Is This Me—or the Collective Unconscious? (Part 1)

I live in a beautiful semi-detached 1920s house. It was renovated in 2020, but I never finished decorating.

After many years, I’m finally making an effort.

As I start choosing wallpapers, I notice something: I’m immediately drawn to jungle patterns with birds.

I think I like them… but then I pause.

Do I actually like this, or is it something I’ve seen everywhere—something that’s become part of what we all think is “beautiful”? Is this me, or is it something else?

The collective unconscious, a concept from Carl Jung, refers to a part of the unconscious mind that is shared by all humans, rather than shaped by personal experience.

When I look back at my younger years—choosing a degree, a career path, jobs—I can see how many of my decisions were influenced by society, family, and expectations of “being successful.”

I studied engineering, worked in the energy industry, completed an MBA at a top school, and then moved into finance at Citi and Lloyds Bank.

I don’t regret any of it. It shaped who I am, and I had some great experiences.

But I do wonder—how much of that was truly me?

In those roles, did I feel fully myself? Was I expressing my essence, my creativity? Sometimes, yes. But not as much as I would have liked.

The collective unconscious is neither good nor bad. Often, our deepest inner desires align with societal values.

But sometimes, they don’t.

The risk is becoming so disconnected from ourselves that we no longer know what we truly want—making decisions from the collective unconscious without awareness, without discernment, and potentially ending up unhappy.

So how do we know what comes from deep within? What do we really want?

Well, I’ll explore that in the next blog.