Jung’s conception of the shadow came right before the worst atrocities in human history

Carl Jung first began writing about the shadow in the 1910’s and continued developing these ideas in the coming decades. These decades would see the most horrific acts of large scale human brutality ever in World War I, World War II, and the Holocaust.

Currently, there is a zeitgeist that is once again embracing these ideas in the mainstream led in large part by people like Jordan Peterson. He often brings up his reading of Jung and his concept of the shadow. His take seems to be that in order to integrate our shadow, everyone needs to become “monsters” but to control it.

But as a thought experiment, where would this lead us if everyone fully embraced this idea? In order to integrate your shadow and in order to become a controlled monster like Jordan prescribes, wouldn’t the end result be everyone essentially having the most destructive weapons in their possession, but having them “under control”. Jordan says that a weak men can’t be a virtuous man, so if you don’t also have the most destructive weapons, then you will be unable to defend yourself or to stand up against someone who does. So essentially his end state is everyone having the most destructive weapons, but to be able to control it.

The problem is that in a world where everyone is a monster with the most destructive weapons, eventually someone won’t control it. And the tit for tat of maximally armed monsters will lead to the most destructive situation possible as seen in the previous world wars.

In a world that is developing artificial intelligence, robotics, and biotechnology that will put world destroying power in the hands of individuals in an increasingly divided and distrustful populace, is everyone becoming a “controlled monster” really a good idea? Is Jordan Peterson’s conclusion from his study of Jung’s concept of the shadow a mistake?