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Human Values are not Rooted in the Possession of Power!

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I am writing another post on politics because I believe it is a relevant issue in our current lives and a crucial concept for shaping society in the best way for everyone. This time, I selected a section from Plato’s book, The Republic, to learn from and reflect on what it should or wishes to be, as I consider it timeless. It explores how Plato analyses the motivations for seeking power, the risks of selfish ambition, and his concept of philosopher-kings who govern out of duty and virtue instead of personal gain. The essay emphasises Plato’s view that genuine political authority should prioritise justice and the common good over individual interests.

Carl Jung interpreted Plato’s politics, especially in The Republic, not as literal plans but as symbols of the collective unconscious. He regarded Plato’s “Forms” as psychic archetypes, with the “ideal state” shaping human qualities such as vision, wisdom, and power in the external world. Jung believed these political ideas originated from the “collective unconscious,” where perfect Forms such as justice exist. He also saw the ideal state as a psychological model, with the philosopher-king symbolising the self and social classes representing parts of the soul. By viewing Platonism as psychology, Jung considered himself a successor to Plato, identifying the “Forms” as archetypal patterns within the psyche. Additionally, he saw the “Cave” allegory as a way to convey deep psychological truths that are otherwise hard to express.

Carl Jung Depth Psychology

Plato’s Republic is a foundational text of Western philosophy, exploring justice, the ideal state, and political power. The dialogue examines what motivates individuals to seek power and how societal structures can corrupt or uplift those in authority. Plato, through Socrates, argues that the desire for power is often driven by basic urges—such as ambition, greed, and personal gain. However, he maintains that true power should serve the common good rather than personal interests. The philosopher-kings in Plato’s city are chosen for wisdom, virtue, and reluctance to rule, not for a craving for power. Plato believes the best rulers govern out of duty and justice, and warns against unchecked power, which can lead to tyranny. He emphasises education and virtue, claiming that only those who transcend personal desires are fit to hold power responsibly. Ultimately, the Republic views power as a moral duty, not an end in itself, aimed at justice and societal harmony. It urges reconsideration of who should rule, emphasising leadership for the greater good rather than personal gain.
Yet recently, it seems we have strayed from this goal!

The Pursuit of Political Authority in Plato’s Republic.

These passages from Plato’s Republic, spoken by Socrates, contend that the main goal of a craft—such as medicine or architecture—is to serve its subject, not the craftsman. Income (pay) comes from a separate, related “fee-earning art,” rather than the craft itself. [Thrasymachus was a Chalcedonian (from Chalcedon on the Bosphorus, near Byzantium), active around 430-400 B.C. He was a sophist and rhetorician, best known for arguing that “Justice is the interest of the stronger.”]   (Oxford Classical Dictionary 2e)

It might seem like a complex philosophical argument, but Socrates has always aimed to clarify his reasoning through detailed questioning to make it easier to understand. I hope you find this reading enjoyable!

Event Date: -425 GR

(§ 346d) The receiving of wages does not accrue to each from his own art. But if we are to consider it ‘precisely’, medicine produces health but the fee-earning art the pay, and architecture a house but the fee-earning art accompanying it the fee, and so with all the others, each performs its own task and benefits that over which it is set, but unless pay is added to it is there any benefit which the craftsman receives from the craft?”

(§ 346e) “Apparently not,” he said. “Does he then bestow no benefit either when he works for nothing?”I’ll say he does.”
“Then, Thrasymachus, is not this immediately apparent, that no art or office provides what is beneficial for itself, but as we said long ago, it provides and enjoins what is beneficial to its subject, considering the advantage of that, the weaker, and not the advantage of the stronger? That was why, friend Thrasymachus, I was just now saying that no one of his own will chooses to hold rule and office and take other people’s troubles in hand to straighten them out, but everybody expects pay for that,

(§ 347a) because he who is to exercise the art rightly never does what is best for himself or enjoins it when he gives commands according to the art, but what is best for the subject. That is the reason, it seems, why pay must be provided for those who are to consent to rule, either in the form of money or honour or a penalty if they refuse.”
“What do you mean by that, Socrates?” said Glaucon. “The two wages I recognise, but the penalty you speak of and described as a form of wage I don’t understand.”
“Then,” said I, “you don’t understand the wages of the best men…

(§ 347b) for the sake of which the finest spirits hold office and rule when they consent to do so. Don’t you know that to be covetous of honour and covetous of money is said to be and is a reproach?”
“I do,” he said. “Well, then,” said I, “that is why the good are not willing to rule either for the sake of money or of honour. They do not wish to collect pay openly for their service of rule and be styled hirelings, nor to take it by stealth from their office and be called thieves, nor yet for the sake of honour,

(§ 347c) for they are not covetous of honour. So, some compulsion and penalty must be imposed to constrain them to rule if they are to consent to hold office. That is perhaps why to seek office oneself and not await compulsion is thought disgraceful. But the chief penalty is to be governed by someone worse if a man will not himself hold office and rule. It is from fear of this, as it appears to me, that the better sort hold office when they do, and then they go to it not in the expectation of enjoyment nor as to a good thing, but as to a necessary evil and because they are unable to turn it over to better men than themselves…

(§ 347d) or to their like. For we may venture to say that, if there should be a city of good men only, immunity from office-holding would be as eagerly contended for as office is now, and there it would be made plain that in very truth the true ruler does not naturally seek his own advantage but that of the ruled; so that every man of undjusticeing would rather choose to be benefited by another than to be bothered with benefiting him. This point, then, I…

(§ 347e) by no means concede to Thrasymachus that justice is the advantage of the superior. But we will reserve that for another occasion. A far weightier matter, to me, seems to be Thrasymachus’s present statement, his assertion that the life of the unjust man is better than that of the just. Which now do you choose, Glaucon?” said I, “and which seems to you to be the truer statement?”
“That the life of the just man is more profitable, I say,” he replied.

‘Defensiveness’ from Feminist Perspective on Resistance

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Today, I want to share a throwback to one of my Facebook posts from a few weeks ago, of course, more extensive, perhaps for a change, and because of this fascinating woman in the history of psychology.
Actually, I’ve also been considering writing about Sigmund Freud, the originator of psychoanalysis, and this might be a good starting point.

Honestly, I previously didn’t know much about Anna Freud, or rather, I didn’t think highly of her. However, after watching the film ‘Freud’s Last Session‘ about Sigmund Freud’s final days, her brief appearance still caught my attention.

Anna Freud was a trailblazing psychoanalyst who made significant contributions to child psychology. Born in Vienna in 1895, the youngest daughter of Sigmund Freud, she grew up in an intellectually stimulating environment. She was deeply interested in her father’s work and eventually became his close collaborator. Originally trained as a teacher, Anna developed a keen interest in children’s development. In the 1920s, she began psychoanalytic training and started working with children, establishing Vienna’s first child psychoanalysis clinic in 1927. At this clinic, she developed innovative observation and treatment methods. Her influential book, “The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defence” (1936), built on her father’s theories by explaining how the ego defends against anxiety through mechanisms such as repression and denial. Fleeing the Nazis in 1938, she settled in London, where she co-founded the Hampstead Child Therapy Course and Clinic, a prominent centre for child psychoanalysis. Anna emphasised the importance of observing children in their natural settings and customising therapy to each child’s needs. Her contributions remain influential in psychoanalysis and child psychology, setting new standards through her research and clinical work.

Anna Freud with her father, Sigmund, 1928 near Berlin (picture alliance / Mary Evans Picture Library)
This photograph captures Sigmund Freud walking with his daughter Anna Freud, likely during a summer holiday on the Ritten plateau near Bolzano, Italy.

In her 1936 work “The Ego and the Mechanisms of Defence,” Anna Freud identified defence mechanisms as unconscious protections employed by the ego. These mechanisms serve to shield individuals from anxiety, shame, and the instinctual urges of the id that the superego prohibits. Among the major defence mechanisms are repression, projection, reaction formation, regression, and sublimation.

In the film mentioned above, I noticed she had no relationships with men. There is no public or scholarly evidence regarding her sexuality. She never married but had close relationships with women, especially Dorothy Burlingham, her lifelong partner and collaborator. Some biographers speculate about their relationship, but Anna Freud never publicly discussed her sexuality, and no records confirm whether she was lesbian, bisexual, or otherwise. Her private life was discreet, centred on work and family. Any discussion of her sexuality is largely speculative, based on personal correspondence and life choices.

Children have an almost uncanny instinct for the teacher’s personal shortcomings.
They know the false from the true far better than one likes to admit.
Therefore, the teacher should monitor his own psychic condition so he can spot the source of trouble when anything goes wrong with the children entrusted to his care.
Civilisation in Transition (The Collected Works of C. G. Jung, Volume 10)

via Carl Jung DepthPsychology 🙏

Thank you all for your support and presence. Wishing you a peaceful weekend. 🙏🌹

What a Pity!

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As I hover over the news and feel the hangover from all this stress, I give my mind another chance to relax by jotting down a few words.
Of course, I didn’t swear an oath to post every week (like some, daily; oh my goodness, save me!😛). However, as I mentioned in my last post, I need to talk to my “Patient Stone” to help me gather my scattered thoughts.

Honestly, I have numerous projects and ideas to pursue and share, but my busy mind is too preoccupied to concentrate on them. On the other hand, I had to delete many of my old posts because WP warned me that my 13 GB storage limit was full, leaving me with the choice of upgrading or deleting. Since I couldn’t afford to upgrade, I had no option but to delete them. Now I have some space to post more!

I think, as well as believe, that the animals have their own characters and, in their own instinctual life, have their own species-specific way of living, even though we compare some of them, like sheep, with humans in the form of messes.

Dr Jung viewed “mass-mindedness” and mass psychology as perilous, believing crowds trigger “the dynamisms of the collective man,” transforming individuals into “beasts or demons” until they join a mob. Crowds diminish morality, incite fears, provoke “infantile behaviour,” and can cause even the most virtuous to lose their significance, resulting in “psychologically abnormal” individuals. Mobs foster “herd psychology” and produce “mass man,” who is childish, irrational, irresponsible, and emotional. The crowd dissolves personal responsibility, facilitating crimes and increasing reliance on the state.

The levelling down of the masses through suppression of the aristocratic or hierarchical structure natural to a community is bound, sooner or later, to lead to disaster. For when everything outstanding is levelled down, the signposts are lost, and the longing to be led becomes an urgent necessity.
~Carl Jung, CW 17, Para 248

Now, I’d like to share one of my Facebook posts that reflects my thoughts. It is a poem by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, a notable American poet, painter, and social activist. Ferlinghetti published works of many Beat poets and is sometimes considered a Beat poet himself, although he never liked that label!

You are Whitman, you are Poe, you are Mark Twain, you are Emily Dickinson and Edna St. Vincent Millay, you are Neruda and Mayakovsky and Pasolini, you are an American or a non-American, you can conquer the conquerors with words….
~ Lawrence Ferlinghetti. From Poetry as Insurgent Art [I am signalling you through the flames].

Pity the Nation (After Khalil Gibran)

Pity the nation whose people are sheep
And whose shepherds mislead them
Pity the nation whose leaders are liars
Whose sages are silenced
and whose bigots haunt the airways
Pity the nation that raises not its voice
but aims to rule the world
by force and by torture
And knows
No other language but its own
Pity the nation whose breath is money
and sleeps the sleep of the too well fed
Pity the nation, oh, pity the people of my country
My country, tears of thee
Sweet land of liberty!

I’d also like to share one of Mozart’s greatest works, a requiem, to comfort the spirits. Wishing all individuals friends a peaceful time. 💖🙏

Patient Stone! (!سنگ صبور) Or, A Line from Gloom!

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(A “patience stone” (Persian: sang-e sabur) is a legendary element from Persian folklore that absorbs secrets, pain, and hardships when spoken to. It patiently listens until it breaks or explodes, thus relieving the speaker of emotional burdens.)

As we understand it now, in Persian traditional sagas, the term ‘Patient Stone’ refers to a stone where people can share their pain and worries to ease their hearts. I think this website or blog on WordPress has become similar to a patient stone, holding our suffering and helping to lighten our minds. I take this chance to share my feelings with you, my friends. I just hope our WP, serving as a patient stone, doesn’t explode under the weight!

‘It is no measure of health to be well adjusted in a profoundly sick society.’ ~Krishnamurti.

Madness amongst Individuals is rare. Amongst the Collective, it is the rule.’ ~ Nietzsche

‘To be normal is the ultimate aim of the unsuccessful.’ ~Carl Gustav Jung.

Via Chis Sizeland from FB 🙏

Lately, carrying a heavy heart, I reflect on my memories to soothe my soul. A poem by the renowned Persian poet Nima Yushij came to mind, resonating deeply with my current feelings. I believe I have been searching for this flautist (in this poem) for a long time, as I have been constantly seeking harmony and a muse, both of which I have missed ever since.

I’ve previously shared a post about this great poet’s work, but I wanted to share this very poem again to show how it resonates with me. You may want to check out the full post here!

My home is cloudy
The entire earth is clouded by that
from the height of the mountains pass,
broken, ruined, and drunk,
The wind whirls, and the whole world has been shattered by that,
and so have my senses.
Ay, flautist, that the sound of your flute brought you out of the road, where are you?
My home is cloudy
But the cloud seems to tend towards rain.
In the reverie of my bright days that have been lost,
I, in the face of my Sun, carry to observe at the threshold of the sea.
And all the world is ruined and shattered by the wind.
And on the path, the flautist who blows into his flute in this cloudy world has his own path ahead.

And here is the original version;


خانه‌ام ابریست …

خانه ام ابری ست

یکسره روی زمین ابری ست با آن.

از فراز گردنه خرد و خراب و مست

باد میپیچد.

یکسره دنیا خراب از اوست

و حواس من!

آی نی زن که تو را آوای نی برده ست دور از ره کجایی؟

خانه ام ابری ست اما

ابر بارانش گرفته ست

در خیال روزهای روشنم کز دست رفتندم،

من به روی آفتابم

می برم در ساحت دریا نظاره.

و همه دنیا خراب و خرد از باد است

و به ره ، نی زن که دائم می نوازد نی ، در این دنیای ابراندود

Thank you for reading! 🙏💖

All Wars in the World begin first within one’s Own Self!

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First, one must find a way to resolve and balance one’s internal conflict by knowing one’s Shadow; that is all I can say for now! I might do that, as my mind is desperately seeking a calm sanctuary within my soul to find peace!

“My I, you are a barbarian. I want to live with you; therefore, I will carry you through an utterly medieval Hell until you are capable of making living with you bearable. You should be the vessel and womb of life; therefore, I shall purify you. The touchstone is being alone with oneself. This is the way.” ~Carl Jung, The Red Book, Page 330.

Carl Jung Depth Psychology site

Carl Gustav Jung: “What drives people to war with themselves is the suspicion or the knowledge that they consist of two persons in opposition to one another. The conflict may be between the sensual and the spiritual man, or between the Ego and the Shadow. It is what Faust means when he says: ‘Two souls, alas, are housed within my breast.’ A neurosis is a splitting of personality.”
~C.G. Jung, CW 11, para. 522
Via and with thanks to Laura London. @JungianLaura

Sending love and peaceful wishes! 🙏💖

Where are We Headed? To measure the Mercilessness of Killing?!

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Why are you so pensive? Don’t you want to write a good story, as always? It will definitely help you! My wife told me recently. However, I still feel low and unmotivated to start working as I usually do, so let’s keep it brief!

It is chilly outside, with no sign of spring, as I know from my birthtown, Tehran; at the beginning of April, I could always breathe in the warmth and the scent of blooming buds. And yet, everything seems dull and icy, much like my thoughts.

As I predicted, the devils are at work! Honestly, I suspect that the Islamic regime in Iran is controlled by the West, and I’ve been wondering why the war isn’t ending sooner. Now I understand: the oil industry earns nearly 90 million euros in profit “every day”!

And the politicians also perform their roles, speaking and letting words flow without meaning. Earlier, President Trump said, ‘We are making Iran great, and then later, we are bringing Iran back to the Stone Age,’ !!

I hope you will carry on my muddy feelings, as I can’t hide them behind roses or pretend to be happy. Still, I wish you all, my dear friends, a joyful (as much as possible) Easter season, and I hope you stay safe and healthy. 🤗🌹🙏

In Pursuit of Reality.

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Image by Craig Nelson

While observing desperate freedom fighters in Iran caught between the threat of dying under the US/Israel’s bombardment, being shot, or being executed by the IRGC, I try to focus on our existence and maintain my sanity.

Throughout our lives, we face numerous paths and choices, but we often pick one, believing it defines who we are. Meanwhile, other decisions may be unfolding in their own realities or even in a parallel universe! For example, if you want to leave early in the morning for work and have several options—by bus, your own car, or even on foot—you choose one. But what if, while you’re on your way using your selected method, the other version of you is on theirs? Who knows?

That’s similar to quantum physics! It might sound complex, but it’s possible because our decisions aren’t always the most accurate. Haven’t you ever wondered, What if I had done it differently?”

However, we might undertake a meaningful journey within our inner soul to discover our true “I”.

Caresmatism: a Useful Image in Politics!? (Populism!)

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Throughout history, influential politicians have often been seen as shapers of destiny and architects of society. However, some may believe that, behind their visible authority, they function more like puppets controlled by unseen forces than as independent leaders. This view suggests that true power lies elsewhere, with politicians serving as public faces for deeper, more ingrained interests.

Certainly, some independent individuals with strong personalities have risen to the top to realise their ideas, such as Napoleon and Hitler. However, the modern political landscape is shaped by complex networks of corporations, lobbyists, and special interest groups that wield significant economic and informational influence. These groups often set policy priorities and legislative agendas. Politicians, even charismatic ones, depend on them for campaign funding, media support, and advice. In return, their decisions may be subtly or overtly influenced to benefit those maintaining the political machinery.

You may have come across this (real!) depiction of Iran’s new leader of the Islamic regime!

Furthermore, bureaucracies, party apparatuses, and global institutions further diminish individual agency, ensuring that politicians follow established paths rather than forge new ones. Dissenters risk marginalisation, while conformists are rewarded with stability and progress.
In conclusion, although influential politicians seem to possess significant power, their actions and decisions are often dictated by external forces; they frequently serve as puppets on the public stage—animated not by their own will, but by the hands that pull their strings. If we examine their behaviour and interpret their language through their speech, we can easily read between the lines: they speak clearly and directly when they are prepared for what they need to say, but when caught unawares by a new, unexpected topic, they start babbling and repeating themselves.

In my view, the world aims to dissolve the individual into the crowd, with personality fading away under the “New World Order” to facilitate control.

As you might know, yesterday marked the arrival of the Spring Equinox and the Persian New Year. I feel a twilight sensation between grief and bliss. However, I could just be hopeful that the coming year will be filled with peace, freedom, and justice.

I hope that next year, flowers will blossom instead of bullets, bombs, or executions. 💖🌹

Back to the Roots; for a Revision?!

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The longing to return to the womb — to the very origin of existence — reflects a deep, universal desire for renewal. It embodies a conscious wish to turn back time and retreat into the ultimate sanctuary where life’s struggles and regrets have not yet taken hold. Recently, I have noticed I often wake up with memories of scenes or songs from a TV series that Al and I enjoyed in our youth; for example, today I woke up with the theme song from the 60s Batman TV show, and I wonder how it entered my mind, since I haven’t heard it in ages! I then ask myself: Is this a desire to return to that joyful, simple time, or even more, to go back to the basics and start anew?

The womb symbolises comfort, safety, and innocence. The desire to return often signifies a wish to escape the burdens and complexities accumulated over a lifetime. In psychoanalysis, returning to the mother’s womb may sometimes be viewed as a sign of incest. However, it also reflects a longing for the simplicity and purity that existed before self-awareness and responsibilities—before choices and their consequences shape our identities. Nonetheless, this longing goes beyond mere escapism. It reflects the human yearning for change and a fresh start. Although we acknowledge that a literal return isn’t feasible, the desire reveals our profound wish to leave past mistakes behind and start anew. It acts as a cry for self-forgiveness and the bravery to reinvent ourselves—building on the wisdom gained from our experiences rather than erasing them.

Ultimately, the desire to return to the womb is not about going backwards but about renewal. It acts as a reminder that, although we can’t literally start over, we can seek personal rebirth—discovering new purpose and hope at each stage of life. This may also evoke memories of those days and the happiness I now long for.

Jung’s investigation of incest in Transformations and Symbols of the Libido (1912) caused a rift with Freud. He describes the archetype’s dual nature as both “spiritual” and rooted in the “organic–material substrate” (“On the Nature of the Psyche” par. 380), allowing him to formulate a concept of libido that combines Freud’s sexual perspective with a broader view. In Freud’s view, libido is fundamentally sexual; incest symbolises a link from Oedipal desire to the taboo and the formation of the superego. Although Jung does not deny the actual occurrence of incest (McGuire 505–506), he highlights its symbolic role in expressing libido creatively rather than focusing on its biological aspect. As he proceeds, the foundation of incest is thus:

The strange idea of becoming a child again, of returning to the parental shelter, and of entering the mother in order to be reborn through her. But the way to this goal lies through incest, i.e. the necessity of finding some way into the mother’s body. One of the simplest ways would be to impregnate the mother and beget oneself in identical form all over again. But here the incest prohibition intervenes; consequently [myths develop new mother–analogies] for the purpose of canalising the libido into new forms and preventing it from regressing to actual incest [. . .]. It is not incestuous cohabitation that is desired, but rebirth [. . .]. The effect of the incest taboo and of the attempts at canalisation is to stimulate the creative imagination, which gradually opens up possible avenues for the self–realisation of libido. In this way, the libido becomes imperceptibly spiritualised.
~Carl Jung, “Symbols of the Mother and of Rebirth” par. 332)

Thank you for staying by. 🙏💖

When Bombing Turns into an Everyday Occurrence!

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I think this platform is a great space to express feelings, and, as my dear friend and excellent writer Shehanne Moore advises, I allow my thoughts to flow openly.

As you might have guessed, I am currently at a loss for words! My mind feels cluttered, and I struggle to focus as I normally would. The situation in Iran is deteriorating, and additionally, the responses from Western audiences, whether Iranian or not, lead to more confusion.

This surreal piece shows a volcano with an angry face, erupting with floral smoke and blood across a barren landscape. An eye above sheds tears that turn into blood, symbolising both creativity and destruction. Flowers representing beauty and fantasy are destroyed by lava and blood. I chose this image to express my fleeting feelings about the current state of the world.

Many people call for peace, but they often lack a clear understanding of or haven’t deeply considered what has been happening in Iran over the years. Simply saying “stop the war” is insufficient, as it raises the question: which war do they mean? I am referring to two wars: one that is ongoing now, and another that the regime has been waging against the Iranian people for many decades.

Of course, I don’t judge everyone equally. I have honest friends deeply concerned about innocent lives, such as the over a hundred schoolgirls killed at their school at the conflict’s start. Wars inevitably cause innocent casualties. The scenes in Gaza following Israeli strikes are truly unforgettable! But I see no difference between dying from regime bullets or American and Israeli bombs. There may be a point where bombing foreigners could help end this suffering.

The Iranian people find themselves in a dilemma. Naturally, they do not want war, but at the same time, they oppose this murderous regime. As a result, they are trying to endure this terrifying situation. I remember vividly when I lived in Iran, those days of conflict with Iraq. In those days, or rather, those nights, Al, some friends, and I would gather together in one of our friends’ flats and play cards all night long, until the bombs started falling. Simply put, we did not want to die in our sleep!

It felt like a lottery; the question was, who would win next? One could either win or lose; there was no draw!

People in Iran are taking similar actions now; what else can they do? But those who live in freedom and peace, presenting themselves in an intellectual and civilised manner, say that war must be stopped! And I still ask: “Which war are they referring to!”?

Ultimately, I recognise that the situation centres on money and power, and I can only hope that the Iranian people are on the advantageous side. 💖🙏