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Egalitarian Typologies Versus the Perception of the Unique
Paperback
59 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1980
11 people want to read
About the author
James Hillman
175 books577 followersJames Hillman (1926-2011) was an American psychologist. He served in the US Navy Hospital Corps from 1944 to 1946, after which he attended the Sorbonne in Paris, studying English Literature, and Trinity College, Dublin, graduating with a degree in mental and moral science in 1950.
In 1959, he received his PhD from the University of Zurich, as well as his analyst's diploma from the C.G. Jung Institute and founded a movement toward archetypal psychology, was then appointed as Director of Studies at the institute, a position he held until 1969.
In 1970, Hillman became editor of Spring Publications, a publishing company devoted to advancing Archetypal Psychology as well as publishing books on mythology, philosophy and art. His magnum opus, Re-visioning Psychology, was written in 1975 and nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Hillman then helped co-found the Dallas Institute for Humanities and Culture in 1978.
Retired into private practice, writing and traveling to lecture, until his death at his home in Connecticut on October 27, 2011 from bone cancer.
In 1959, he received his PhD from the University of Zurich, as well as his analyst's diploma from the C.G. Jung Institute and founded a movement toward archetypal psychology, was then appointed as Director of Studies at the institute, a position he held until 1969.
In 1970, Hillman became editor of Spring Publications, a publishing company devoted to advancing Archetypal Psychology as well as publishing books on mythology, philosophy and art. His magnum opus, Re-visioning Psychology, was written in 1975 and nominated for the Pulitzer Prize. Hillman then helped co-found the Dallas Institute for Humanities and Culture in 1978.
Retired into private practice, writing and traveling to lecture, until his death at his home in Connecticut on October 27, 2011 from bone cancer.
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 16, 2019
In this 59 page essay Hillman expresses his concerns over what personality typology has become: an instrument of psychological egalitarianism rather than a way to elaborate upon our differences, which is what Jung originally intended.
Types are meant to be pure and have set boundaries, like classes do. Jung meant for types to be types but unfortunately they are treated as classes: "Often types are used as classes, and we begin to classify ourselves by means of types, thereby severing our fluid natures into well-defined and mutually exclusive parts. To use a type concept as a class concept has crippling results."
More quotes from the essay:
"In the move to establish a type from a number of personal traits, the traits themselves are sucked out and drained into the larger factors. Actual concrete qualities of personality lose their blood to attitudes and functions. This happens every day when we look at ourselves typologically."
"The seduction of typology goes further, you see, than the equalization of our external world. It is indeed no mere parlour game. It also flattens our inner perceptions of self - our dreams, complexes, behaviours. Our dreams become anxiety dreams or rebirth dreams, our complexes mother or father, our behaviours puer or animus. Types all. The archetypal persons become typological configurations, and the Gods dissolve again into the allegorical systems of the rationalizing mind, that iconoclast, that slayer of the dragon, that God-killer."
Types are meant to be pure and have set boundaries, like classes do. Jung meant for types to be types but unfortunately they are treated as classes: "Often types are used as classes, and we begin to classify ourselves by means of types, thereby severing our fluid natures into well-defined and mutually exclusive parts. To use a type concept as a class concept has crippling results."
More quotes from the essay:
"In the move to establish a type from a number of personal traits, the traits themselves are sucked out and drained into the larger factors. Actual concrete qualities of personality lose their blood to attitudes and functions. This happens every day when we look at ourselves typologically."
"The seduction of typology goes further, you see, than the equalization of our external world. It is indeed no mere parlour game. It also flattens our inner perceptions of self - our dreams, complexes, behaviours. Our dreams become anxiety dreams or rebirth dreams, our complexes mother or father, our behaviours puer or animus. Types all. The archetypal persons become typological configurations, and the Gods dissolve again into the allegorical systems of the rationalizing mind, that iconoclast, that slayer of the dragon, that God-killer."
Displaying 1 of 1 review