Joven M.

Jalbuna Psychology 201

Analyses 01

Analysis on Jung’s Analytical Psychology

The perception of brain as part of the body connotes a thing with a function. Thus, this
function is comprising of both consciousness and unconsciousness. In Jung’s psychology, he deals
more on the unconscious which is unique than of Freud’s version; it is the events in the past or
even the ancestral of origin which affects one’s life, he called collective unconscious. It has been
highly develop which forms archetypes; persona, shadow, anima/animus, great mother, wise old
man, hero and self. These archetypes are called by Jung as innate tendencies of man which are
evidently seen in every individual. However, his quest for the coverage of the function of the
unconscious went beyond the past which likely disputable. It might be acceptable if it is construed
through the lens of theology, but not in psychology which is scientific in basis. The events in the
past that one didn’t experience seems to do nothing in one’s personality. But rather, past events
that man didn’t experience affect man’s personality if it is told to him. In a sense that his emotion
would be shaped based on what his ancestors had succumbed. I would rather agree on Freud’s
notion that the past of man from the womb to childhood affects greatly to man’s personality. And
also, it is not the past events beyond man had experienced but rather his nature. And this nature
was not formed through evolution but it is the substantial form of every individual.

Jung has also the notion of compensatory relationship between conscious and unconscious.
That if the conscious is stimulating or excited, the unconscious will compensate it with its opposite.
It is like an interplay between the two cognitive entities of man to attain psychic balance. Using
his perspective, I could draw from it an analogy that unconscious mind is the past or history while
the present is the conscious mind, and these two has something to do with the future aspirations.
Meaning, the experiences of the conscious mind especially the repressed emotions through time
will become part of the unconscious mind. And like history, it greatly affects the present condition
as well as the future. However, the present plays dominantly due to the mere fact that it has to be
dealt with. While history can no longer be dealt with but instead, its effects and consequences are
part of the things that is being dealt in the present. Same with the conscious which is the player
while the unconscious is just subsidiary. Basically, like in the Philippine context, corruption was
rampant, since it happened in the past it continuously existing and if it will be eradicated, its effects
and consequences will still be felt by the future generation like the increase of poverty rate, high
national debt and poor economic status. Similarly, if one in his childhood was the least favored by
the parents, it will be instilled to his unconscious mind which will make him rebellious or
independent from parents or in the future, he might not be able to show the love of a father to his
child. What needs to be done is refinement of the unconscious mind, like a nation’s history, if it
undergone horror due to dictatorship in the past, then it must be treated as a lesson, learn from it
and must not be repeated again. In the unconscious mind, the refinement is self-realization (as of
Jung’s most comprehensive archetype).

The paradigm of Jung’s analytical psychology is exemplary due to its wholesome analysis
of man’s psyche. Only in one aspect of its collective unconscious specifically the past which are
ancestral in origin is quite dim. Yet the researcher proposed an alternative instead through the lens
of philosophy to aid that claim in the first part.
Joven M. Jalbuna Psychology 201
Analyses 02

Analysis on Fromm’s Humanistic Psychoanalysis

A place with no indications of life is indeed terrifying e.g. Sahara desert which is the largest
and the hottest of its kind in the world. If a human being is placed in that area to live, he likely
would not survive unless if he could find an oasis. Oasis is the thing that gives life to the desert.
So if one is lost in the middle of the desert, his only means of survival is the oasis thus he will
struggle to find it. Similarly, in the view of Erich Fromm, he claimed that people had torn away
from their prehistoric union with nature and as an effect people have suffered the feelings of
loneliness and isolation, he called as basic anxiety. So as an aid to such sufferings, people found
two alternatives which are compromising freedom to interpersonal dependencies and resorting to
self-realization through love and work. Fromm also proposed, in order to be reunited again to the
natural world, people need to suffice their human needs which is also two faced (negative and
positive), these are: relatedness, transcendence, rootedness, sense of identity and frame of
orientation. The negative component of relatedness is submission or domination, transcendence is
destructiveness, rootedness is fixation, sense of identity is adjustment to a group and frame of
orientation is irrational goals. While the positive components of relatedness is love, transcendence
is creativeness, rootedness is wholeness, sense of identity is individuality and frame of orientation
is rational goals. Basically, the choice through the rationality of man is the key in having reunited
back to the natural world.

Fromm also had discussed in his thesis that people had various ways to escape from
suffering basic anxiety. And most of these escape mechanisms are not good e.g. authoritarianism,
destructiveness, etc. As a resolution to these humanistic delinquencies, Fromm had proposed that
people should have the five character orientation in order to be healthy. The existence of people
as healthy individuals should depend on their ability to receive things from other people, to take
things when appropriate, to preserve things, to exchange things, and to work, love, and think
productively.

The approach of Fromm is influenced by history and culture, so as an effect, he deals more
on human behaviors and evident responses of people in respect to culture, crisis and daily living
which are really relevant and effective to his analysis. However, to say that basic anxiety as an
effect of separation from the natural world as the root of man’s struggles or the cause of the relative
behavior of every individual is quite arguable. It seems to void the common notion of nature and
nurture. Nevertheless, his approach is a new venture to look at in understanding better people’s
personality and behaviors.

I also proposed, since the five character orientation of Fromm deals more on receiving and
taking which sounds self-centered. Taking from his perspective, he said, to solve human dilemma,
people needs to unite with the world and others while retaining uniqueness and individuality. As
a consequence of this uniting with others and the world implies giving, not just taking or receiving.
Because one cannot unite with others by just taking and receiving but by mutuality. Although,
overall, Fromm’s approach is very profound, theoretical but realistic.