Thought for the Day for November 12, 2025
November
12
Thought for the Day
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
The word “enantiodromia” means a turn into the opposite. Heraclitus first articulated it in about 500 BCE. He wrote, “Cold things warm, warm things cool, wet things dry, parched things get wet.” He developed this as the idea of tension reaching an extreme before triggering the run into its opposite state. Jung took this idea and made it a centerpiece of his psychology. It applies to individuals, groups, societies, and cultures. Given the extremity that Trumpism has brought about, what will be the likely trigger to reverse this horrific development? Any suggestions appreciated. I will work on my own reply as well.
Russ
When I was in junior high school in LA in the mid 60s, I was taking a World History class. My topic was the life and deeds of Adolf Hitler,
One thing I remember from my research was that Hitler would go into fits, when he did not get the response he wanted. He would fall into a rage and the term in German for that was “carpet chewer.” The idiomatic expression in German for a person who fell into a rage or a “carpet chewer “ was a “Teppichfresser.” This has nothing to do with my point. I just remember my report included this factoid. I now adhere.
I was to give an oral report on my research. I reported the Teppichfresser business. And I distinctly recall talking about a very unpopular idea, which actually got the teacher angry. He was Belgian, had lived through the war. I was using notes on a pile of 3 x 5 cards and reading my commentary that Nazism was just the the same as communism with a small “c”, when these two sides became extreme. One side only seemed worse, because of what the Nazis actually did. Communism had that far tastier idea of “From each according to his ability to each according to his need.” Sounds great, no? Philanthropic, humanistic,very kind.
I said it was a problem because one becomes the other, when both ideas reach an extreme. All generally becomes a power play,