Jung and the End of the World: Can Depth Psychology Save Us?
This Jungian Life Podcast
Joseph Lee, Deborah Stewart, Lisa Marchiano
4.7 • 2.1K Ratings
🗓️ 7 May 2026
⏱️ 64 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
In his new book, The End of the World, author and psychoanalyst JON MILLS considers the question of why humanity seems bent on self-destruction.
We face famine, climate change, obscene wealth disparities, and threats of global war and nuclear annihilation. Yet the majority of us seem to prefer living either in denial, or in irrational, active opposition to reading the writing on the wall.
This week Jungian analyst and co-host Lisa Marchiano interviews Jon about how we face up to impending catastrophe. Is there a viable alternative to the current situation in which we seem to be indulging a collective death wish, careening unconsciously toward a dangerous precipice?
Lisa and Jon discuss Jung’s emphasis on doing individual shadow work and how myth and fairy tale - a distillation of human nature and wisdom - might offer a spark of hope. If we can recognize and confront evil and hold the tension of opposites we can start a conversation with our shadow.
Follow Up for This Episode
Read Jon Mills’ new book, End of the World: Civilization and Its Fate.
Visit Jon Mills’ website.
Watch bonus mini-episodes on our Patreon channel.
Download our free Dream Recall Meditation Guide.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | And so I think death and destruction and strife and whatever terms we want to describe that inner |
| 0:09.3 | chaos has to be channeled. |
| 0:12.8 | I mean, it's given. |
| 0:13.8 | We're thrown into this. |
| 0:16.2 | At the same time, it's not determined. |
| 0:18.9 | It's not like destined. |
| 0:24.4 | And this is why the innerplay of opposites and tensions in the psyche have to work themselves through in various permutations. |
| 0:34.2 | Welcome to this Jungian life. Three good friends and Jungian analysts, Lisa Marchiano, |
| 0:40.5 | Deborah Stewart, and Joseph Lee invite you to join them for an intimate and honest conversation |
| 0:45.8 | that brings a psychological perspective to important issues of the day. |
| 0:51.9 | I'm Lisa Marchiano, and I'm a Jungian analyst in Philadelphia. I'm Joseph Lee, and I'm a Jungian analyst in Philadelphia. |
| 0:56.0 | I'm Joseph Lee and I'm a Jungian analyst in Virginia Beach, Virginia. |
| 1:00.9 | I'm Deborah Stewart, a Jungian analyst on Cape Cod. |
| 1:24.5 | I'm Deborah Stewart, a Jungian analyst on Cape Cod. Well, welcome to a very special episode where I have a chance to interview a giant in the field of psychoanalysis. |
| 1:30.6 | John Mills is a Canadian philosopher and psychoanalyst and a retired clinical psychologist, and he is the honorary professor, Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic |
| 1:36.4 | Studies at the University of Essex in the UK. He's got all kinds of other credentials under his belt |
| 1:43.2 | and has authored or edited over 35 books |
| 1:46.4 | in philosophy, psychoanalysis, psychology, and cultural studies. And today I'm going to be talking |
| 1:51.8 | with him about one of his recent books, which is quite an important work. I can see it behind you |
| 1:57.9 | there on the shelf's end of the world. |
| 2:05.5 | And it is a fascinating, really important read. |
| 2:11.7 | And I must say it's a bit of a difficult read because it really confronts the reader with, |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Joseph Lee, Deborah Stewart, Lisa Marchiano, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Joseph Lee, Deborah Stewart, Lisa Marchiano and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2026.