Soul of Popular Culture

It is commonly accepted that we see our current moral and political views reflected in the media, our entertainment, and our obsessions. However, it is only in looking beyond the literal interpretations of the movies, television programmes and newspaper headlines which permeate our lives that we see who we are now, who we once were and who we may become. This collection of essays by Jungian analysts and popular culture critics presents a lively discussion of many significant topics in contemporary culture. Covering social issues, current events and the popular media, "Images" examines subjects as diverse as AIDS, the O.J. Simpson trials, "Pulp Fiction", "The Piano", the Miss America Pageant, "Star Trek", the Internet, and "The X-Files". The book also delves into: "The New American Hero" examines the displacement of the traditional American hero, who is seens as inhuman and unattainable, in favour of the protagonists of Japanese comics, whose many faults prove them all too human; an analysis of "Frankenstein" and "Jurassic Park" exposes the archetypes and ancient myths within the stories, leading to a discussion of womb envy and parental control; "cinemyths" explores the gender wars of feature films - "Fatal Attraction", "Basic Instinct" and "Thelma and Louise" as retellings of the Garden of Eden - the story of Pygmalion revisited through "Children of a Lesser God" and "Pretty Woman"; an investigation of the psychological impact of abortion uncovers the similarities between the goddess Artemis and a woman who wilfully terminates her pregnancy; and a Jungian analyst employs depth psychology to rethink "codependency", using its negative connotations to illuminate the balance of love and self-protection. Written in an engaging and accessible style for Jungians and general readers alike, "Images at the Millennium" is an enlightening exploration of what popular culture can tell us about America's collective soul.