Carl Jung’s criticism of Sigmund Freud
Carl Jung’s criticism of Sigmund Freud.
Translation:
neurotic touch wood! I have submitted lege artis et tout humblement [according to the law of the profession, with complete humility] to analysis and am much the better for it.
You know, of course, how far a patient gets with self-analysis: not out of his neurosis just like you.
If ever you should rid yourself entirely of your complexes and stop playing the father to your sons and instead of aiming continually at their weak spots took a good look at your own for a change, then I will mend my ways and at one stroke uproot the vice of being in two minds about you.
Do you love neurotics enough to be always at one with yourself?
But perhaps you hate neurotics.
In that case how can you expect your efforts to treat your patients leniently and lovingly not to be accompanied by somewhat mixed feelings?
Adler and Stekel were taken in by your little tricks and reacted with childish insolence.
I shall continue to stand by you publicly while maintaining my own views, but privately shall start telling you in my letters what I really think of you.
I consider this procedure only decent.
No doubt you will be outraged by this peculiar token of friendship, but it may do you good all the same.
With best regards,
Most sincerely yours, JUNG
From The Freud/Jung Letters: The Correspondence between Sigmund Freud and C. G. Jung. Ed. William McGuire. Trans. Ralph Manheim and R.E.C. Hull. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1988. ©1974 Princeton University Press. Courtesy of the Library of the Eidgenssische Technische Hochschule, Zrich, and the Foundation of the Works of C. G. Jung
