Jungian analyst Dr. Bud Harris writes poignantly about the dramatic and mysterious nature of evil. This book is a journey deep into the psychological dimensions of evil and how the shadow sides of our personalities are intertwined with it to shape our personal lives and culture.
The idea that evil exists in the world, in our lives, and in our thoughts, can bring on depression, sadness, and helplessness. We struggle with the concept. How do we find the courage to confront it, examine its nature, understand its origins, and, finally, embrace it as a difficult but important element in living a conscious life?
"Most evil is not done by evil people, but by good people who donʼt know what they are doing."
-Richard Niebuhr
Confronting Evil offers a guide for "good people" to recognize evil, explore it in the world and within themselves, and transform it into something meaningful and hopeful. Designed as a seeker's guide and workbook, prompts for reflection are posed following each section. Blank pages allow you to make notes, reflect, or list personal assignments and challenges.
Quotes from religious texts, philosophers, and thinkers - including psychoanalyst Carl Jung - are plentiful. And Harris uses powerful examples from his own practice as a Jungian analyst. The subject of evil and how to approach it is examined from multiple points of view.
The benefits of doing this powerful inner work are clear. This book is for you if:
You have experienced the effects of evil within yourself and in the world around you.
You want to examine the nature of evil and learn to understand it.
You seek to understand how each of us can be a source of evil in the world, as well as good.
This short book began as a lecture Harris gave in 2014. That lecture has been expanded to explore additional thoughts dealing with the shadow of evil in current events, political realities, and what he sees as one of our culture's greatest societal challenges.