Carl Jung and Karl Marx with James P. Driscoll

James P. Driscoll is, perhaps, the foremost interpreter of renaissance literature from a Jungian perspective. He is author of Identity in Shakespearean Drama, The Unfolding God of Jung and Milton, Shakespeare and Jung: The God in Time, Shakespeare's Identities, Jung's Cartography of the Psyche, and Carl vs Karl: Jung and Marx, Two Icons for Our Age.

Here he notes that Jung and Marx are iconic figures because they embody two significant and opposing trends in western culture. Marx focused almost exclusively on the problem of a just society, and almost totally ignored individual wholeness and psychic growth. Jung focused entirely on the process of personal individuation, and paid almost no attention to problems of social justice. Both men rebelled against conventional religion, however their rebellions took them in different directions. In Marxist thought, the party becomes a substitute for the church. In Jungian thought, depth psychology is often used as a substitute for religion.

New Thinking Allowed host, Jeffrey Mishlove, PhD, is author of The Roots of Consciousness, Psi Development Systems, and The PK Man. Between 1986 and 2002 he hosted and co-produced the original Thinking Allowed public television series. He is the recipient of the only doctoral diploma in "parapsychology" ever awarded by an accredited university (University of California, Berkeley, 1980). He is also the Grand Prize winner of the 2021 Bigelow Institute essay competition regarding the best evidence for survival of human consciousness after permanent bodily death.

(Recorded on October 18, 2022)

[NewThinkingAllowed]

Statement of Comment Etiquette for New Thinking Allowed

[individuationportal]

“Evil is a challenge to create new good” — wow. Stunning insight

[masonchase]

This is the kind of content that I'm here for...thank you!

[havefunbesafe]

Jeff, you have such an open mind….thanks for all your content.

[handelibaral]

Driscoll' s ldentity in Shakespeare was an enlightening experience for me 35 years ago. With this book l came to understand who Jung was and what and how Shakespeare was basically concerned with. İt is so exciting to watch hım now. Thank you Jeffrey!

[martynspooner]

Both of these men have had a gigantic effect on the way all of our lives are led today regardless of whether or not we are aware of it

[TylerMcConnell]

I loved this conversation. More thought needs to happen to synthesize these two genius thinkers who both wanted to liberate humanity in their own ways.

[stevenhoman]

Thank you, for your commentary on Marx, in terms of keeping those elements which maintain significant truths, while eschewing the inevitable destruction, inherent in its direction.

[ColtraneTaylor]

Interesting that James P. Driscoll names Jordan Peterson and then makes a great leap to the caste system in India rather than looking at something closer to home. White academia is quite an interesting phenomenon in its avoidance of race.

[sarahswetlik]

I'm so 🙏 to have come across this channel🥰

[ThePuppyhunter]

These are the 2 philosophical ideologies currently at odds with each other in most of society in my opinion and I’m glad this video exists.

[TobiasC-mgzk]

Marx famously said that he was not a Marxist. Jung also exclaimed with frustration “Thank god I am not a Jungian!”

[stevenhoman]

A noteworthy and viable alternative to ongoing maniacal genocide, is always a good thing. I hope for Marx to be eschewed and for Jung to resume his place, in the pantheon of dramatic revelations about our natures as potential human beings. If your works lend any authority or weight to this endeavour, I will back you all the way.

[bennguyen]

Regarding Richard Wilhelm's translation of the I Ching / Yi Jing... would love to see an episode devoted to the philosophy. It seems a bit like intuition/tarot/tea-reading.. has there ever been any formal studies on it?

For example, I understand Jung experimented casting the I Ching for his patients and was struck by how accurately the hexagram descriptions matched their psychological conditions, even calling it an "intelligent system". Perhaps Bernardo Kastrup or James Hollis as a guest?

[anwiycti]

This topic is so right on in regard with the current sino-American conflict.

[SjMk.]

How I wish yd bring the face to face interview format back...

[msrhuby]

You guys could have talked about this for hours and it wouldn't have bothered me in the least!

[djbobek]

Thanks for another though provoking show! Wish I had time to listen to them all..

"If you’re going to go for individuation you have to get in touch with the self and let the self guide you, " James Driscoll

One thing, I think I have seen a photo of Marx' digs and I'm pretty sure there was a Ché poster on his wall!

[positivepolitics]

This is so depressing. I've read all of Marx's major works and he barely mentions justice. Driscoll says 'i think what Marx thought was...'
Marx is doing here for Driscoll what he always does for liberals and idealists. He serves not as archetype but as stereotype. I was so excited to see this interview, but, as a Marxist scholar keen to explore the unification of spirit and matter, my fears were just reconfirmed. The notion that Marx ignores the need of individual freedom or demands its societal subsumption can only be held by someone who hasn't read Marx. Marx was ultimately a nondualist in my reading.
Re God, if Driscoll knew anything about Marx he would have shared Marx's historical materialist critique of our alienating transcendent God.

[TylerMcConnell]

49:26 It’s quite ironic for someone named “Lord” to critique the working-class for wanting to assume more power than him and his ilk in the “House of Lords.” 😂🚩