Anthropologists Quote by Carl Jung
“Anthropologists have often described what happens to a primitive society when its spiritual values are exposed to the impact of modern civilisation. Its people lose the meaning of their lives, their social organisation disintegrates, and they themselves morally decay. We are now in the same condition. But we have never really understood what we have lost, for our spiritual leaders unfortunately were more interested in protecting their institutions than in understanding the mystery that symbols present.”
About This Quote
Source Book: The Undiscovered Self, 1957
Modern civilization erodes traditional spiritual values, leading to loss of meaning, social breakdown, and moral decay.
In simple terms: Modern life can strip away deep meaning and community.
Key Takeaway
Recognize and restore lost spiritual depth.
Themes
culture
spirituality
modernity
morality
identity
Mood
reflective
concerned
critical
Type
philosophical
analytical
observational
When to use this quote
- urbanization
- education reform
- community building
- personal reflection
Key Concepts
symbolism
collective unconscious
cultural disintegration
Questions to Reflect On
- What values have we lost in modernization?
- How can symbols be re‑interpreted today?
A Different Perspective
Modern progress can also bring new forms of meaning and cohesion.
![“The self is defined psychologically as the psychic totality of the individual. Anything that a [person] postulates as being a greater totality than [oneself] can become a symbol of the self. For this reason the symbol of the self is not always as total as the definition would require.” quote by Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/251/carl-jung-274_defined_the-self-is-defined-psychologically-as-t_7148.jpg)
![“Anthropology has always struggled with an intense, fascinated repulsion towards its subject… [The anthropologist] submits himself to the exotic to confirm his own inner alienation as an urban intellectual.” quote by Susan Sontag](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/fe1/susan-sontag-332_alienation_anthropology-has-always-struggled-with-a_15322.jpg)
