Congratulations Todd!! I will look forward to the release. Let's hope your book will fall into more of the 'sheep' hands and with that, an awakening can occur. Blessings!
New here. But not new to the ideas. I began writing as a commenter on digital platforms many years ago -- attempting to act as a canary-in-the-coalmine -- which was not always heard. Since reading a Holocaust memoir as a girl, I had never stopped asking how/why the 60+ million Germans of the 1930s had gone collectively mad and bad under Hitler. Very few persons of the post-war era ever seemed interested in either the question or the answer.
I grew up and studied formally, I observed and experienced life.....and years prior to COVID-mania I realized that the West is in a SHADOW POSSESSION. Not just the Shadow appearing here and there, but the group Shadow taking over. It is a very particular situation.
That is the Jungian term, of course. The other term for this phenomenon is Totalitarianism -- which is not solely political; it is a specific human dynamic found in many spheres.
Someone this week directed me to your Substack since you were writing on my theme. I hope to have a book published late this year as well.
I know of course that Mattias Desmet did his podcasts on one of the terms used -- Mass Formation -- but I found that it was too little, and this aspect had already been covered by Gustave Le Bon in 1895. It was more a glossary presentation than an explanation of the principles involved. Mattias has presented no real overall explanations of the phenomenon....he even turns a blind eye to vital aspects. Which I have told him.
At any rate, Carl Jung himself did not initially recognize the Shadow Possession of 1930s Nazism. Therefore I think I have done quite well in recognizing it as the principle here in the WOKE West.
I look forward to reading your work beyond the most recent article, which is what I have seen to date.
Welcome! These are some very poignant and important thoughts and observations. Thanks for brining them here. I hope you post often.
Yes, the "German Hitler phenomenon" was rather unique, and very perplexing. I was not aware that Jung did not "recognize the Shadow Possession of 1930's Nazism"...maybe I am not interpreting "shadow possession" the same way you are. Jung wrote extensively about Nazism, and the collective shadow...starting with essays in the 1930's...his ideas shifted a bit as time went on into the '40s. And we must be aware that most of the world was not aware of the Holocaust atrocities for quite some time after the war.
Jung explicitly linked the shadow to the success of Adolf Hitler, whom he described as a figure who embodied and projected the unacknowledged darkness of the German people. In “Fight with the Shadow,” he wrote, “Hitler was the shadow of the German people, the dark side they refused to see in themselves”. He suggested that the German people’s refusal to confront their own inferiority, humiliation, and aggression—stemming from the Treaty of Versailles and economic collapse—allowed these energies to be projected onto Hitler, who became a vessel for their collective shadow. Jung noted, “The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort”. In Germany’s case, this moral effort was absent, leading to catastrophic consequences.
Personally I find this sort of "group hysteria and psychosis" to be the most perplexing phenomenon of the time...but not only as it is manifest by the "masses" but also how it shows up in the individual. Check out my article on the Egregore...which touches on the idea that the people of Germany during Hitler's time were affected by this "group mind evil."
Jung concentrated during WWII and after, on the "spirit of the Wotan force". Which led his audience to believe it was something genetic within the German character that caused them to become morally decrepit. This was never really argued or sufficiently explained to/by Jungians in the post-war world. H.G. Baynes being an exception (although his work was never well known). So the myth trickled down into general Western culture that such a situation could never happen outside of Germany.
Yes, of course Shadow Possession shows up in the individual. One-to-one totalitarianism of this nature can be found in any Disorganized Attachment relationship (Love +Terror) such as Domestic Abuser to target, or pathological Cluster-B personality to prey.
We saw this in the group form in COVID-mania and in the leftwing WOKE phenomenon of mass insanity (Collective Psychosis, Folie à Deux, Mass Formation, etc.). We see it in cults. And gangs. And more. It can be found on the rightwing as Puritan Witch Hunts or as radical Islam.
I would say by the early 1940s, Jung shifted his terminology from the archetype of Wotan to the archetype of the shadow, reflecting a broader and more universal framework for understanding the psychological dynamics of Nazism.
After 2+ hours here with my comment, and almost no response, I am beginning to wonder whether this is a Substack forum that values truth per se....or instead values the harmony of an established group under an established leader -- to whom members must be seen to be loyal.... above loyalty to truth.
I spent a month or so on the Rod Dreher Substack once, and found that particular forum to be exceedingly blind to this concept, and willing to ignore truths for the sake of the group narrative. Which is precisely where the group Shadow trouble begins.
It's an interesting quandary.....especially since the theme I have written on here -- group SHADOW POSSESSION -- might lead to just this sort of activity.
I think you are being a bit overcritical. It is Saturday here, and I have a lot of things I do on Saturday...and typically I do not start looking at comments to respond to until later in the day.
Todd, with all due respect, I think that is just an excuse. I am busy on a Saturday too. But I made time to look up your Substack, subscribe to it, and read/comment on this. Do have some respect for that.
I believe I have touched a nerve. Perhaps because I have stated that these ideas of yours are already long known (and published for copyright) by someone else.
Don't tell me that you have not had an eagle eye on responses to your book announcement here (Kindle version) since the moment you posted it this morning....because I would not believe you, my friend. I suspect you simply failed to acknowledge a comment that did not suit.
Please share this post to your social media!!
Good luck. Looking forward to it.
thank you!!
Congrats!
Good luck with the book, my friend. Just restacked!
Good for you
Thanks!!
Congratulations Todd!! I will look forward to the release. Let's hope your book will fall into more of the 'sheep' hands and with that, an awakening can occur. Blessings!
Wouldn't that be cool!!
I have been trying for years to awaken the sheep, with knowledge. It is not necessarily heeded, even when it is out there.
I think there are "fringe sheep" who can be flipped...but not a lot of them.
"Fringe sheep" - I like that - lol.
Congratulations! What an accomplishment!
Way to go, my friend! I look forward to getting your book.
Congratulations Todd, wonderful news! Can't wait to have your book in my hands.
Thank you so much!!
Hello Todd,
New here. But not new to the ideas. I began writing as a commenter on digital platforms many years ago -- attempting to act as a canary-in-the-coalmine -- which was not always heard. Since reading a Holocaust memoir as a girl, I had never stopped asking how/why the 60+ million Germans of the 1930s had gone collectively mad and bad under Hitler. Very few persons of the post-war era ever seemed interested in either the question or the answer.
I grew up and studied formally, I observed and experienced life.....and years prior to COVID-mania I realized that the West is in a SHADOW POSSESSION. Not just the Shadow appearing here and there, but the group Shadow taking over. It is a very particular situation.
That is the Jungian term, of course. The other term for this phenomenon is Totalitarianism -- which is not solely political; it is a specific human dynamic found in many spheres.
Someone this week directed me to your Substack since you were writing on my theme. I hope to have a book published late this year as well.
I know of course that Mattias Desmet did his podcasts on one of the terms used -- Mass Formation -- but I found that it was too little, and this aspect had already been covered by Gustave Le Bon in 1895. It was more a glossary presentation than an explanation of the principles involved. Mattias has presented no real overall explanations of the phenomenon....he even turns a blind eye to vital aspects. Which I have told him.
At any rate, Carl Jung himself did not initially recognize the Shadow Possession of 1930s Nazism. Therefore I think I have done quite well in recognizing it as the principle here in the WOKE West.
I look forward to reading your work beyond the most recent article, which is what I have seen to date.
Welcome! These are some very poignant and important thoughts and observations. Thanks for brining them here. I hope you post often.
Yes, the "German Hitler phenomenon" was rather unique, and very perplexing. I was not aware that Jung did not "recognize the Shadow Possession of 1930's Nazism"...maybe I am not interpreting "shadow possession" the same way you are. Jung wrote extensively about Nazism, and the collective shadow...starting with essays in the 1930's...his ideas shifted a bit as time went on into the '40s. And we must be aware that most of the world was not aware of the Holocaust atrocities for quite some time after the war.
Jung explicitly linked the shadow to the success of Adolf Hitler, whom he described as a figure who embodied and projected the unacknowledged darkness of the German people. In “Fight with the Shadow,” he wrote, “Hitler was the shadow of the German people, the dark side they refused to see in themselves”. He suggested that the German people’s refusal to confront their own inferiority, humiliation, and aggression—stemming from the Treaty of Versailles and economic collapse—allowed these energies to be projected onto Hitler, who became a vessel for their collective shadow. Jung noted, “The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort”. In Germany’s case, this moral effort was absent, leading to catastrophic consequences.
Personally I find this sort of "group hysteria and psychosis" to be the most perplexing phenomenon of the time...but not only as it is manifest by the "masses" but also how it shows up in the individual. Check out my article on the Egregore...which touches on the idea that the people of Germany during Hitler's time were affected by this "group mind evil."
https://www.shrewviews.com/p/manifestation-of-evil-the-egregore?utm_source=publication-search
If this is behind a paywall let me know and I will release it.
Jung concentrated during WWII and after, on the "spirit of the Wotan force". Which led his audience to believe it was something genetic within the German character that caused them to become morally decrepit. This was never really argued or sufficiently explained to/by Jungians in the post-war world. H.G. Baynes being an exception (although his work was never well known). So the myth trickled down into general Western culture that such a situation could never happen outside of Germany.
Yes, of course Shadow Possession shows up in the individual. One-to-one totalitarianism of this nature can be found in any Disorganized Attachment relationship (Love +Terror) such as Domestic Abuser to target, or pathological Cluster-B personality to prey.
We saw this in the group form in COVID-mania and in the leftwing WOKE phenomenon of mass insanity (Collective Psychosis, Folie à Deux, Mass Formation, etc.). We see it in cults. And gangs. And more. It can be found on the rightwing as Puritan Witch Hunts or as radical Islam.
Thank you again...very astute observations!
I would say by the early 1940s, Jung shifted his terminology from the archetype of Wotan to the archetype of the shadow, reflecting a broader and more universal framework for understanding the psychological dynamics of Nazism.
But just my take on it...thanks again...
After 2+ hours here with my comment, and almost no response, I am beginning to wonder whether this is a Substack forum that values truth per se....or instead values the harmony of an established group under an established leader -- to whom members must be seen to be loyal.... above loyalty to truth.
I spent a month or so on the Rod Dreher Substack once, and found that particular forum to be exceedingly blind to this concept, and willing to ignore truths for the sake of the group narrative. Which is precisely where the group Shadow trouble begins.
It's an interesting quandary.....especially since the theme I have written on here -- group SHADOW POSSESSION -- might lead to just this sort of activity.
Life is ironic, is it not?
I think you are being a bit overcritical. It is Saturday here, and I have a lot of things I do on Saturday...and typically I do not start looking at comments to respond to until later in the day.
Todd, with all due respect, I think that is just an excuse. I am busy on a Saturday too. But I made time to look up your Substack, subscribe to it, and read/comment on this. Do have some respect for that.
I believe I have touched a nerve. Perhaps because I have stated that these ideas of yours are already long known (and published for copyright) by someone else.
Don't tell me that you have not had an eagle eye on responses to your book announcement here (Kindle version) since the moment you posted it this morning....because I would not believe you, my friend. I suspect you simply failed to acknowledge a comment that did not suit.