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I'll Show You the Life of the Mind!
Sara Corbett has written a wonderful story for The New York Times Magazine that I almost finished. It tells of the capture and publication of Swiss shrink and mystic Carl Gustav Jung's Liber Novus. This big and heavy red-leather book with thick pages was Jung's notebook through a 16-year exploration of the life of the mind (the mind, sadly, being his own). It contains full-color Blakean vision paintings, dreams and hallucinations written out in a careful Motörhead-type script, and the seeds of all Jung's best-known ideas. Variously described as the "nuclear reactor for all [Jung's] works" and something to read "cover to cover without stopping to breathe scarcely," the notebook has been locked up in a Zurich bank safe deposit box for decades but will be published by W.W. Norton in time for Halloween.
When I hear the name
"Jung" I generally back quickly toward the nearest exit, making a
cross with two index fingers, taking the safety off my pistol and
mixing myself a stiff drink all at once. (I do it by summoning the
anima of six-armed Kali from the collective unconscious, a
trick I picked up one night in an abandoned nunnery in Avignon.)
Also Corbett, in her heroic efforts to anthropomorphize the book,
deploys fancy words I'm not sure she knows the definitions of, so
that the Red Book has been "cosseted behind the skeins of its own
legend," but while there it has "fulminated as both an asset and a
liability."
That having been said, the Jungians I have known, almost to a woman (for in my experience Jungians are almost always woman, though Corbett's story, maybe because it treats the top echelons of a religion, features only males), have been good, thoughtful, more or less honest people. I'm very excited that Jungians have their own real holy book now, and wish them the best in promoting their faith. In fact, I hope the various American Jungian institutes, even in these hard times, will put some money toward getting Corbett a movie deal. (Prestige all the way: Anne Hathaway as Corbett and Jean-Louis Trintignant as the ghost of Jung.)
Finally, I find the Red Book concept itself to be the grooviness of the fabulicity. Why doesn't everybody have a Red Book?
BakedPenguin|9.26.09 @ 6:11PM|#
When I hear the name "Jung" I generally back quickly toward the nearest exit, making a cross with two index fingers, taking the safety off my pistol and mixing myself a stiff drink all at once.
Obviously, your shadow influences you greatly.
Warty|9.26.09 @ 6:14PM|#
Whose side are you on, son? Don't you love your country? Then how about getting with the program? Why don't you jump on the team and come on in for the big win?
|9.26.09 @ 6:21PM|#
I was rather impressed by the illustrations. Did he do them
himself?
http://www.nytimes.com/imagepages/2009/09/20/magazine/20jung.3.ready.html
Plaxico Burress|9.26.09 @ 6:38PM|#
taking the safety off my pistol
Dey make pistols wit' safeties?!??!!!?
Nows ya fuckin' tells me.
Warty|9.26.09 @ 6:45PM|#
Warty, why the Full Metal Jacket reference?
The duality of man, the Jungian thing, sir!
You sicken me, Art-P.O.G.
|9.26.09 @ 7:06PM|#
Damn, Tim, I'm starting to really, really like your writing.
This makes me feel funny inside, like Warty looking at a picture of
his mom, so I'm going to have to reject it for now, like Warty does
with his mom.
Oh, and Art, you are no Joker.
BlueBook|9.26.09 @ 7:12PM|#
Everything I needed to know about Jungian theory I learned from Frodo Baggins.
Art-P.O.G.|9.26.09 @ 7:13PM|#
Oh, and Art, you are no Joker.
You're right. I don't look a thing like Matthew Modine.
Heh, plus these days the military services frown on Servicemembers
writing on their helmets.
|9.26.09 @ 7:22PM|#
I agree, the illustrations do look boss. I hope that the publication of the book unwittingly releases the Elder Gods to wreak havoc on the earth, because that would be awesome.
Kunal|9.26.09 @ 7:24PM|#
I do it by summoning the anima of six-armed Kali from the
collective unconscious, a trick I picked up one night in an
abandoned nunnery in Avignon.
Kali has four arms, not six. It is this kind of exaggeration that
makes Hinduism seem like the kind of freakshow it is made out to
be.
Art-P.O.G.|9.26.09 @ 7:27PM|#
Kali has four arms, not six. It is this kind of exaggeration that makes Hinduism seem like the kind of freakshow it is made out to be.
Maybe in the Vedas, Kali only has four arms, but in the
collective unconscious, she has six. ;)
COOP I agree with you. Episiarch, I'd agree with you, but only
white people can be racist.
|9.26.09 @ 7:34PM|#
You know who else was in Full Metal Jacket?
Jayne!
The Man they call Jayne!
Oh, He robbed from the rich
and he gave to the poor.
Stood up to the man
and he gave him what for.
Our love for him now
ain't hard to explain.
The hero of Canton
the man they call Jayne.
Our Jayne saw the mudders' backs breakin'.
He saw the mudders' lament.
And he saw the Magistrate takin'
every dollar and leavin' five cents.
So he said: "You can't do that to my people."
said "You can't crush them under your heel."
So Jayne strapped on his hat
and in 5 seconds flat
stole everythin' Boss Higgins had to steal.
Oh, He robbed from the rich
and he gave to the poor.
Stood up to the man
and he gave him what for.
Our love for him now
ain't hard to explain.
The hero of Canton
the man they call Jayne.
Now here is what separates heroes
from common folk like you and I.
The man they call Jayne
he turned 'round his plane
and let that money hit sky.
He dropped it onto our houses
he dropped it into our yards.
The man they called Jayne
he stole away our pain
and headed out for the stars!
(Here we go!)
He robbed from the rich
and he gave to the poor.
Stood up to the man
and he gave him what for.
Our love for him now
ain't hard to explain.
The hero of Canton
the man they call Jayne...
anarch the rugged individualis|9.26.09 @ 7:50PM|#
Ya gotta be unconscious to be a collectivist.
Trow da bum out.
BakedPenguin|9.26.09 @ 7:56PM|#
I knew a Jungian in college. He was also into Robert Anton Wilson, Eastern mysticism, and did lots and lots and lots and lots of mushrooms.
BakedPenguin|9.26.09 @ 8:05PM|#
Art - think of that character as a college undergrad, minus the creepy servility, and you're pretty close.
|9.26.09 @ 8:07PM|#
Why am I picturing Dennis Hopper from Apocalypse
Now?
No, no: Blue Velvet. "I'll fuck anything that
moves!"
Wait, I'm projecting Warty again.
Tim Cavanaugh|9.26.09 @ 8:11PM|#
Kali has four arms, not six. It is this kind of exaggeration
that makes Hinduism seem like the kind of freakshow it is made out
to be.
Great Shiva's ghost! And I always get "Hinduism" when I take one of
those "Which religion is right for you" tests. If it weren't for
the vegetarian stuff I'd be there.
BakedPenguin|9.26.09 @ 8:36PM|#
You know what I'm most ashamed of? I've never seen Blue Velvet.
But I'm sure you've found dismembered ears in vacant fields, huffed
helium, and had brutal sex with lounge singers, so you've basically
had the experience.
Ted S.|9.26.09 @ 10:21PM|#
Kali has four arms, not six. It is this kind of exaggeration
that makes Hinduism seem like the kind of freakshow it is made out
to be.
Eight Arms to Hold
You
Shrf. HST|9.26.09 @ 10:44PM|#
Warty needs to pop his Lynch cherry.
I'll get the rope and plastic bag, you get the donuts and coffee,
and I'll meet you over the border at midnight.
Pigsy|9.26.09 @ 10:47PM|#
I am yet to meet a Jungian who was also a mystic, that said every Jungian I have met has taken it with a heavy pinch of salt.
Grand Teuton|9.27.09 @ 2:25AM|#
I am yet to meet a Swiss who was also able to keep his auxiliary verbs straight.
Art-P.O.G.|9.27.09 @ 6:44AM|#
who gets to play the backwards talking midget?
I am The Arm, and I gow whoowhoowhoowhoowhoo.
Plant Immigration RIghts Suppo|9.27.09 @ 8:28AM|#
Episarch,
That song was from my favorite episode of Firefly. Although they
were all brilliant. Not a bad one in the series. I was PISSED when
Fox took that show off. And to think they replaced it with some
stupid reality show. "Mr. Personality" I think is what it was
caled. Brilliant show. Brilliant acting. Brilliant writing.
M o n k e e|9.27.09 @ 9:25AM|#
"I knew a Jungian in college. He was also into Robert Anton
Wilson,"
That makes sense, If memory serves, Jung was one of the characters
in the Illuminatus!
all that talk of red books is giving me the urge to dig out some
Arthur Lee
MNG|9.27.09 @ 10:29AM|#
"Anne Hathaway as Corbett and Jean-Louis Trintignant as the
ghost of Jung"
If Anne does a nude scene than that's a movie I don't want to miss!
Ella Enchanted conjures up impure thoughts in me to this day...
I, Kahn O\'Clast|9.27.09 @ 1:23PM|#
BLUE VELVET?
PABST BLUE RIBBON
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snhiofL2Rh4
|9.27.09 @ 5:32PM|#
Mr. Cavanaugh could be 50% less self impressed and 50% more open minded. I think I'll not hold my breath and move on.
|9.27.09 @ 5:35PM|#
Great Shiva's ghost! And I always get "Hinduism" when I take
one of those "Which religion is right for you" tests. If it weren't
for the vegetarian stuff I'd be there.
I'm really interested in finding out what kind of offspring a Hindu
and a Discordian would produce.
Warty|9.27.09 @ 6:14PM|#
The Viennese vampire says it
The cowboy round his campfire says it
The game show panelist
The Jungian analyst says
Babe, I'm on fire
Babe, I'm on fire
Syd Henderson|9.27.09 @ 6:51PM|#
"It is the nuclear reactor for all his works," Shamdasani
said
That explains the mutant 30-odd legged crocodile on page 419.
Lester Hunt|9.27.09 @ 9:27PM|#
"Why doesn't everybody have a Red Book?"
We do, but we call them "blogs" now.
Anonymous|9.28.09 @ 2:38AM|#
Babe, I'm on fire
You know, I don't think I've been able to listen to the full
fourteen minutes of that in one sitting. I've skipped around in it,
but after about five minutes I'm exhausted.
Art-P.O.G.|9.28.09 @ 6:42AM|#
Mecha Shiva! Mecha Shiva!
If Toho Co. Ltd ever collaborates with Baliwood, our faces are all as good as melted.
Rabbit Scribe|9.28.09 @ 9:04AM|#
Mr. Cavanaugh could be 50% less self impressed and 50% more
open minded. I think I'll not hold my breath and move
on.
See ya. By the way, all altered states of consciousness such as
dreams, drug-induced hallucinations, and religious ecstasies are
wholly valueless. Apparently you're so open-minded that your brain
fell out.
|9.28.09 @ 10:06AM|#
By the way, all altered states of consciousness such as
dreams, drug-induced hallucinations, and religious ecstasies are
wholly valueless.
Seeing as I know of no way to determine what the standard state of
consciousness is, any departure from which is altered and therefore
valueless, I'm having a hard time signing on to this one.
Ravac|9.28.09 @ 11:33AM|#
By the way, all altered states of consciousness such as
dreams, drug-induced hallucinations, and religious ecstasies are
wholly valueless.
If I enjoy myself, it has value.
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