The Psychology of Dreams<>On Line Since 2012

Jungian/Psychology Based [ GO ]

www.powerofdreams.net

Dream Forum
[Since 2005]
Myths-Dreams-Symbols    www.mydrsy.com    Since 1998
The Dream is to The Psyche

As the Immune System is to the body

Dream Analysis/Interpretation by Dream Analyst Gerald Gifford
Read: Methodology I Use in Analyzing Dreams,,,,,Based on Jungian Psychology
5000+ Dreams
    /a>
Interpreted
Please Support My
Rescue Kitty Fund

Click the Kitty

FREE INTERPRETATIONS: Please Provide Age/Gender For Proper Analysis.....Follow-up Response to Analysis Requested
By submitting your dream you have read & agree to our Disclaimer/Privacy Policy

The Dream Forum is Closed
Private Interpretations Available-E-Mail: mythsdreams@hotmail.com
Power of Dreams/MDS Dream Forum
Start a New Topic 
Author
Comment
sexism in dream interpretations and comments?...

Is it only me that reacts to some of the interpretations on this site about 'how women are expected to be' and 'how women are not expected to be so disciplined as men?!"
I am not referring to 'masculine' and 'feminine' sides of our psyche, as I am aware that we all have these and are working to balance both in harmony, recognising our anima or animus, but, I think we sometimes have to be aware of how our own social and gender orientated background may colour our interpretations of other people's dreams, especially those posters of our opposite gender.

Phrases such as 'crying is not a masculine trait' may not be helpful? I know many men who are healthily in touch with their feelings, are strong, but would cry over some issues. Men have tear ducts too!

Feminine aspects in psychology are always portrayed as passive, gentle, unacting - yet, in most of the cultural backgrounds represented in this worldwide forum, it is woman who work hard to keep outside work, family, their partners and children all together and from a purely biological point of view
(humans being animals too) it is the female of the species who is the most proactive in survival.

Fo myself, and for the poster who mentioned women are 'not expected to be as disciplined as men', I would have to say I have not had an easy time in life, just because I am a woman, far from it, probably more was expected of me and from personal experience and from the experience of being a teacher, more pressure and expectations are put on girls to do well in education, which is reflected in higher results at ages 7, 11, 16 and 18 at present.
I have actually been on courses to encourage higher academic expectations of certain cohorts of boys, young men, because of the current trend in society to excuse the male gender.

I believe Jung, did much to highlight the equality between the sexes and to harmonise to strive, through individuation to encourage all humans to be aware of their masculine and feminine sides; to become 'whole'

What do others feel?

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 37

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} f

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? yes

Re: sexism in dream interpretations and comments?...

Claire,
It is only you. Anyone who visits the Dream Forum knows that there is not a stereotyping. There are sometimes comments about expectations but be assured that is it. The contributors to the forum have reached that centre and the only desire is to help others.

Gerard

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 56 Murfreesboro, Tn.

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Male

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Yes

Re: sexism in dream interpretations and comments?...

So you believe yourself then to be in a position of always being right Gerard?

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 37

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} f

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? yes

Re: sexism in dream interpretations and comments?...

Karen Horney

Karen Horney (1885-1952) was a German-born physician and psychoanalyst. She became known chiefly for challenging the Austrian psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud over the stress he put on biology in explaining human psychology. Horney believed that people often behave as they do for social reasons.

Horney criticized Freud's views on the psychology of women. Freud said that women feel inferior to men because of their anatomy and its effect on their psychological development. Horney agreed that many women do feel that way -- but not because of biology. She argued that society teaches women to feel inferior.

Horney was born in Hamburg. She married Oscar Horney, a Berlin attorney, in 1909. She received her M.D. degree from the University of Berlin in 1912. In 1932, Horney moved to the United States. She helped form the American Institute for Psychoanalysis in 1941 and served as its dean until her death. Her major works include New Ways in Psychoanalysis (1939) and Our Inner Conflicts (1945).

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 37

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} f

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? yes

Re: sexism in dream interpretations and comments?...

Jung's Sexism
Jung's thought is not only pervaded with notions hard to separate from racism but it has a marked sexist component. Although, according to Jung, the unconscious of the male contains the anima archetype and the unconscious of the female the animus archetype, far from providing a basis for overcoming traditional constricting gender roles, these archetypes are a threat: Jung thought it important to keep these opposite-gender principles in check.
McGowan cites the following statements from Jung's "Woman in Europe" (1928; 170-71: "a man should live as a man, and a woman as a woman." According to Jung, a woman who pursues "a masculine calling" introduces into any discussion "a whole host of argumentative biases which always go a little beside the point in the most irritating way, and which, furthermore, always inject a little something into the problem that is not really there ... which can even grow into downright daemonic passion that irritates and disgusts men...[and] smother the charm and meaning of femininity...Such a development naturally ends in a deep, psychological division, in short, a neurosis." (McGowan, p. 100)

SO... it's not "just me" then is it?
(bloody cheek!)

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 37

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} f

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? yes

Re: sexism in dream interpretations and comments?...

Claire,
No, I don't have any illusions about being right. My response was to your question about stereotyping women. I don't believe anyone of the contributors would do that. If I am correct your position was taken because of one comment I made. The intent was to point out perceived masculine traits as identified by Jung. Simple as that.

We do appreciate all educational materials that helps us better understand our dreams and ourselves. But I the last time I looked it said 'A Jungian Perspective' and not Freud. As I remember it the story goes Jung broke away from Freud because of his {Freud's} insistance of sex being the 'bullwork' in understanding dreams. I try to choose my words carefully but I don't think my use of 'masculine traits' would not be taken out of context. That in itself can be determental to the dreamer understanding Jung's approach. I don't think the person who made the post took it that way.

I do hope that clears up any misconceptions.

Working together we can help others understand those inner things that at one time we did not understand.

Gerard

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 56

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} Male

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? Yes

Re: sexism in dream interpretations and comments?...

I appreciate your reply Gerard. The reaction was to several comments you made in reply to dreamer's posts,not only one, and I resent the implication of an 'overeacting female' that you are trying to project.
I am fully aware that most posters would not stereotype by gender, what I was trying to raise awareness of, is that we all, male or female need to check our responses, especially to a poster of the opposite sex, to see that interpretations are not clouded by our our prejudices and experiences, whatever gender.

I am fully aware of your references to Freud, thankyou, and if you look at my other post "Jung and sexism AKA "it's not only me" you will see other references cited regarding Jung NOT Freud, which I was referring to.

I suggest we close the dialogue now, as I feel very strongly about this aspect of culture and society and I don't want to 'flood'/spam' the forum any more, where it should be other people's dreams posted.

Age & Gender & Location {Required}: 37

Have You Posted Before? Date of Last Post {Use Search and Your Post Name to Help Find Last Post} f

How Did You Find the Dream Forum? yes


stats from 7-14-10 to the present