Academy of Ideas Is Modern Man Possessed by the Terrible Mother Archetype?
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Oct 17, 2025 Explore the dark side of archetypes, where the Terrible Mother grips the modern psyche, igniting social insecurities. Discover how Carl Jung linked historical forces to collective unconsciousness, revealing the modern resurrection of the archetype amidst patriarchal collapse. Delve into the cultural assault on masculinity and the consequences of ego breakdown, leading to a retreat into dependency. Lastly, learn about the heroic struggle as a path to reclaiming strength and consciousness in the face of this powerful archetype.
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Archetypes Drive Historical Change
- Jung argued that archetypes in the collective unconscious shape history more than culture or economics.
- Archetypes surface via symbols in myths, dreams, and mass movements when activated by social crises.
Wotan Explains Mass Frenzy
- Jung saw Nazism as an activation of the Wotan archetype in Germany's collective unconscious.
- He believed Hitler was possessed by that archetype, making him a vessel rather than a normal human leader.
Great Mother: Dual Nature Revealed
- Erich Neumann described the Great Mother archetype as ambivalent, both nurturing and devouring.
- He argued this split produced the Good Mother and the Terrible Mother in the psyche and culture.
