The Synchronicity Cult

Weird. Is synchronicity real? I just posted a review of Richard Noll's cult classic “The Jung Cult” (or, as evil tongues call it, “Völkische Jung-Mädel”), and look what Swedish TV aired literally the same evening: “A Dangerous Method”, freely based on the true story of Carl Gustav Jung's collaboration and conflict with Sigmund Freud. The only thing lacking now is a mysterious dung beetle (or Egyptian god with kingfisher wings) flying into my flat through the open window!

“A Dangerous Method” doesn't shy away from the more juicy (some would say “Freudian”) aspects of Jung's early career. The Swiss psychoanalyst's entanglement with the beautiful, intelligent and crazy Sabina Spielrein forms the centerpiece of the story. Yes, Dr Jung (who was married) had an erotic relationship with her. The film also features Jung's fateful encounter with anarchist Otto Gross, who was one of his patients (!) but had a demonical influence on the man who was supposed to cure him.

I can't say “A Dangerous Method” is *that* interesting, unless you have an Oedipal crush on psycho-analysis, and the plot is probably incomprehensible to anyone who hasn't read extensively on the subject. Still, it did give me new respect for Viggo Mortensen as an actor – like most people, I remember him as Aragorn in LOTR. Here, he stars…Freud!

I'm not sure if it's another aspect of Jungian or Völkisch synchronicity, or just a sheer co-incidence, but another TV network was showing “Twin Peaks” reruns at the same time as “A Dangerous Method” was aired.

Apparently, Jungian analytical psychologists prohibited their patients-clients from reading Noll's fratricidal attack on the Jung cult. I can only hope that they can at least watch “A Dangerous Method”. If not, I suppose there is always “Twin Peaks”…