Jung: My Patients All Seek Their Own Existence. Man Cannot Stand a Meaningless Life

Fascinating interview of Jung posted here at Maria Popova's brilliant site. Here are a few excerpts that stood out to me.

JUNG:  "I soon learned that when [Freud] thought something, it was settled. Whereas I was doubting all along." "[Freud’s] approach was different from mine because his personality was different from mine."

FREEMAN:  Where did you differ?

JUNG:  "[Freud’s] disregard for the historical conditions of man. You see, we depend a lot on our history. ... We are not of today or yesterday. We are of an immense age."

JUNG:  "I was often at variance with reality."

JUNG:  "We need more psychology. Because the only real danger that remains is man himself. He is the real danger. And we are pitifully unaware of it. We know nothing of man. His psyche should be studied. Because we are the origin of coming evil." 

FREEMAN:  As the world becomes more technically efficient, it seems increasingly necessary for people to behave communally and collectively, now do you think it’s possible that the highest development of man may be to submerge his own individuality in a kind of collective consciousness?

JUNG:  That’s hardly possible. I think there will be a reaction — a reaction will set in against this communal dissociation. You know, man doesn’t stand [put up with] forever, his nullification. Once, there will be a reaction, and I see it setting in, you know, when I think of my patients, they all seek their own existence and to assure their existence against that complete atomization into nothingness or into meaninglessness. Man cannot stand a meaningless life.