Jung’s wisdom in his old age

Posted on by Frank DeMarco

From an interview with the English journalistFrederickSands in 1955.

“At my country retreat I do as I please. I write, I paint — but I spend most of the time just drifting along with my thoughts.

“It seems to me we have reached the limit of our revolution — the point from which we can advance no further. Man started from an unconscious state and has ever striven for greater consciousness. The development of consciousness is the burden, the suffering, and the blessing of mankind. Each new discovery leads to greater consciousness, and the path along which we are going is merely an extension of it. This inevitably calls for greater responsibility and enforces a great change in ourselves. We must draw conclusions from what we know and discover, and not take everything for granted.

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Jung: What would you say about a vegetarian tiger?

Posted on by Frank DeMarco

In 1961, Chilean diplomat and author Miguel Serrano spoke with Carl Jung for the final time, less than five months before Jung’s death. (This is from C.G. Jung Speaking.)

[MS:] I’ve also come to see Hermann Hesse. He believes that the right road is simply one which is in agreement with nature.

[CGJ:] That is also my philosophy. Man should live according to his own nature; he should concentrate on self-knowledge and then live in accordance with the truth about himself. What would you say about a tiger who was a vegetarian? You would say, of course, that he was a bad tiger. Thus everyone must live in accordance with his nature, both individually and collectively.

CG Jung: “Taking yourself seriously is considered improper”

Posted on by Frank DeMarco

This is from an interview of CG Jung by Georg Gerster conducted on June 7, 1960, for broadcast on the Swiss radio network. As it happened, the interview took place on the first day of Jung’s final year. He would die June 6, 1961.

It contains so much of substance! At least three statements of his might be the basis for an entire essay:

1) “vitally necessary things have become obsolete”

2) “the very idea that you should begin with yourself, that is totally out of the question”

3) “taking yourself seriously is considered improper”

This interview is to be found in the book CG Jung speaking.

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