How to read Jung" is a brilliant small book that introduces works and ideas of Jung to beginners. The author goes through a number of extracts from Jung's main works and concepts. This book is a stepping stone in understanding work of one of the geniuses of the 20th century.
This is a great introduction to Carl Jung's thought. Jung's thought would be interesting for those interested in the relationship between science and spirituality, the role of myth in our lives, and alternative/supplemental perspectives on psychology/psychiatry.
This is a book which really gives on what Jung thinks and what his stance on certain things. A really dense book. I had the thought that I can read this fast because of its 100-ish pages but now it feels like I had just read a 300 pages book. So, take your time reading this.
Two things to point out real quick. I think his conception of consciousness as a curse is truly mind-opening. Jung alludes to the story of Adam and Eve where they ate the apple of knowledge as our departing from nature. We usually, in our primitive era, did things without reflections and depended on instinct. This is the time of the unconscious, the time of pre-reflection without conscious decisions and deliberations. The eating of the apple shows to us we were naked, the time we attained consciousness. And we can't go back being unconscious. The only thing we can do is go forward, to broaden our consciousness. And that is by realizing that we have two selves in us, the conscious and the unconscious. And only by this we can balance our life, to make the ego diminished in its power and use the energy of the unconscious forces to transform our life. This I think has a profit to us.
But one thing I don't like, and can't ever accept, is his idea of God as this supranatural being who not only Good but Evil also, the Gnostic God. This is blasphemous, and to all the blasphemies that had occurred, this thinking should be anathemized.
A fantastic introduction to Jung鈥檚 most significant theories and concepts of psychology. The implications and explanation of the extracts are very helpful for readers to comprehend Jung鈥檚 approach and style in a broader context. It is a read of ease without sacrificing a meaningful discourse. I do think this book serves its primary purpose already - I鈥檓 more than motivated to dive into Jung鈥檚 work.
The way Dr. Tacey "explains" Jung goes deep into the brain, at least in mine. For beginners in Jungs work I recommend reading Dr. Taceys words first and for the experienced Jungians is a lot of new thoughts to find...
After Zizek鈥檚 how to read lacan, I had high expectations. I found this work to be much more dry and less conversational. It almost seemed like a personal defense of Jung
An accessible primer to the idea of Jung as a thinker. Jung as a psychologist is not the focus of this one but the breadth and depth of information crammed in this small book is impressive and it does help me see why his influence is still with us today.
Jung being Jung, certain ideas here may irritate a more empirical mind. "A separate truth dimension" may remind one of a recent catchphrase "alternative facts".