Vlado Solc | From Illusion to Conscious Suffering: A Jungian View of Politics, Possession, and Redemption
In recent decades, we have observed how high politics and society are being increasingly influenced by low motives and emotional drives such as envy, frustration, manipulation, deception, or revenge. The division of society has intensified, accompanied by aggression and the entrenchment of one-sided positions. In the United States in particular, we are witnessing a rise in irrational attitudes, conspiratorial thinking, and accompanying attacks on pluralism, minorities, those who hold differing opinions and “others.”
The article is an extended and revised version of the one originally published in Vesmír, which was based on an interview that Vlado gave to Psychologie.cz.
Alchemical Nigredo
A decade before Donald Trump’s emergence on the political scene, those impulses had begun to be heard in American society. Psychologically, we might view this as an emergence of the “narcissistic archetype.” Possession by this archetype manifests in the ego as self-absorbed, self-centered focus, where “mine” is presented as universal, righteous, correct, and perfect. Thus, a sense of entitlement arises to impose this ideal upon others, even at the cost of one-sidedness, control, or cruelty. Mythical Narcissus rejected Echo’s love and remained enchanted by his own reflection. This indicates an emotional detachment, splitting off the psychic poles of thinking and feeling—that is, a loss of contact with the soul, the heart—typically accompanied by a loss of compassion, intuition, perspective, and understanding of higher motives. Things that were previously subjected to moral scrutiny are now – under the new paradigm – reconsidered as a new value; bold acts are no longer feared—because now it is done in the name of truth. The new truth! But where is the “old” truth? It is now pushed away by the complex that got constellated. And Trump emerged as a major object of the collective projection of this complex within the American psyche. As the chosen Über-Narcissus, he legitimized shadow emotions—rage, entitlement, xenophobia—emotions that had previously been repressed under the weight of collective scrutiny. Thus, he allowed the collective shadow to manifest openly, without burdening shame.
This opened the door to authoritarian dynamics and narcissistic manipulation. When society becomes psychically fragmented—when people lose both internal and external cohesion—they often seek a dominant figure to restore a sense of order: someone emotionally expressive, seemingly confident and strong. As a rule manipulators and narcissists then contain the chaos during turbulent times and offer temporary relief by directing the collective shadow outward—by way of scapegoating towards the state, immigrants, minorities… Anyone perceived as different. The forms of oppression in a family controlled by a narcissist are quite similar to those by which a totalitarian state controls its citizens.
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