The Only Thing One Can Do Against Evil | Marie-Louise von Franz | Shadow Work in Jungian Psychology

Quick Overview

Marie-Louise von Franz asserts that the only effective way to combat evil, which manifests as the shadow projected onto others or societal ills, is through the arduous, inner work of confronting and integrating one's own personal shadow, citing examples like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and the inherent duality in human nature.

Key Points: The primary defense against evil, whether in dreams or reality, is internal work: confronting and integrating one's own personal shadow. External evil manifests as projecting one's unacknowledged shadow qualities (like inferiority or negative impulses) onto others, such as criminals or political figures. Von Franz references literary examples like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to illustrate the splitting of opposites within the psyche. The attempt to fight evil by attacking the shadow projected onto others is generally unsuccessful because the shadow is ultimately internal. Societal redemption depends on the cumulative effect of individuals successfully integrating their own shadow, rather than external attempts to correct others. The extrovert tendency to externalize problems often leads to blaming others or society for internal deficiencies.

Context: This video segment features an interview with Marie-Louise von Franz, a renowned Jungian psychologist and close associate of Carl Jung, discussing the concept of the Shadow in Jungian psychology and its role in understanding and combating evil in both personal and collective life. The discussion emphasizes that true confrontation with evil requires introspection rather than external blame.

Detailed Analysis

Marie-Louise von Franz argues that the most effective response to evil is internal, specifically the work of confronting and integrating one's own personal shadow. She notes that it is tempting to act heroically or point out the evil in others, but this external focus misses the core issue. Evil often manifests in dreams as persecutory figures or in waking life as negative societal projections, such as blaming criminals or politicians for societal ills. Von Franz uses the literary example of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde to show the inherent splitting of opposites within the psyche. She states that the shadow we cast onto others—seeing them as inferior, malevolent, or exhibiting qualities we deny in ourselves—is what needs integration. She cites the proverb that the good man pays greater attention to his own shadow than to the evil of others. When people fail to do this internal work, their unintegrated shadow manifests externally, leading to destructive behaviors or societal problems. The only way for society to be redeemed, she concludes, is through the cumulative effect of individuals successfully integrating their own shadows, rather than through external moralizing or attempts to fix others.