Groupthink
It’s always been hard for individuals to become...individuals! Finding our own voice and way is what the great psychiatrist Carl Jung calls Individuation. The idea is, I’m me, not you. Seems easy enough. It’s not. Establishing ourselves as individuals in the world sounds like something that should happen right after puberty, when we start new levels of either secret or boldly announced family rebellion. I remember a friend of mine who’d always had a terrific relationship with her daughter ‘til suddenly the girl hit about 15 and all mother-rejection hell broke loose. “Love that blouse she’s wearing!” I said to her mom one day, who laughingly responded: “Yeah I agree, but I sure can’t say that ‘cause she’ll immediately take it off! Now YOU can tell her it’s great and she’ll be thrilled.” Thing is, all the way to the end of our lives most of us cling to early implanted ideas, myths and family mandates. This goes on well after the parents have passed. Does that mean most nev...
