Dr. Jung mentions that all of this occurs without much awareness on the part of any members of the organization. Furthermore, the assignment of roles is inevitably reinforcing and self-fulfilling. We ask the caring father to listen to our problems and he becomes truly caring. We expect our nurturing mother to provide us with sustenance (financial support, free time), making use of her informal authority to bend the rules. She becomes more nurturing and we turn to her that much more often.
Another factor is brought up by Dr. Jung while introducing the notion of a self-fulfilling psychic theater. He mentioned that this theater is particularly active when a high level of anxiety is operating in an organization. Roles become vivid and are actively played out and reinforced (self-fulfilling) when members of the organization feel the pressure to finish a project on time, when there is a major change operating in the organization, and when there is tension among key players in the organization. Dr. Jung turns to Mitch at this point and mentions his critical conflict with Frank. Dr. Jung also refers to several of the words and phrases that Mitch identified as possibility being assigned to him: hard-driving, stubborn, demanding. Dr. Jung offers a disturbing insight: “Under such conditions, the psychic theater is likely to be in full operation!”
Anima and Animus
At this point, Dr. Jung turns specifically to the wisdom offered by his uncle as well as other Jungians. He specifically identifies two “actors” that represent the male and female spirits: Anima and Animus. Dr. Jung indicates that the anima character in the psychic theater represents traditional aspects of the feminine: the emotional, empathic and reflective elements of the human psyche. Conversely, the animus represents traditional masculine elements such as reason, logic and action. As Dr. Jung notes, these do not represent actual feminine and masculine attributes. These actors represent symbolic patterns found in all societies.
Dr. Jung continues:
“. . . the female energy and guidance were traditionally offered by the wife (or lover). For those men working in the arts there was the muse. In modern times, those men in leadership roles often relied on the female secretary for feminine energy and guidance: Now in the 21st century, I find woman who occupy an executive function. In my own work, I find that they often serve as head of HR (fulfilling a traditional nurturant role) or as head of a nonproduction unit of the organization. Such as that served by Gwen in your organization, Mitch.”
Dr. Jung now pauses his lecturing and directs his attention to Mitch. He asks Mitch a question: “Do you enjoy any particular type of music?” Mitch responds: “Yes, I love Broadway musicals. My wife and I travel to Chicago twice a year to attend one of the touring Broadway musicals. In the evening, I often sit back, relax in a chair like I am sitting in now, and put on some old records or CDs.” Dr. Jung smiles and offers an interesting insight: “For men like you and me, our feminine animus often speaks to us through love songs, much as the masculine animus also speaks to women such as your wife and Gwen through songs conveying love. So, Mitch, do you have any favorite songs from Broadway musicals.”
Mitch has an immediate answer: “One of my favorite love songs is Roger and Hart’s “Nearer’. I also love Kern and Gershwin’s “Long ago and far away” which comes from a 1930s movie rather than Broadway show.” Dr. Jung smiles once again and offers an insight: “I am not fully aware of these songs; however, from the titles I surmise that the first song is telling you that your feminine anima is very close to you, while the second song is suggesting that your anima has ancient and ‘far away’ origins. In essence, these songs appeal directly to your heart. Your ‘lover’ resides inside of your rather than out there as a specific woman.”
