The Collective Unconscious
The collective unconscious, according to Jung, refers to qualities of the unconscious mind shared by all organisms of a comparable species. According to Jung, instincts and archetypes govern the collective human unconscious. Furthermore, he explains that archetypes are a component of the collective unconscious' structural make-up. They are archetypal attitudes to events portraying human actions that are inborn. As a result, the mother archetype governs relationships between a mother and a kid. The father archetype, on the other hand, governs relationships between a father and a child. Furthermore, archetypes govern birth, death, religion, and failure. He also argued that the collective unconscious influences individuals who incorporate the symbols in their daily lives and infer meaning through their experiences. Jung differentiated personal conscious nature from collective unconsciousness identifying each as a unique concept in psychology. In so doing, he differed with Freud's view.
The Self-Archetype
Even so, the most significant is the self-archetype. It is the core of a psychic person in their wholeness. Unity between the conscious and the unconscious is achievable through individuation. Notably, archetypes are evident through archetypal images, in dreams as well as visions. Therefore, Jung based his studies on symbolic images and fantasies.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Jung's studies show that the collective unconscious is a universal store of human knowledge. All human beings have this psychic archetype since birth. Hence, it cannot be acquired through education or any other conscious deeds due to its natural origin. However, Jung's concept of collective unconscious faced criticism. Critics discredited it terming it as unscientific due to its mythical approach.
