Visible Mind: Movies, modernity and the unconscious

a story (whether it’s a movie, a play, a novel, or a piece of nonfiction) is experienced by the reader on the level of the soul. And the soul has a universal structure of narrative receptors. Jung was right. There is a collective unconscious. Joseph Campbell was right. Myths and legends do constitute the fabric of the self.

“ … moviemaking can be considered thee contemporary form of mythmaking, reflecting our response to ourselves and the mysteries and wonders of our existence”(Voytilla, 1999, p. 1)

When images from the unconscious emerged, rather than intellectually analyzing them, Jung would encourage the patient to interact with them. He called this “Active Imagination.” His goal was to integrate these figures—including the Shadow—into the patient’s sense of himself, making him whole. He called this state the “Self.”

The art-house films of David Lynch are frequently referred to as ‘dreamlike’ because, like dreams, there’s often a dearth of logic to their cause and effect. Those who enjoy such stories are more likely to be expert readers, those lucky enough to have been born with the right kinds of minds, and raised in learning environments that nurtured the ski