Why We’re More Evil Than We Think | The Shadow

It looks like in current society we are excessively concerned with our self-image. But, albeit we'd think we ’ve figured ourselves out, is that this really the case?

Or are we just showing the earth --and ourselves --a mere reflection who we truly are?

Could it's that we are repressing certain parts of ourselves which below the surface there hides a monster which can awaken someday?

First of all, many thanks Joe for you PayPal donation. and lots of thanks Edward, Sai Sai and Alexander for supporting me on Patreon. I appreciate very it much and it helps me to continue this project. Now, let's dive in. No matter where we go: we constantly define and redefine who we actually are, and at the same time we judge other people's behaviors.

In society we are expected to behave in certain ways during which are socially acceptable.

What percentage codes of conduct and systems of ethics can we've as a society, in workplaces, at home, in nightlife, during a restaurant, at dinner parties, et cetera?

The consequence is that we wear sort of masks. These are sets of behaviors also as beliefs about ourselves and therefore the way we relate to the earth. Such a mask is known as the persona; which is where the word 'person' comes from. With the persona is that tons of individuals present themselves in certain ways, while keeping many desirable traits hidden the dark places of their minds. This happens consciously also as unconsciously.

Swiss psychiatrist Jung called theses dark places the shadow. What's so tragic about the shadow is that tons of individuals don't really know that they have it.

Especially those with a very strong attachment to their persona, who believe that they are their persona which there possibly cannot be something else about them lurking within the dark. Yes, they might experience some thoughts and desires that are quite inconvenient, in But they more They're doing, the larger and uglier the shadow becomes. Unfortunately there are often little question that man is, on the whole, less good than he imagines himself or wants to be.

Everyone carries a shadow, and thus the less it's embodied within the individual's conscious life, the blacker and denser it's. An example of this, are the abuse scandals within religious or spiritual communities.

Certain positions, like those of a priest, monk, holy man, and so on, often require behavior that's contra-natural to their own, in conjunction with the social expectation that they behave in certain ways during which are, you know,'holy '.

Many walk this path successfully, but there are some who haven't been able to integrate their desirable traits. After a brief time these bubbles of repressed desires start to burst, and thus the shadow that they've repressed for years or even decades involves And not during a friendly way. People with dense shadows are often extremely judgmental. 

They repress their flaws, and are often quick to guage others for exactly those flaws. Actually, they see in others what they struggle to hide themselves. By projecting our own. darkness onto others, we a minimum of don't got to inspect the abyss of our own minds.

But the mere agitation of seeing our own dark sides in people, could also be a symbol that we'd have work to undertake to to.

Even though we'd like to behave as decent citizens, that smile at the neighbors, attend work, abide the societal rules; somewhere deep inside, there lurks an immense capacity for evil. War II could also be an excellent example of how innocent, regular people can become bloodthirsty killers. Thanks to a series of unfortunate events, a monster arose from the German collective unconsciousness and mustered its forces. 

Its malice awakened other shadows everywhere the earth, that has led to a minimum of one among the foremost important massacres within the history of mankind. As Jung stated: The change of character caused by the uprush of collective forces is amazing. A light and reasonable being are often transformed into a maniac or a savage beast.

One is typically inclined to urge the blame on external circumstances, but nothing could explode in us if it had not been there. We still have trouble comprehending this today; probably because we've difficulties accepting our dark side, and rather see the horrific crimes In some religions, they blame outside forces like spirits or the devil. But if the war breaks out tomorrow: are you certain that you simply won't become a monster?

War is an extreme example, I know. So, let's get slightly closer to home. If you think that that of yourself as an honest, or even great person, maybe even some quite a sage; a private which can teach others the thanks to live, who radiates goodness, who's always there for his or her loved ones, gives money away to charities, is widely known by his or her environment for being such an exquisite person: have you ever ever ever entertained the likelihood that below the surface you'd possibly actually be an enormous jerk?

That behind the mask, there ’s an ugliness that you simply ’ve been hiding for therefore long, and you ’re not even aware of it?

Or perhaps you're, but you refuse to determine it?

Could that be the rationale that it seems to need such tons effort to be that fantastic person --day in and outing-and therefore the more you're trying, the more internal conflict you seem to feel?

Could it's that the priest is basically an impression freak?

That the billionaire philanthropist is simply doing it for the fame?

And that your favorite spiritual guru is simply in it for the money?

Whatever we pursue, and thus the explanations we tell people why we pursue what we pursue, we presumably have hidden intentions that we do not want to look at, and if they're available to the surface we'll immediately push them backtrack. Germans call these intentions'hintergedanken'.

Philosopher Alan Watts spoke about this often. A hintergedanken could also be an idea way, way, way within the rear of your mind. Something that you simply know at bottom but can't admit. The thing is that by being aware of our hintergedanken, we see that there is something inside us that we do not show to the earth, but heavily influences our actions. Also, by looking close at certain strong judgments about people, we'd identify the precise things we keep hidden within the shadow ..

Carl Jung believed that if we become aware of our shadow, and find the way to integrate it in our personality, we ’re less likely to lose control over it. Jung calls this process ‘individuation’, which is that the reconciliation of all aspects of our personality, including the darker ones so we become who we truly are.

Thus, to mitigate our dark side we shouldn't repress it. What we should always always do, is making the unconscious conscious. The shadow doesn't always contain negative things. During the years, you will have repressed certain aspects of yourself like creativity or sexual interests that society sees as taboo; things which can be addressed as long as we acknowledge them. 

When we're brave enough to shed light onto the darkness As psychologist Marion Woodman said: night is as precious as is day, and appearance beyond the persona that we present to the earth each day, we'll begin to work with the shadow, and even enjoy its power and see the sweetness in our imperfections. ..

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