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16th out of 179 books
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Modern Man in Search of a Soul
by
C.G. Jung
A provocative and enlightening look at spiritual unease and its contribution to the void in modern civilization Considered by many to be one of the most important books in the field of psychology, Modern Man in Search of a Soul is a comprehensive introduction to the thought of Carl Gustav Jung. In this book, Jung examines some of the most contested and crucial areas in t...more
Paperback, 252 pages
Published
August 4th 1955
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
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104th out of 289 books
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Jung's lecture "The Spiritual Problem of Modern Man" is so very rich and entirely relevant, still, today. It was delivered in Zurich in 1931 at the cusp of another horrific war. I forgot what a plain-spoken sage he could be at times, deep, elegant and never denying our capacity for both good and evil. I'm still digesting ... If you read only one essay by Carl Jung, this should be the one.
I've really been enjoying Jung. He's a breath of fresh air after submerging myself in all of that Freud. Freud always takes the most reductive route, because his focus is on justifying psychology as a science and science is purposely reductive. (I realize now that he wasn't nearly reductive enough to meet current scientific standards.) But Jung corrects a lot of Freud by placing some of the theories that Freud thought of as fundamental in a larger context, and also by seeing around Freud's myopi...more
I feel a little sheepish to say that this is the longest work I've ever read by Jung. It was a good introduction, though, and I'm looking forward to trying some of his other writing. I think the first portion of the book would be hard for someone who isn't familiar with Freud and the the emergence of psychoanalysis, but anyone with a basic grasp should manage all right. The later portion is much easier to read, ha, but equally informative. Throughout, Jung maintains a frank tone which seems ...more
its a very interesting and thought provoking book, its condeses all his ideas on nature of man,his evolution from eden to post war industralised europe,right down to the dawn of american empire. he has some good analysis of modernity and concept of ethnocentrism and hes very open minded, he doesnt write much about islam, just gets a passing mention which is a shame. its characteriscally dense and sometimes its hard to understand not only because of the big words but also the concepts so i had t...more
In answer to those who notice how he criticizes Freud -- Jung was Freud's student when Freud's theories were all the rage, and Freud was not as open to Jung's ideas as he might have been, so Jung was forced to criticize him in order to defend and promote his own work. When he says that psychologists should work together, he means that the powerful, influential and jealous Freud should stop feeling so threatened by him. Nowadays, we take much of Jung's point of view for granted. His theories of a...more
Ok, so I wrote a review for this book before I finished it, assuming that it would be adequate. Boy, was I wrong. The last chapter of this book is just...W-O-W! It is the most concise explanation of the intellectual and spiritual struggle of modern man I have ever come across. Aside from that, the last chapter provides more insight about the job/responsibilities of a psychotherapist than any other part of the book. below is my original review of the book.
I haven't finished...more
I haven't finished...more
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Recommends it for:
psychology majors, anyone looking to learn about jungian theory
Shelves:
2007
While this book gives a solid and intriguing overview of Jung's brand of psychoanalysis, I found it somewhat lacking in further details regarding concepts like the collective unconscious, archetypes, anima/animus, etc. A book like Man and His Symbols, which includes essays from other Jungian psychologists besides Jung himself, goes deeper into the meat of his psychological structures.
Even so, I'm glad I finally read this book, as I always find Jung amiable and illuminating. He does...more
Even so, I'm glad I finally read this book, as I always find Jung amiable and illuminating. He does...more
Guillemain Géraud
added it
The best introduction to CG Jung Psychology wrote at first in French. wrote as a collaborative works with CG Jung by Dr. Roland Cahen, MD, Psychoanalyst who's been working about 40 years in Paris as such. This work is not originally existing in german and was not written by C.G. Jung. CG Jung used to write in german and in english rarely in french and only for article or paper. But no published books were written by CG Jung in french and absolutely not this one.
Amazon review:
The basic introduction to the thought of Jung, one of the founders of modern psychiatry. Here Jung examines some of the most contested and crucial areas in the field of analytical psychology: dream analysis, the primitive unconscious, and the relationship between psychology and religion.
The basic introduction to the thought of Jung, one of the founders of modern psychiatry. Here Jung examines some of the most contested and crucial areas in the field of analytical psychology: dream analysis, the primitive unconscious, and the relationship between psychology and religion.
Some chapters are much better than others, but the best in this book is worth returning to again and again. Jung's imaginative, expansive, playful yet serious view of psychology's role and scope is invigorating, even if not always accurate. Like Freud, even when Jung is wrong, he's brilliantly wrong.
This book is typically used as a counterpoint to some of the Freudian analysis of the preceding time period. Jung is easier to read than Freud, however, and this work is still quite relevant today. Jung is the father of the concept of gestalt, which is eloquently detailed within this work.
Along with Man and His Symbols, Modern Man In Search of a Soul is a great introduction to Carl Jung. While the former provides a more textbook introduction of terms and Jung's ideas, I think this book goes a little deeper into Carl Jung’s thought process and is therefore helpful in giving a somewhat deeper idea of his psychology. He also spends a fair amount of time discussing the theories of Freud and Adler -- and where Jung himself agrees with and differs from them.
Ultimately, I be...more
Ultimately, I be...more
Another brilliant look into the human psyche. His thoughts on the language of symbols created through mediums such as painting and film were particularly interesting.
It has been so long since I read this book that I barely remember it. It is very much about dream analysis, and Jung seeks to convey the experience of psychoanalysis from the perspective of the analyst. It also underscores the importance of the unconscious, which endeavors to speak to the self through dreams.
What made a lasting impression, though, was Jung's discussion of modern society, and the dilemma of anyone trying to live in a world that runs contrary to basic human needs....more
What made a lasting impression, though, was Jung's discussion of modern society, and the dilemma of anyone trying to live in a world that runs contrary to basic human needs....more
Gotta love the collective unc0ncious...this is a comprehensive introduction to the thought of Carl Gustuv Jung, a chief founder of psychoanalysis. In this book, Jung examines analytical psychology, dream analysis, the primitive unconcious, and the relationship between psycology and religion. Jung, perhaps the most famous student of Sigmund Freud, was not only a medical man but a scholar in the grand style, whose researches, in comparative mythology, alchemy,and the psychology of religion, have i...more
This series of essays is excellent introduction to Jungian psychology, touching on topics including dream analysis, the stages of life, the evolution of the consciousness, the role of religion in the life of modern man to the (in his view) shortcomings of the Freudian and Adlerian schools of thought - a "psychology without the psyche," as he puts it... approaches that overemphasize pathology, instinct and drives at the cost of spirit, faith and meaning. Writing in 1933, his description...more
I fliped through most of this book and it wasn't very interesting except for the last two chapters... which were fantastic.
"It is no easy matter to live a life that is modelled on Christ's, but it is unspeakably harder to live one's own life as truly as Christ lived his."
"Who are forgiven their many sins? Those who have loved much. But as to those who love little, their few sins are held against them."
"What we see is that the Western w...more
"It is no easy matter to live a life that is modelled on Christ's, but it is unspeakably harder to live one's own life as truly as Christ lived his."
"Who are forgiven their many sins? Those who have loved much. But as to those who love little, their few sins are held against them."
"What we see is that the Western w...more
Ok, I'm not a jungian. I couldn't finish this. I was going along OK, but the more he floated off into lala land, the less I could tolerate. Plus he has a redundant writing style. I also liked how he kept saying that psychologists needed to work together and all learn together, but then saying all the ways Freud sucks. I did learn some about dream interpretion, and learned from some of his case stories, but overall this was not for me. On the other hand, I got the 1960s edition which has a ...more
I love Jung's work. He is widely open to any point of view. Never afraid to sound mystic or spiritual.
Another of special man being prey to mysticism.
Jung is like the Beatles to me
that everything begins in a thought
Jung at his best...
Dry, but profound.
A fascinating read with countless insights into the human psyche and condition. There are many ideas in this book (which is actually a collection of lectures) to be discussed and debated. Yet I felt myself struck whilst reading how sincerely Jung appears to be a man determined to help individuals, of course he has his famous collective unconscious and archetypes. But consistently he emphasises the need to forget preconceptions when dealing with individuals. A book well worth a read.
I am the modern man. It truly is a timeless classic, with practical application to the state of western affairs even today.
He is brilliant.
He is brilliant.
Take that, Freud!
This work is timeless! It is as relevant today as it was over half a century ago and his estimation and predictions for our modern society are/were dead on. Everyone should read this - it should be required reading on ever college campus in the country. Insightful and visionary. One of Jung's best works.
He had Western civilization pegged.
My favorite part of this, though, is his analysis of dreams. Wow, he was a wizard. From one person's dreams he somehow figured out they had a terminal illness.
Jung was one of the geniuses of the age. In some sense we're all Jungians. His influence was colossal.
My favorite part of this, though, is his analysis of dreams. Wow, he was a wizard. From one person's dreams he somehow figured out they had a terminal illness.
Jung was one of the geniuses of the age. In some sense we're all Jungians. His influence was colossal.
This is a must, if you are interested in psychology. I really enjoyed the application of the soul and the brain together. Jung is enjoyable to read, because he understand that he could be flawed in everything that he says. It's refreshing.
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Carl Gustav Jung was a Swiss psychologist, influential thinker, and founder of analytical psychology.
Jung's unique approach to psychology was influential in countercultural movements in Europe and the United States in the 1960s. He has emphasized understanding the psyche through exploring the worlds of dreams, art, mythology, world religion and philosophy. Although he was a theoretical...more
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Jung's unique approach to psychology was influential in countercultural movements in Europe and the United States in the 1960s. He has emphasized understanding the psyche through exploring the worlds of dreams, art, mythology, world religion and philosophy. Although he was a theoretical...more
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“We cannot change anything unless we accept it.”
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45 people liked it
“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. It is safe to say that every one of them fell ill because he had lost that which the living religions of every age have given their followers, and none of them has really been healed who did not regain his religious outlook.”
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14 people liked it
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