<p>Jung is writing about the concept of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transference" rel="nofollow noreferrer">&quot;transference&quot;</a> in psychoanalysis, in this context specifically the issue of a patient directing feelings towards their therapist that they have for someone else. These feelings could be feelings of mistrust or hate, dependence (like on a parent), etc, but often discussed as a sexual/romantic relationship.</p>
<p>In the lines before your quote, see:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>At the same time, we must not forget that for our patients the acquisition of a relationship outside the family is one of the most important duties of life, and one, moreover, which up to this moment they had failed or but very imperfectly succeeded in accomplishing. I must oppose myself energetically to the view that we always mean by this relationship outside the family, a sexual relation in its popular sense.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Jung says that relationships are important, so it's natural for a patient to have some relationship with their therapist. However, Jung is against (&quot;oppose myself energetically&quot;) to the idea that this must be a sexual/romantic relationship (&quot;a sexual relation in its popular sense&quot;).</p>
<p>In your quote:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This is the misunderstanding fallen into by so many neurotic people, who believe that a right attitude toward reality is only to be found by way of concrete sexuality.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The &quot;misunderstanding&quot; referred to (&quot;by so many neurotic people, who believe&quot;) is that the patient/therapist relationship is necessarily sexual (&quot;concrete sexuality&quot;).</p>
<p>One might re-write his sentence: <em>&quot;People who think the patient-therapist relationship is always sexual are foolish.&quot;</em></p>
<p>Note that Jung, while influential, was not scientific in his work, and many of his theories have either been debunked or merely have no support.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-17T02:40:00.907Z
While your caveat at the end reflects your views on psychoanalytical theory, I think this can be seen to try and discredit the fact that both transference and counter-transference are discussed and recognised as valid in all therapeutic fields. They are very real phenomena which therapists must be mindful of when engaged in a therapeutic relationship with a client.
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-16T14:57:03.153Z
2022-05-16T14:57:03.153Z
Bryan Krause
<p>I am reading an old pdf copy of The Theory of Psychoanalysis, By C. G. JUNG and trying to understand the following:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This is the misunderstanding fallen into by so many neurotic people, who believe that <strong>a right attitude toward reality</strong> is only to be found <strong>by way of concrete sexuality</strong>.</p>
<p>-THE ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSFERENCE, page 107, The Theory of Psychoanalysis, By C. G. JUNG (NERVOUS AND MENTAL DISEASE MONOGRAPH SERIES, No. 19, Nervous and Mental Disease Publishing Co., New York, 1915).</p>
</blockquote>
<p>I can not find anything related to this statement in the book, but English is not primary-language, so it might be phrased differently  in the book.</p>
<p>So if you have read the book, would you plz point where it is explained in the book?</p>
<p>Or, if you know the explanation of the line or the source, post an answer (with appropriate reference if possible).</p>
<p>Thank you very much.</p>
<p><strong>PS:</strong></p>
<ol>
<li>Let add the text prior to that line:</li>
</ol>
<p>THE ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSFERENCE.</p>
<p>We have already seen that the transference brings about difficulties, because the personality of the physician is assimilated
with the image of the patient's parents. The first part of the
analysis, the investigation of the patient's complexes, is rather
easy, chiefly because a man is relieved by ridding himself of his
secrets, difficulties and pains. In the second place, he experiences
a peculiar satisfaction from at last finding some one who shows
interest in all those things to which nobody hitherto would listen.
It is
very agreeable to find a person, who tries to understand him,
and does not shrink back. In the third place, the expressed intention of the physician, to understand him and to follow him
through all his erring ways, pathetically affects the patient. The feeling of being understood is especially sweet to the solitary
souls who are forever
longing for
&quot;
understanding.&quot; In this they
are insatiable. The beginning of the analysis is for these reasons
fairly easy and simple. The improvement so easily gained, and
the sometimes striking change in the patient's condition of health
are a great temptation to the psychoanalytic beginner to slip into
a therapeutic optimism and an analytical superficiality, neither of
which would correspond to the seriousness and the difficulties of
the situation. The trumpeting of therapeutic successes is nowhere more contemptible than in psychoanalysis, for no one is
better able to understand than a psychoanalyst how the so-called
result of the therapy depends on the cooperation of nature and
the patient himself. The psychoanalyst may rest content with
possessing an advanced scientific insight. The prevailing psychoanalytic literature cannot be spared reproach that some of its
works do give a false impression as to its real nature. There are
therapeutical publications from which the uninitiated receive the
impression that psychoanalysis is more or less a clever trick, with
astonishing effects. The first part of analysis, where we try to
understand, and which, as we have seen before, offers much
relief to the patient's feelings, is responsible for these illusions.
These incidental benefits
help the phenomenon of transference.
The
patient has long felt the need of help to free him from his
inward isolation and his lack of
self-understanding. So he gives
way to his transference, after first struggling against it. For a
neurotic
person, the transference is an ideal situation. He himself makes no
effort, and nevertheless another person meets him
halfway, with an apparent affectionate understanding; does not
even get annoyed or leave off his patient endeavors, although he
himself is sometimes stubborn and makes childish resistances.
By this means the strongest resistances are melted away, for the
interest of the physician meets the need of a better adaptation to
-i extra-familial
reality. The patient obtains, through the transference, not only his parents, who used to bestow great attention
upon him, but in addition he gets a relationship outside the family,
and thus fulfils a
necessary duty of life. The therapeutical success so often to be seen at the same time fortifies the patient's
belief that this new-gained situation is an excellent one. Here we
can easily understand that the patient is not in the least inclined to abandon this newly- found advantage. If it depended upon
him, he would be forever associated with his physician. In consequence, he begins to produce all kinds of phantasies, in order to
find possible ways of maintaining the association with his physician. He makes the
greatest resistances towards his physician,
when the latter tries to dissolve the transference. At the same
time, we must not forget that for our patients the acquisition of a
relationship outside the family is one of the most important
duties of
life, and one, moreover, which up to this moment they
had failed or but
very imperfectly succeeded in accomplishing.
I must
oppose myself energetically to the view that we always
mean by this relationship outside the family, a sexual relation in
its popular sense. This is the misunderstanding fallen into by so
many neurotic people, who believe that <strong>a right attitude toward
reality is only to be found by way of concrete sexuality.</strong></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-17T02:34:25.163Z
Whilst [I am a defender of Freudian and Neo-Freudian psychology](https://psychology.meta.stackexchange.com/a/2248), I unfortunately have to concede that this covers areas of psychology [considered by some here to be pseudoscientific](https://psychology.meta.stackexchange.com/q/2242). Having said that, transference and counter-transference is discussed and recognised as valid in all therapeutic fields.
Chris Rogers
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-17T12:49:44.217Z
@ChrisRogers Thanks for your comment, I am not worried about that debate, I am trying to understand what Jung said, but due to the language barrier, I am having some problems. Do you have anything else to add to Bryan Krause's answer? Also, I have more questions, for example, on page 121, it is written "To understand what had made an impression on the child, we have to ask what happened in her fifth year.
Her youngest brother was born at that time. **Even then, her father had made her nervous** ", why or what??
Consider Non-Trivial Cases
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-17T12:49:52.763Z
@ChrisRogers  I could not find the reason in the entire book, should I ask it on a separate post and notify you?
Consider Non-Trivial Cases
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-05-20T09:07:36.813Z
Each question you have needs to be in separate posts. There will not be any need to notify anyone of your post. It will be seen the next time they log in
Chris Rogers
<developmental-psychology><sexuality><psychoanalysis><jung>
Right Attitude toward Reality is Way of Concrete Sexuality
Consider Non-Trivial Cases
# Right Attitude toward Reality is Way of Concrete Sexuality

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-05-16)

I am reading an old pdf copy of The Theory of Psychoanalysis, By C. G. JUNG and trying to understand the following:

> This is the misunderstanding fallen into by so many neurotic people, who believe that **a right attitude toward reality** is only to be found **by way of concrete sexuality**.
>
> -THE ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSFERENCE, page 107, The Theory of Psychoanalysis, By C. G. JUNG (NERVOUS AND MENTAL DISEASE MONOGRAPH SERIES, No. 19, Nervous and Mental Disease Publishing Co., New York, 1915).

I can not find anything related to this statement in the book, but English is not primary-language, so it might be phrased differently in the book.

So if you have read the book, would you plz point where it is explained in the book?

Or, if you know the explanation of the line or the source, post an answer (with appropriate reference if possible).

Thank you very much.

**PS:**

1. Let add the text prior to that line:

THE ANALYSIS OF THE TRANSFERENCE.

We have already seen that the transference brings about difficulties, because the personality of the physician is assimilated
with the image of the patient's parents. The first part of the
analysis, the investigation of the patient's complexes, is rather
easy, chiefly because a man is relieved by ridding himself of his
secrets, difficulties and pains. In the second place, he experiences
a peculiar satisfaction from at last finding some one who shows
interest in all those things to which nobody hitherto would listen.
It is
very agreeable to find a person, who tries to understand him,
and does not shrink back. In the third place, the expressed intention of the physician, to understand him and to follow him
through all his erring ways, pathetically affects the patient. The feeling of being understood is especially sweet to the solitary
souls who are forever
longing for
"
understanding." In this they
are insatiable. The beginning of the analysis is for these reasons
fairly easy and simple. The improvement so easily gained, and
the sometimes striking change in the patient's condition of health
are a great temptation to the psychoanalytic beginner to slip into
a therapeutic optimism and an analytical superficiality, neither of
which would correspond to the seriousness and the difficulties of
the situation. The trumpeting of therapeutic successes is nowhere more contemptible than in psychoanalysis, for no one is
better able to understand than a psychoanalyst how the so-called
result of the therapy depends on the cooperation of nature and
the patient himself. The psychoanalyst may rest content with
possessing an advanced scientific insight. The prevailing psychoanalytic literature cannot be spared reproach that some of its
works do give a false impression as to its real nature. There are
therapeutical publications from which the uninitiated receive the
impression that psychoanalysis is more or less a clever trick, with
astonishing effects. The first part of analysis, where we try to
understand, and which, as we have seen before, offers much
relief to the patient's feelings, is responsible for these illusions.
These incidental benefits
help the phenomenon of transference.
The
patient has long felt the need of help to free him from his
inward isolation and his lack of
self-understanding. So he gives
way to his transference, after first struggling against it. For a
neurotic
person, the transference is an ideal situation. He himself makes no
effort, and nevertheless another person meets him
halfway, with an apparent affectionate understanding; does not
even get annoyed or leave off his patient endeavors, although he
himself is sometimes stubborn and makes childish resistances.
By this means the strongest resistances are melted away, for the
interest of the physician meets the need of a better adaptation to
-i extra-familial
reality. The patient obtains, through the transference, not only his parents, who used to bestow great attention
upon him, but in addition he gets a relationship outside the family,
and thus fulfils a
necessary duty of life. The therapeutical success so often to be seen at the same time fortifies the patient's
belief that this new-gained situation is an excellent one. Here we
can easily understand that the patient is not in the least inclined to abandon this newly- found advantage. If it depended upon
him, he would be forever associated with his physician. In consequence, he begins to produce all kinds of phantasies, in order to
find possible ways of maintaining the association with his physician. He makes the
greatest resistances towards his physician,
when the latter tries to dissolve the transference. At the same
time, we must not forget that for our patients the acquisition of a
relationship outside the family is one of the most important
duties of
life, and one, moreover, which up to this moment they
had failed or but
very imperfectly succeeded in accomplishing.
I must
oppose myself energetically to the view that we always
mean by this relationship outside the family, a sexual relation in
its popular sense. This is the misunderstanding fallen into by so
many neurotic people, who believe that **a right attitude toward
reality is only to be found by way of concrete sexuality.**

**Tags:** developmental-psychology, sexuality, psychoanalysis, jung

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Whilst [I am a defender of Freudian and Neo-Freudian psychology](https://psychology.meta.stackexchange.com/a/2248), I unfortunately have to concede that this covers areas of psychology [considered by some here to be pseudoscientific](https://psychology.meta.stackexchange.com/q/2242). Having said that, transference and counter-transference is discussed and recognised as valid in all therapeutic fields.  
> **username_0**: @ChrisRogers Thanks for your comment, I am not worried about that debate, I am trying to understand what Jung said, but due to the language barrier, I am having some problems. Do you have anything else to add to username_2's answer? Also, I have more questions, for example, on page 121, it is written "To understand what had made an impression on the child, we have to ask what happened in her fifth year. Her youngest brother was born at that time. **Even then, her father had made her nervous** ", why or what??  
> **username_0**: @ChrisRogers  I could not find the reason in the entire book, should I ask it on a separate post and notify you?  
> **username_1**: Each question you have needs to be in separate posts. There will not be any need to notify anyone of your post. It will be seen the next time they log in  

---

## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2022-05-16. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Jung is writing about the concept of ["transference"](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transference) in psychoanalysis, in this context specifically the issue of a patient directing feelings towards their therapist that they have for someone else. These feelings could be feelings of mistrust or hate, dependence (like on a parent), etc, but often discussed as a sexual/romantic relationship.

In the lines before your quote, see:

> At the same time, we must not forget that for our patients the acquisition of a relationship outside the family is one of the most important duties of life, and one, moreover, which up to this moment they had failed or but very imperfectly succeeded in accomplishing. I must oppose myself energetically to the view that we always mean by this relationship outside the family, a sexual relation in its popular sense.

Jung says that relationships are important, so it's natural for a patient to have some relationship with their therapist. However, Jung is against ("oppose myself energetically") to the idea that this must be a sexual/romantic relationship ("a sexual relation in its popular sense").

In your quote:

> This is the misunderstanding fallen into by so many neurotic people, who believe that a right attitude toward reality is only to be found by way of concrete sexuality.

The "misunderstanding" referred to ("by so many neurotic people, who believe") is that the patient/therapist relationship is necessarily sexual ("concrete sexuality").

One might re-write his sentence: *"People who think the patient-therapist relationship is always sexual are foolish."*

Note that Jung, while influential, was not scientific in his work, and many of his theories have either been debunked or merely have no support.

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: While your caveat at the end reflects your views on psychoanalytical theory, I think this can be seen to try and discredit the fact that both transference and counter-transference are discussed and recognised as valid in all therapeutic fields. They are very real phenomena which therapists must be mindful of when engaged in a therapeutic relationship with a client.  

---

