TR Gaddis tears into Dale Carnegie Pt 2 ch 1

[Mark Kohut]

Goddam fascinating....Knew it about TRP, but we've heard he was a 'slow
learner' and had some 'hang-ups' back in the day, so he mighta needed Jung
as well as used him............but

Gaddis! Bursting forth with this incredible work as his first; this book about
so many 'immature' people, never woudda suspected he, too, read Jung....

even for framework but I have now decided that is my lack of imagination not
to even expect that................................



----- Original Message ----
From: Jed Kelestron <jedkelestron at gmail.com>
To: pynchon -l <pynchon-l at waste.org>
Sent: Fri, June 3, 2011 10:33:01 AM
Subject: Re: TR Gaddis tears into Dale Carnegie Pt 2 ch 1

Gaddis was using Jung's _The Integration of the Personality_ as a
resource while writing TR. There he would have read the position that
the ego is the center of the conscious personality, and the self is
the center and circumference of the total (conscious + unconscious)
personality. An individual is a unique indivisible unit in whom the
ego is dethroned and lives in service of and relation to the self.
What is described in the Pivner passage is a formula for maintaining
the kingship of the male ego, relegating self to complete
unconsciousness.

"It is one of the most ridiculous illusions of civilized man that the
"perils of the soul" have entirely disappeared along with primitive
superstitions. Even the primitive superstitions have not disappeared
from any civilized nation as a whole. They have only changed their
names, and often not even that. The clan of uprooted intellectual
highbrows usually goes on believing in permanent and universal
enlightenment. That technical progress and social improvements do not
mean psychological differentiation or a higher level of consciousness
is a lesson we are unwilling to learn. The enormous increase of
technical facilities only serves to occupy the mind with all sorts of
sensations and impressions that lure the attention and interest from
the inner world. The relentless flood of newspapers, radio programs,
and movies may widen or fill the external mind, while at the same
time, and in the same measure, consciousness of the inner world
becomes darkened and may disappear altogether. But "forgetting" is not
identical with "getting rid of." On the contrary, the situation has
become worse: instead of facing the enemy, we risk being attacked from
the rear, where we are unaware and defenceless."

                  (The Integration of the Personality, pp. 9-10)

Amidst the barrage of ads from his radio in the background, "[...]
(Mr. Pivner) sagged and stared at the newspaper, untroubled by the
notion that this (a fart) might have been a demon leaving its
residence inside him. Not only would he, albeit embarrassed, scoff at
this medieval reality; [...] he could believe that he would not have
believed, but would have stood forth, as he was submerged now, in
Reason."  (289.7ff)