What Jung Really Said

by Edward Armstrong Bennet

With an Introduction by Anthony Storr. E.A. Bennet introduces us to the thought of Jung in the context of his life and his life's work. In this classic overview of Jung's sixty-year career, Bennet covers the "background and development of Jung's thinking, personality classifications, analysis of the components of personality, the unconscious, dreams, the active imagination, alchemical symbolism and philosophy, psychotherapy, and Jung's relationship to Freud... The author's choice of material is judicious and the exposition of it shows deft craftsmanship." (Choice).

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Philosophy

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1966

Reviews

[Nia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can see and most enjoyed the influence of Jung on Viktor Frankl in terms of man's search for meaning. I had not realized that Victor that young had developed the concepts of extraversion versus introversion, although I do recall that the Mayer-Briggs archetype work? Editing problem...

[ᴛᴀɴᴊᴀ *:・ﾟ ₍ᐢ•ﻌ•ᐢ₎*:・ﾟ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really appreciated it, Jung has very interesting views and i like how open minded he always stayed during his whole life, i might re read it later bc it was still kinda complicated for me

[Haneen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I effin love Jung!! this book gave me an insight about the beautiful world he created and his way of thinking. brilliant man. Must read it again.

[Don Siegrist · Rating 2 out of 5]

An introduction to psychiatrist C. S. Jung's work with significant focus on his research into dreams and how they provide a window into our subconscious mind. I now understand why both Jung and Freud were so interested in dream interpretation. They both saw it as an opportunity to identify and possibly cure various mental illness. Jung also believed that we each possess a personal subconscious as well as a shared one that has been passed down through our genetic heritage. An interesting idea. Much of his work focused on identifying symbols within dreams. I don't buy this aspect at all. I don't see that dreams provide any real meaning. I think dreams are a process in which our psyche is working out certain emotional issues. But then again... I have no more clue than anyone else.

[Ypatios Varelas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Πώς γίνεται μέσα σε 200 μόλις σελίδες να πάρουμε μία καλή γεύση του Γιούνγκ, των ιδεών του, της συνεισφοράς του στην ψυχολογία, της σχέσης του με τον Φρόιντ, ακόμα και του τρόπου που μπορεί να σκεφτόταν; Και όμως γίνεται! Και δεν θα μπορούσε να γίνει καλύτερα από κάποιον που τον γνώριζε προσωπικά, που έζησε τον ίδιο και την εποχή του, που συζήτησε μαζί του γραπτά και προφορικά.

Ο Μπένετ κάνει μία αξιόλογη προσπάθεια να μεταφέρει, με όσο πιο απλά λόγια γίνεται (αλλά χωρίς απλοϊκότητα) βασικές ιδέες του Γιουνγκ, όπως τα συμπλέγματα, το συλλογικό ασυνείδητο, την τυπολογία του, τα αρχέτυπα, την περσόνα, το anima και το animus, κ.ά. Προσπαθεί επίσης να μας βοηθήσει να αντιληφθούμε εν μέρει πώς σκεφτόταν ο Γιουνγκ και να διευκρινήσει κάποια στοιχεία σχετικά με το πώς λειτουργούσε και τι τον καθοδηγούσε.

Το πόσο δύσκολο είναι να "μαζέψει" κάποιος τον Γιούνγκ σε 200 σελίδες, για όσους ξέρουν, με αναγκάζει να κρίνω το βιβλίο με λίγη περισσότερη επιείκια από ότι αν αφορούσε κάποιο άλλο ιστορικό πρόσωπο της ψυχολογίας (εκτός ίσως από τον Φρόιντ, όπου η δυσκολία θα ήταν ακόμα μεγαλύτερη). Θεωρώ ότι είναι ένα καλογραμμένο βιβλίο, με κάποια πολύ δυνατά κομμάτια και κάποια λίγο πιο αδύναμα, γενικά βατό για τον μέσο αναγνώστη που διαθέτει ένα καλό επίπεδο μόρφωσης και παιδείας, εκτός από λίγα συγκεκριμένα σημεία και σίγουρα υπάρχουν ελλείψεις που όμως τις δικαιολογώ λόγω της περιορισμένης έκτασης του βιβλίου. Νομίζω ότι ο Μπένετ έχει αγγίξει τα σημαντικότερα θέματα που πραγματεύτηκε ο Γιουνκγ και μάλιστα με έναν τρόπο άμεσα επεξηματικό, ενώ οι κριτικές/ερμηνευτικές προσθήκες του θεωρώ ότι διευκολύνουν την κατανόηση στις περισσότερες περιπτώσεις. Μου άρεσε επίσης ο τρόπος που ο Μπένετ προσέγγισε τη σχέση Γιουνγκ και Φρόιντ, τόσο στις καλές όσο και στις κακές στιγμές της, και πώς ο Γιουνγκ ταυτόχρονα σεβάστηκε αλλά και διαφοροποιήθηκε σημαντικά, τελικά, από το "ιερό τέρας" της ψυχανάλυσης.

Πιστεύω ότι αν κάποιος θελήσει να διαβάσει ένα μόνο βιβλίο για τον Γιουνγκ, ή αν θέλει μία καλή εισαγωγή στις ιδέες, τη φιλοσοφία του και πώς λειτουργούσε, αυτό εδώ είναι μία καλή περίπτωση.

[Epos Opus · Rating 3 out of 5]

“What Jung really said” by Edward Armstrong Bennet is an introduction to the life and work of one of the most discussed and influential figures in the field of psychology, Carl Gustav Jung. Bennet provides an overview of Jung's theories, delving into his concepts of the collective unconscious, archetypes, and individuation. The book sheds light on Jung's ideas and their impact on modern psychotherapy and personal development. Bennet also explores Jung's relationships with contemporaries such as Sigmund Freud and how these interactions shaped his own theoretical advancements.

Below is an essayish review about my discoveries of the book, providing more comprehensive discussion of some of the major themes in it.

Carl Gustav Jung, born in 1875 in Switzerland, is a prominent figure in psychology known for his extensive contributions that span from complex theories of the mind to practical therapeutic techniques. Jung's journey into psychology began with an early fascination sparked by childhood experiences and later solidified through his academic pursuits in psychiatry. His work is often noted for its depth and complexity, with writings that can be difficult to comprehend fully. Despite this, Jung's openness to changing his views and avoiding rigid systems set him apart as a flexible thinker in the field of psychology.

One of Jung's significant contributions is the concept of complexes, which he described as groups of thoughts and emotions associated with particular themes. He explored these through word association tests, where delayed responses revealed underlying emotional currents. Jung also introduced the idea of psychological types, differentiating between introverts and extraverts, and further breaking down consciousness into thinking, feeling, sensing, and intuiting functions. His exploration into the unconscious included the study of dreams, which he saw as manifestations of the unconscious mind, often carrying unresolved issues or warnings.

Jung's work also extended into areas such as the collective unconscious, which he believed to be a shared, universal part of the human psyche containing archetypes common across cultures. His holistic approach to understanding the mind also led him to consider the importance of myths and symbols, the potential of spontaneous art to reveal unconscious thoughts, and the process of individuation, which he described as the integration of the conscious and unconscious parts of the self. Throughout his career, Jung maintained a practical and humanistic approach to therapy, valuing personal connections with patients and encouraging them to explore their inner worlds. His legacy in psychology is marked by a profound understanding of the complexities of the human mind and the continuous pursuit of deeper self-awareness.

[Mz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Συναρπαστικό! Τώρα νιώθω πραγματικά ότι κατανοώ τον Jung

[Naomi Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well-written, fascinating, makes me want to learn more about Jungian psychology.

[Nathan Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great overview of Jung's life and psychological methodology.

[Eveliina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting little book! Quite a few insightful gems, but utterly outdated. Worth the read yet with a grain of salt 👌🏼

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating to see we have much psychological knowledge and resources today due to pioneers like Jung.

[Robert Day · Rating 4 out of 5]

On Friday night, I had a dream about Barnsley. Don't worry, I'm not going to tell you about it - I know that even the most fascinating of a person's dreams turn to something like partially chewed corn-bread somewhere between the mouth of the speaker and the ears of the listener.

Suffice to say, this dream led me to undertake a pilgrimage to Barnsley - on the bus. Well, in fact, there were 6 buses involved.

Anyway, when I got there, I looked around but I couldn't find anything relating to the dream, so I bought 7 bags of sugar-free toffees from the market, this book from a charity shop, and came back home.

It was really important that I bought this book - not for any transcendental, world changing reason; just for the fact that I'd nearly finished the book that I'd taken with me, and bus journeys can be really long and boring without something to do; and the fact that I'm addicted to reading books. Not that I'm evolved enough to admit to myself that it's a problem. The fact that I have no friends or life outside of books and movies and work and marriage and ... (really, is that all I do?) ... oh, and writing reviews on Goodreads #selfsatisfiedsmile has no relevance at all.

So, where were we? Oh yes, I bought this book to read on the journey home.

I gotta say that I dig Jung a lot more than I dig Freud. He seems to be much less of a flake for one (no, you're right, I have no idea what a flake is).

I also found this to be one of those really interesting books that made me think about life and my place in it.

I have this theory that a good number of mental patients are, like, kinda faking it to some extent, so that they can get whatever attention they need, or divert whatever attention they don't need. It's, like, something in their toolbox that they pull out when they need a break from the responsibility of feeding the cat (or whatever).

This has, of course, nothing to do with this book, but I'm always reminded of it when I read tomes like this.

The book itself is well written and interesting; although 'interesting' is a concept that I suppose is highly subjective. I found it to be interesting anyway. It's written by one of Jung's friends, and it really does do what it says on the tin - it explains (to my satisfaction anyway) what Jung really said.

I really can't think of anything else to say ... unless you'd like to know what I did with all those sugar-free toffees when I discovered their laxative effect half way through the longest bus journey ever!?

[Algirdas · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kažkada Charles Rycroft Psichoanalizės žodyno įžangoje perskaičiau: "Kadangi autorius kenčia nuo gana paplitusio įgimto defekto, negebėjimo suprasti Jungo raštų, tai atrodo bus sąžiningiau ir skaitytojų, ir paties Jungo atžvilgiu pasiūlyti skaityti Benneto knygą "Ką ištikro norėjo pasakyti Jungas", negu pačiam bandyti tai perteikti. Bennetas buvo artimas Jungo draugas, o ši knyga perteikia Jungo idėjas aiškia ir paprastai, taip aiškiai ir paprastai, kad skaitytojui belieka tiktai spėlioti, kodėl apskritai Jungo kūryba laikoma mistiška ir nesuprantama."
Perskaičiau, nieko ypatingai naujo neradau ir nemanau, kad ši knyga gali atstoti paties Jungo veikalų skaitymą. Be to yra rimtesnių ir įdomesnių autorių, tęsiančių ir vystančių Jungo mintis, pvz.:
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/...

[Arielle88 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great introduction to how Jung's ideas developed. It did a really solid job explaining what his theories are, how they're interconnected, and the context in which they arose, but was lacking a little bit in explaining how he applied them. Could definitely have gone into more detail explaining archetypes. In general, I felt that more examples would really have brought his theories to life, but I get that they were going for brevity and I appreciate that. If you're going to read one book on Jung, this is a good choice.

[Keith · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jung was certainly a pioneer in his general ideas about dreams and the unconscious, but the errors of his anima/animus concept cannot be overlooked. Jung's was a mind of great potential blighted by antiquated notions of gender and sexuality. Bennet's descriptions of Jung's techniques imply that the latter treated patients as individuals, but the assumption that "men" and "women" are fundamentally different denies our individuality.

[Robert · Rating 2 out of 5]

I still didn't get it.

[Vedana · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://huzurdankale.wordpress.com/201...

[David Corvine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clear, concise and readable.

[Mark Valentine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Essential reading, I discovered, in order to learn about Jung quickly, succinctly, accurately.