Psychology’s Mortal Sins according to James Hillman

James Hillman’s The Soul’s Code (1996), outlines his theory of calling and character, which he calls the acorn theory. It embraces the ancient Greek notion of a daimon who guards the fate chosen by you (by lot, from among available options) before you were born. The book has a brief summary of the Myth of Er from Plato’s Republic which holds much of this wisdom tradition. The Myth of Er is WILD and worth reading, a veritable out-of-body experience from ancient times! Here is a $0.99 Kindle book version.

In the first few chapters, Hillman situates his ideas in the greater context of the field of psychology where he spares modern psychology none of his scathing critique of its “White Bread culture,” its droning “bearded proclamations,” its obsession with publication, and its commission of the “sin of deadening.” Harsh language indeed! But true enough.

The Sin of Deadening

Psychology Terms Hillman Promises Never to Use

• Problem
• Performance
• Growth
• Creativity
• Threshholds
• Continuum
• Experience
• Response levels
• Development
• Integration
• Identity
• Validation
• Boundaries
• Coping measures
• Operant conditioning
• Variants
• Subjectivity
• Adjustment
• Verifiable results
• Test results
• Emergence
• Hope
• Ego
• Consciousness
• Self

Hillman proclaims “Self” to be the most pernicious term of all for its tendency to eclipse concepts he favors, such as “genius, angel, daimon, and fate.” (Hillman, n.p.)

I’ll admit to using some of Hillman’s spurned words and concepts, especially “Self,” “integration,” and “consciousness.” But his list definitely brings back bad memories! In fact, I have more to add:

• Therapeutic goals
• Evidence-based therapies
• Treatment recommendations
• Treatment protocols
• Dysfunctional behavior
• Co-dependence
• Empirical literature
• Clinical practice
• Unhelpful thinking
• Introjection
• Neurosis
• Compensation
• Psychodynamics
• Cognitive behavioral theory
• Positive outcomes
• Good behavioral adjustment
• and many many more!

The Soft Science of Psychology

Psychology has long struggled for legitimacy as a science, thus the sterile, authoritative, rational scientific language that dominates the field in most quarters (it’s called over-compensation). But despite its best efforts, psychology continues to fail the scientific benchmarks of repeatable observable results, and is widely regarded as a “soft science” at best, a pseudoscience at worst by other “harder” sciences.

Psychology also largely fails the social benchmarks of something sought for its reliable effectiveness or enjoyability. Most of us could make a list of things we reliably enjoy, such as good relationships, fun vacations, a hot tub and a massage. Likewise, we could make a list of things we don’t really enjoy but that do reliably help us, like dentistry, exercise, paying our bills on time and weeding the garden. But how many of us really feel enriched by therapy? How many of us can count on therapy to help us feel better?

By contrast, how many of us have spent years in therapy, thousands of dollars and precious hours on something that doesn’t seem to do much for us? I’m sorry, but it’s true! If we get lucky, the chemistry works and the relationship helps us to feel better over time (there’s good old love working everyday miracles), but most of the time, you sit in therapy feeling bored or even hurt by the therapist’s perspectives and efforts. Meanwhile psychology journals boast of evidence-based therapies, of research trials, and effective methodologies.

Beauty and Mystery

Might there be something in what Hillman suggests about instilling the work of human psychology with an appreciation for beauty, fun, humor, and adventure? Of seeing beyond social concepts of “problems,” or “positive outcomes” to the mystery (Hillman calls it the soul, genius, daimon, angel, and acorn) that guides each life?

At the end of the day, The Soul’s Code doesn’t always succeed in inspiring a sense of beauty and awe at the weird and wonderful human story. His famous people stories are pretty good, even memorable (Josephine Baker and Ingmar Bergman are my favorite), but his didactic sections are a bit harsh and daunting. He was writing within a particular time period (the mid-nineties) and his rather classical background and educational context seem to have exerted a rigidifying influence all the same.

Still, this work offers a springboard for the future. Perhaps one day, we will not speak of human psychology in terms of therapeutic goals and treatment methodologies, but in terms of great stories!

Reference

Hillman, James. The Soul’s Code. Narrated by John Lescault, Blackstone Publishing, 2020. Audiobook.