modern culture, modern psychology. There's an essay on why psychologists have replaced the clergy that is magnificent. All and all, a fascinating read. If you're new to Jung, this is an OK starting point but The Undiscovered Self would be better. Jung is a difficult read. Not Nietzsche level but still quite difficult. Once you get going though, it starts to flow well. You just have to get used to his vernacular and jargon. Keep your phone handy, I can promise you that you well occasionally run into a word or phrase that you've never seen before and will need to google it and don't let a word pass that you don't understand. He has a way of throwing in phrases and words with huge meanings (that are not part of our current venacular) and will be missed if not understood.The amazing part about these essays is that there isn't much that's "outdated". Everyone of his central points are just as poignant today as they were 90 years ago. I find that amazing. How does he wrote a book on the state of man that is not outdated almost a century later?

Though dense and lofty, Jung’s thoughts regarding modern man’s battle with religion and Divinity could not be more timely for today. Undoubtedly a product of his profound level of insight and prophetic intellect. Jung’s writing brings both an existential peace coupled with a call to action towards a continual pursuit of faith in an age of dry reason. As a former evangelical and struggling skeptic, I found this book to provide a newfound confidence in my journey towards pursuing God and a revivified my desire to live a life that travels along the Narrow Path.

This book may have changed my life. I have struggled with depression and anxiety for decades. The last chapter especially seems to shine a light on my difficulty. I have found it necessary to distance myself from my childhood religion in my recovery. Then ironically, I have had to rebuild my faith, free of the dogma and tradition that have caused me so many psychological problems. I have had to find God within myself and accept the flawed or shadow self that I have hated. I am still on my healing path, but this boom has been an invaluable source of insight.In many ways I have seen my psychological healing as a spiritual healing. I utilized all the tools available to me both secular and spiritual as I have walked this path. Carl Jung also sees the necessity of the spiritual aspects of psychological health and I found his arguments compelling.