Library Friday 6.11.21
Definitions, References & Sources, Additional Details
Definitions
Shadow
In general parlance (composite of major dictionaries):
a reflected image 2.) partial darkness or obscurity within a part of space from which rays from a source of light are cut off by an interposed opaque body 3.) a trace, small degree or portion 4.) attenuated form or a vestigial remnant 5.) inseparable companion or follower; one (like a detective) who shadows someone 6.) vicinity, area near an object 7.) shaded or darker portion of a picture 8.) shelter from danger or observation 9.) imperfect and faint representation; copy or imitation 10.) phantom 11.)source of gloom or unhappiness 12.) state of obscurity
Psychological shadow:
Hidden or unconscious aspect of oneself, both good and bad, which the conscious (ego) self has never recognized or has repressed. (The same applies collectively regarding the consciously held beliefs and principles of groups such as family systems, institutions, governments, nations.) Before unconscious elements have been identified and brought to full awareness the shadow is in effect the whole of the unconscious. Importantly for individual and culturally, shadow elements that remain untended and unconscious retain and take on tremendous autonomous—out of conscious control— psychic energy called libido. These become unconsciously drawn and activated in a process called projection. —Sharp, D. (1994). C. G. Jung Lexicon: A primer of terms and concepts. Toronto, Canada: Inner City Books.
In characteristic pithiness, Jung clarified his concept by vigorously cautioning against trying to define the shadow in overly literal or binary “good vs evil, virtues vs sins” terms, saying: “This is all nonsense! The shadow is simply the whole unconscious!” —von Franz, M-L. (1974). Shadow and evil in fairytales. Zurich, Switzerland: Spring Journals.
Blind spot:
(In general parlance, composite of major dictionaries)
(biological) the small circular area at the back of the retina where the optic nerve enters the eyeball and which is devoid of rods and cones and is not sensitive to light — also called optic disk 2.) a portion of a field that cannot be seen or inspected with available equipment 3.) an area in which one fails to exercise judgment or sort facts accurately
Blind spot in depth psychology: contents of the shadow that are often obscured in the individual or group’s least-developed (least conscious and understood) function which is the direct opposite of the dominant and most highly developed function. (Ie., we can look for the shadow and blind spot by noticing first what is most dominant and overtly demonstrated, in individual and collectively out in the culture..) In the individual the blind spot and shadow are associated with the fourth or “inferior” function, the opposite of our most dominant and well-developed areas, and the one that can be developed with maturity as we bring more and more unconscious shadow elements to our awareness and “own” them. —Sharp, D. (1994).
Libido:
(In general parlance, composite of major dictionaries)
sexual energy or desire
Libido in Freud’s depth (unconscious-oriented) psychology
unconscious infantile survival and sexual energy that’s repressed, expressed, or modulated by conscious functions in adulthood.
Libido in Jung’s depth (unconscious-oriented) psychology
Psychic energy in general (and particularly including what Jung considered a basic creative instinct of the psyche over the entire course of life and throughout adulthood.) In one of Jung’s primary departures and his ultimate split as heir-apparent from Freud and his psychoanalysis, Jung specifically distanced his concept of libido from Freud for whom libido had a predominantly sexual meaning. In line with his belief that the psyche is a self-regulating system in which one is always attending to “where the energy is trying to go,” he associated libido with intentionality. The psyche “knows” where it ought to go for the overall health of the organism, person, group. Jung viewed the creative instinct as basic as hunger, thirst, sexuality and aggression. —Sharp, (1994).
Projection:
(In general parlance, composite of major dictionaries)
process of reproducing a spatial object on a plane or curved surface or a line (as with a map) 2.) a transforming change 3.) act of throwing or thrusting forward 4.) scheming, forming of a plan 5.) jutting out, a part that juts out 6.) the act of perceiving a mental object as spatially and sensibly objective; also something so perceived 7.) the attribution of one’s own ideas, feelings, or attitudes to other people or to objects (especially the externalization of blame built or responsibility as a defense against negative feelings such as fear or shame) 7.) the display of motion pictures by projecting an image from them upon a screen 8.) the act of projecting especially to an audience 9.) an estimate of future possibilities based on a current trend.
Projection in depth (and some aspects of clinical) psychology
Interestingly, note that the common-parlance dictionary definitions #6. and #7. (highlighted above in bold italics) refer to the psychological definitions of projection—which like the shadow and blind spot presumes and is a function of the unconscious psyche.
Additionally, (individual and collective) projection is an automatic process whereby contents of one’s own unconscious are perceived to be in others… Projection is not a conscious process. One meets with projections, one does not make them. It is possible to project certain characteristics onto another person who does not have them at all, but the one projected onto unconsciously encourages or ‘hooks’ it. (Thus inaccurate projections must be brought to awareness and withdrawn.) Projection also has positive effects, facilitating interpersonal relations as we learn positive perceptions are accurate, shared and encouraging. —Sharp, (1994.)
A closing note on shadow and projection in the news-scape
Dynamics are the same for individual and group. It should make us nervous whenever an individual—or a powerful institution, like the Catholic Church, the Boy Scouts or the Senate—claims only one set of assets or moral virtues as their own truths, leaving their opposite/shadow elements to the unconscious. I say nervous for two reasons. First, whatever we don’t consciously believe about ourselves (even the good things that are true of us) gets projected unconsciously onto an other. (So if I’m actually good at something I believe I am not, I’ll unconsciously project, idealizing others who may or may not be that good or better at it than I.) This is how shadow is sometimes positive, and when unconscious it gets projected just as the bad stuff does.
And second, both individually and again at the collective level—as we have witnessed with many kinds of mob behaviors in recent months and years—things left unattended in the unconscious (rather than brought to the surface where we can keep an eye on them) are primitive, have and gain enormous energy and ‘hook’ like magnets onto other unconscious stuff as well as projected onto external figures (such as leaders).
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Here’s an overview of coverage and progress of the UNC/Hannah-Jonesissue through this week:
From columnist Isaac Bailey: UNC-Nikole Hannah-Jones: They’re coming for you, too
WRAL TV Raleigh: Nikole Hannah-Jones controversy at UNC “part of rising tide of suppression”
UNC Alumni News: Amid outcry from faculty, alumni, its home state and nationwide UNC trustees accept resubmission of Hannah-Jones tenure bid
The Raleigh News & Observer this week: Hannah-Jones tenure lawsuit
A Charlotte Observer explanation of what opponents call “toxic Critical Race Theory”: “What is Critical Race Theory and is it taught in NC? Answers to common questions.
From a psychological standpoint these are vivid examples of much-needed identifying, reclaiming, owning and integrating our national racial shadow. Equally vivid is the intense backlash and resistance that occurs whenever we are dealing with shadow, and that is true both individually or collectively. The unconscious is, well, un-conscious. It is by definition the unknown about ourselves and our world and that unknown is, in itself, frightening. This is true aside from what undesirable, evil, unknown is there along with a lot of “the gold” in us. And the more we (individually and collectively) like, have been rewarded by, are successful by, and are identified with being in-the-know and in control, the scarier and more unacceptable it is even to contemplate the shadow at all. Adhering to blatant lies becomes preferable. This is a dynamic we are seeing played-out every day in our national and all levels of politics.
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A couple of additional resources related to today’s News Notebook, along with sources embedded in the newsletter..
