The Theory of PsychoanalysisJung, C. G. (Carl Gustav)
Science
The Theory of Psychoanalysis
Jung, C. G. (Carl Gustav)
Neuroses; Psychoanalysis; Psychology, Pathological; Sex
Both phantasy-complexes develop with growing age, and reach a new stage
after puberty, when the emancipation from the parents is more or less
attained. The symbol of this time is the one already previously
mentioned; it is the symbol of self-sacrifice. The more the sexuality
develops the more the individual is forced to leave his family and to
acquire independence and autonomy. By its history, the child is closely
connected with its family and specially with its parents. In
consequence, it is often with the greatest difficulty that the child is
able to free itself from its infantile surroundings. The Œdipus- and
Electra-complex give rise to a conflict, if adults cannot succeed in
spiritually freeing themselves; hence arises the possibility of neurotic
disturbance. The libido, which is already sexually developed, takes
possession of the form given by the complex and produces feelings and
phantasies which unmistakably show the effective existence of the
complex, till then perfectly unconscious. The next consequence is the
formation of intense resistances against the immoral inner impulses
which are derived from the now active complexes. The conscious attitude
arising out of this can be of different kinds. Either the consequences
are direct, and then we notice in the son strong resistances against the
father and a typical affectionate and dependent attitude toward the
mother; or the consequences are indirect, that is to say, compensated,
and we notice, instead of the resistances toward the father, a typical
submissiveness here, and an irritated antagonistic attitude toward the
mother. It is possible that direct and compensated consequences take
place alternately. The same thing is to be said of the Electra-complex.
If the libido-sexualis were to cleave fast to these particular forms of
the conflict, murder and incest would be the consequence of the Œdipus
and Electra conflicts. These consequences are naturally not found among
normal people, and not even among amoral (“moral” here implying the
possession of a rationalized and codified moral system) primitive
persons, or humanity would have become extinct long ago. On the
contrary, it is in the natural order of things that what surrounds us
daily and has surrounded us, loses its compelling charm and thus forces
the libido to search for new objects, an important rule which prevents
parricide and inbreeding.
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