“There is no coming to consciousness without pain. People will do anything, no matter how absurd, in order to avoid facing their own souls.”
—
Carl Jung
Psychology and Alchemy (1944), Collected Works Vol. 12; also cited in Civilization in Transition
Commentary
Jung acknowledges that the path to self-knowledge is inherently difficult. Consciousness is not a natural state; the psyche gravitates toward equilibrium and repetition. Becoming aware of unconscious patterns, traumas, and shadow aspects requires breaking through defensive mechanisms—and this is painful.
The second sentence is a pessimistic observation: given the pain of consciousness, most people prefer neurosis (absurd, repetitive patterns) to the difficult work of self-examination. Jung saw this in his patients daily: they would accept decades of suffering rather than face a difficult truth about themselves. This aligns with existentialist philosophy (Sartre's bad faith, Kierkegaard's dread), suggesting that the avoidance of consciousness is not stupidity but a rational (though ultimately destructive) choice to minimize discomfort.
Commentary
Jung acknowledges that the path to self-knowledge is inherently difficult. Consciousness is not a natural state; the psyche gravitates toward equilibrium and repetition. Becoming aware of unconscious patterns, traumas, and shadow aspects requires breaking through defensive mechanisms—and this is painful.
The second sentence is a pessimistic observation: given the pain of consciousness, most people prefer neurosis (absurd, repetitive patterns) to the difficult work of self-examination. Jung saw this in his patients daily: they would accept decades of suffering rather than face a difficult truth about themselves. This aligns with existentialist philosophy (Sartre's bad faith, Kierkegaard's dread), suggesting that the avoidance of consciousness is not stupidity but a rational (though ultimately destructive) choice to minimize discomfort.