Carl Jung “I am grateful to know that I was not altogether forgotten.”

C.G. Jung Letters, Vol. 1: 1906-1950

To Henry A. Murray

My dear Murray, 2 July 1948

A few days ago I received your very kind letter and the book on “Sentiments” you have published together with Christiana.

I am glad to have this document of American psychology.

You see it is so interesting to study the way in which one tackles this subject.

I am glad to know after such a long lapse of time-and what a time-that you are both well and active.

I wish I could still as actively partake in the affairs of the world.

But reaching soon the station No. 74 of my trek through the lands, deserts, and seas of this three-dimensional world, I feel the burden of my years and the work not yet done.

Everything goes slowly and rest is indicated between times of work, although I cannot complain about my general state of health.

I was greatly surprised to hear of 52 weeks of discussion in which my name occurred. Helas-there is so much one does not know!

I am grateful to know that I was not altogether forgotten.

I don’t know who that peculiar friend is who told you of my alleged saying that you were a barren tree.

Surely such a thing has never been said by myself, since after I read your former book I confidently expected some more along the same lines.

I sincerely hope you don’t believe what people say about me. If I did, I should have buried myself long ago.

I have gone through your new book cursorily, but I shall read it as soon as I have some leisure to do it with the necessary concentration.

You must have seen much during the war, strange countries as well as strange people.

We have lived in a prison for 6 years, of which 5 years were spent in more or less continuous apprehension of inevitable extinction.

I had to settle down to a 50:50 certainty of a quick or protracted end through a bullet or a concentration camp-and no possibility of action, please, except in a world not to be reached by any Gestapo of the world.

I am looking forward with great pleasure to your promised study about Melville.

I have begun to understand why a university professor has to postpone dealing with animae and the like as he also better keeps away from incubi, sylvani, nymphae, and salamandrae.

It is such a long, long way from behavioristic psychology without man to a psychology of man.

I am greatly interested in the question of how you will set about to produce an “embracement or the integration of the opposite.”

The opposite is a concrete object, and what if the subject should happen to be disinclined to integrate the subjective opposite corresponding to the object?

In other words: how will America proceed to embrace Russia without realizing that the Kremlin is right below the threshold of her own consciousness?

Attempts in this respect have not been exactly hopeful yet.

It is of course a banal truth, which I emphasize time and again, that without the unconditional reality of the object no projection can ever be discovered or withdrawn.

18th of July.

Here I have been interrupted for many days by an intestinal grippe affecting the liver.

That is how it is in these years when one is old and without resistance.

I cannot quite agree with your opinion about “individuation.”

It is not “individualization” but a conscious realization of everything the existence of an individual implies: his needs, his tasks, his duties, his responsibilities, etc.

Individuation does not isolate, it connects.

I never saw relationships thriving on unconsciousness.

You-on the other side-have had the unique experience of men doing splendid team work during the war.

We over here had the experience of helpless formidable masses shoved into hell.

I have seen the German “Arbeitsbataillone,” Mussolini’s reception in Berlin, etc.

Wonderful team work-one idea for all-two million people on Tempelhoferfeld cheering “unisono,” all meant to be roasted in burning oil and slowly starved to death.

Le Bon does not mean theories, he means the facts.

It is difficult to get around them.

What about the masse headed by your ape man Lewis?

What about the Russian avalanche of 200 million slaves?

You say you feel that something should be done along the line of an agreement.

Exactly, quite my idea.

But what are you going to do with that mass mentality of the leaders, mostly downright criminals or lunatics (of the reasonable variety, particularly dangerous!)?

Indeed something should be done, but unfortunately the men in the Kremlin understand only their own argument, i .e., violence and ruthlessness.

That is what you are up against.

How could you deal with Hitler?

Well it is the same with Russia.

Nothing short of the atom bomb will register there.

In the week following Aug. 22nd I ought to be at the Eranos meeting in Ascona near Locarno.

It would be a great disappointment not to see you while you are in Europe.

In the beginning of September I shall be back in Kusnacht or in the tower in Bollingen about 40 km. from Zurich.

Well this is a long letter, I am afraid-too long!

I should be very glad indeed to see you here if you can manage at all.

My best regards to Christiana!

Cordially yours,