Stray to the Point

Let’s have a discussion on the seemingly antithetical concepts of belonging and free thinking.

Here are my loosely formulated definitions:

Belonging: when our experiences find resonance in others and vice versa. When we experience a sense of belonging, we feel connected to humanity and life in a larger sense.

Free thinking: strongly related with critical thinking and thinking beyond binaries, doctrines and ideologies to find our own individual identity.

Somewhere in our development as human beings, we start feeling conflicted between our need of belonging and our desire to differentiate ourselves from others. This can end up becoming a dilemma for many of us. And yet, in the words of Carl G. Jung: “Nobody can become aware of his individuality unless he is closely and responsibly related to his fellow beings.”

So, how do we hold this inner tension?

Rather than analyzing the topic from afar, we’ll weave abstract analysis with our personal experience.

Here are some prompts that might help us do that:

• Where do you currently get a sense of belonging in your life?
• How do you intentionally practice critical thinking?
• How does the conflict between belonging and freedom of thought show up for you?
• What are some patterns of thought or behaviors that you’ve managed to override thanks to critical thinking and honest self-reflection?

In order to help cover organizational costs (e.g.: Meetup subscription), I’ll be asking for a donation. Your contribution is highly appreciated!

Looking forward to a relaxed evening of collective thinking and candid sharing! 😊

What if the solution to current global issues lied in individuals turning within? This is the paradoxical premise that Jung discusses in The Undiscovered Self.

Goodreads Book Summary
One of the world’s greatest psychiatrists reveals how to embrace our own humanity and resist the pressures of an ever-changing world.

In this challenging and provocative work, Dr. Carl Jung—one of history's greatest minds—argues that civilization's future depends on our ability as individuals to resist the collective forces of society. Only by gaining an awareness and understanding of one's unconscious mind and true, inner nature —“the undiscovered self"— can we as individuals acquire the self-knowledge that is antithetical to ideological fanaticism.
But this requires that we face our fear of the duality of the human psyche—the existence of good and the capacity for evil in every individual. In this seminal book, Jung compellingly argues that only then can we begin to cope with the dangers posed by mass society—"the sum total of individuals" —and resist the potential threats posed by those in power.

In order to support our host, the Münchner Freiwillige and to help cover Meetup subscription costs, I’ll be asking for a donation. Your contribution is highly appreciated!

Looking forward to discussing the book with you!