NMC Professor of Social Sciences and Fine Arts Dr. James "Jim" Kline recently published his book, Nonrational Logic in Contemporary Society, a book that explores modern examples of beliefs that defy logic but nevertheless are enthusiastically embraced by legions of contemporary people living in technologically advanced societies.
This book is based on the ideas of Carl Gustav Jung, a Swiss psychiatrist and psychoanalyst who founded analytical psychology, and his ideas relating to the concept of archetypes. Archetypes are considered to be unconscious thoughts and behavioral patterns universal to all of humanity and can be expressed in dreams, art, religion, and reports of supernatural and paranormal experiences such as the belief in UFOs, conspiracy theories associated with child sacrifice and devil worship, lizard people who secretly rule the world, and internet demons whom many insist are real.
When asked about why he wrote this book, Dr. Kline mentioned that there’s a trend in advanced technological societies to embrace certain beliefs that are based on irrational and nonrational thinking. “It seems that because of the influence of the internet and social media, conspiracy theories now spread much more quickly and result in people embracing beliefs that can ultimately distort the facts of a particular subject or event and in some cases lead to dangerous consequences.”
In Nonrational Logic in Contemporary Society, Dr. Kline’s key findings presented in the book emphasize how nonrational thinking is hardly anything new.
“I present many examples of beliefs in the spirit world that humanity has embraced since the beginning of human history, that spirits, gods, and other supernatural beings control the natural world and also influence our thinking,” Kline said.
Additionally, Dr. Kline includes the work of many of his students to illustrate some of his findings.
Dr. Kline shares his hope that his book can help people better understand how certain beliefs they hold can be a distorted view of reality.
“This distorted view is influenced by the archetypal dimension of the human psyche. Archetypes are beneficial if they are viewed as metaphorical expressions of what is true about the human condition rather than literal expressions of how the world works,” Kline said.
“The influence of archetypes on human thought and behavior has sometimes been de-emphasized by the psychological community, and it's my hope that the book will better illustrate how important it is to recognize the impact archetypes continue to have on people living in contemporary societies,” Kline said.
In writing Nonrational Logic in Contemporary Society, Dr. Kline shares a message for readers to take away after reading it: “A specific message that I hope readers take away after reading the book is how nonrational thinking, which as I mentioned is related to the influence of archetypes, is beneficial if not taken literally. As I also mentioned, conspiracy thinking is based upon nonrational thinking and can contain many archetypal themes. Many of these archetypal themes are related to religious beliefs.”
“I actually believe that dreams with archetypal themes are sometimes influenced by powers that cannot be explained by rational means, and that these powers have the best intentions for you if you don't take dreams literally.
The book is endorsed by psychologist, and Dr. Kline’s former mentor, Dr. James Hollis, to whom the book is dedicated. Dr. Hollis has written extensively on topics relating to self-esteem and personal growth.
Nonrational Logic in Contemporary Society is important reading for analytical psychologists, Jungian psychotherapists, and other professionals as well as the general public seeking to understand how prevalent nonrational thinking is in modern societies and how it reflects traditional beliefs found all over the world including many of the traditional beliefs of the Northern Mariana Islands. The book can be purchased from his publisher, Routledge, at www.routledge.com.
Dr. Kline received his PhD in Psychology with Jungian Studies Specialization, at Saybrook University, San Francisco, CA. He is a professor of psychology at the Northern Marianas College, Northern Mariana Islands. His previous publications have appeared in such Jungian-themed Journals as Psychological Perspectives, Jung Journal, Spring Journal, and The International Journal of Jungian Studies. He is also the author of The Otherworld in Myth, Folklore, Cinema, and Brain Science.