Inner life Quote by Erich Neumann
““On the lowest level, this loss of soul turns the man into the hen-pecked husband who lives with his wife as though she were his mother upon whom he is solely dependent in all things having to do with emotions and the inner life. But even the relatively positive case where the woman is the mistress of the inner domain and mother of the home who simultaneously has the responsibility for dealing with all the man's questions and problems having to do with emotions and the inner life, even this leads to a lack of emotional vitality and sterile one-sidedness in the man. He discharges only the "outer" and "rational" affairs of life, profession, politics, etc. Owing to his loss of soul, the world he has shaped becomes a patriarchal world that, in its soullessness, presents an unprecedented danger for humanity. In this context we cannot delve further into the significance of a full development of the archetypal feminine potential for a new, future society.””
About This Quote
A loss of inner vitality reduces men to dependent, rational beings, while women’s emotional dominance also limits vitality, leading to a soulless patriarchal world; full feminine development is needed for future society.
In simple terms: Loss of soul creates emotional emptiness and patriarchal danger.
Cultivate balanced emotional and rational development.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- gender studies
- psychotherapy
- social reform
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies nurture both masculine and feminine potentials?
- What steps prevent emotional sterility in modern life?
May generalize complex gender experiences.