Thomas Singer, M.D.

The Vision Thing: Myth, Politics, and Psyche in the World

Lecture: Friday, September 8, 2000, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.
Good Shepherd Center, Room 202, 4649 Sunnyside Ave. N., Seattle
$10 members, $15 nonmembers

George Bush, the elder, did not necessarily intend to describe a fundamental tension between the conscious and unconscious mind or between the collective and individual psyche when he inadvertently coined the phrase "the vision thing." Nor, perhaps, did he have in mind the relationships between myth, politics, and psyche when he tried to joke away the "vision thing" problem throughout his presidency. But, the "vision thing" problem is at the heart of ongoing paradoxes inherent in our individual and collective lives and in our mythological and political orientations. Based on a new collection of provocative essays (including one on Vision and Leadership by presidential candidate Senator Bill Bradley), this lecture will look at the "vision thing" through examples from ancient Greek culture and modern political processes.

The Vision Thing

Workshop: Saturday, September 9, 2000, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Phinney Neighborhood Center, Room 6, 6532 Phinney N. (Phinney and 67th), Seattle
$30 members, $40 nonmembers, $25 student/senior members, $35 student/senior nonmembers

To learn about preregistering for the workshop, see Preregistration Policy and Form.

The workshop will explore in greater depth the relationships between mythology, politics and psyche. Drawing from several essays in The Vision Thing: Myth, Politics and Psyche in the World, we will explore the complex intermingling of mythological themes, psychological forces and political conflicts in contemporary life. Everywhere we turn today—be it in politics, economics or entertainment—how we experience our individual and collective lives is permeated by the interplay of myth and psyche. The workshop will examine several case studies that tease out these relationships. Some of the material we will look at includes: the feminine in politics; race relations between blacks, Latinos, Asians and whites in America; interethnic conflict in Bosnia and Pol Pot's Cambodian genocide; the relationship between myth and vision in leadership; the link between Alexander the Great and cyberspace; and the challenge of practicing politics in the economic myth. Even the Wizard of Oz has an honored place in this exploration of the American political and mythological psyche.

Note: Be sure to take note of the location of this workshop.

Thomas Singer, M.D.,is a Jungian analyst and author practicing in San Francisco. He is Chair of Extended Education of the C.G. Jung Institute of San Francisco, where he trained after attending Yale Medical School. His books include Who's the Patient Here? Portraits of the Young Psychotherapist, and A Fan's Guide to Baseball Fever: The Official Medical Reference. Most recently, inspired by the collaboration and active participation of Senator Bill Bradley, Dr. Singer edited and wrote an essay for the recently published book The Vision Thing: Myth, Politics and Psyche in the World.

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Updated: 7 September 2000

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