Rampant Projection

 

 (1898 Harper's Weekly cover)

According to Carl Jung, projection occurs when people accuse others of what they themselves are guilty of.  It is quite common among individuals, and sometimes plays out on a grand scale.

The latter has been recently raging between the United States and Russia.  When President Biden accused President Putin of being “a killer,” Putin responded with a schoolyard comeback that essentially means this: “It takes one to know one.”

Biden cites Russia’s history of assassination and mass murder.  Putin cites America's history of slavery and Native American genocide.  Assuming both are correct, does rampant projection avoid such atrocities or incite them?  Tit-for-tat does not seem to be a viable way for international relations to evolve. 

Resources

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-56430049

Copyright March 18, 2021 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved