Who Carries Our Darkness?

Abstract

This dissertation examines psychopathy as a psychological, cultural, and archetypal phenomenonwithin the Western psyche. Rather than approaching psychopathy as a symptom of individualpathology, this study situates it within a depth psychological framework, exploring how thefigure of the psychopath may function as a carrier of the Western Shadow. Drawing uponJungian theory and forensic psychology, the research investigates how the Collective Shadowcontributes to the Projection of darkness onto the psychopath as an archetypal figure. Throughthe analysis of film, forensics, and fairy tales, this dissertation argues that fascination withpsychopathy points to both unresolved Shadow material and a goldmine of potential withinWestern consciousness. The psychopath becomes both a scapegoat and symbolic container forqualities that remain unintegrated at the collective level. By examining the psychic, cultural, andimaginal dimensions of this Projection, the study seeks to illuminate how the Shadow aspects ofthe Self are externalized, sometimes even sensationalized. Ultimately, this work proposes thatconfronting the phenomenon of psychopathy requires both a clinical understanding andcollective Shadow integration, challenging Western culture to reconsider its relationship tosuffering, emotional intimacy, and psychic fragmentation.