The Challenge of Individuation and Love in Post-Modern Society
A defining feature of postmodern society is the recognition and acceptance of plurality, of relativism and of multiple perspectives on any event, a kaleidoscopic vision that can result in a narcissistic, self-centered view of the world. This “weltanschauung” is intimately connected to unsettling changes in the outer world, which at a deeper level reflect a shift in archetypal orientation in the depths of the unconscious. In the wake of these changes and shifts however, there are very few collective symbols that help to contain fear and uncertainty and to provide meaning or direction. As a result, the individual can feel very alone, alienated and without direction, like a boat at sea without a rudder or a compass. When the outer symbols no longer provide meaning or containment, the challenge for the individual is to undertake an inner journey in order to find orientation and guidance from one’s inner compass. A confrontation with one’s own inner multiplicity can foster a non-judgmental openness to the other, a capacity for acceptance and empathic understanding of the other which, in turn, can lead to genuine care and love, of self and of other. Learning to know and love oneself is the bridge to learning to love the other and is the ultimate challenge of individuation and love in our post-modern society.