Carl Jung's theory of the collective unconscious suggests that Hitler wasn’t just an individual leader but a product of the mass psyche of the German population at the time.

His rise wasn’t random—it was the result of deep-seated fears, unresolved national trauma, and a longing for a strong, almost mythical savior figure.

A similar pattern can be seen with Trump. He is not just a man but a reflection of a collective psychological state—a population shaped by political disillusionment, economic instability, and cultural anxiety. His rise wasn’t about intelligence or stupidity alone but about fear, frustration, and a desperate search for someone who could "fix" a system people felt had failed them. He became a magnet for that unconscious energy, just as Hitler did in Germany, though in a very different context.

The Germans of Nazi Germany dreamed of a leader who would restore their national pride and lead them to greatness, their wounded egos fueled by visions of superiority and world domination. In the U.S. today, Trump's rise is a symptom of something different but related—the desire to return to an imagined past, a golden age that never really existed. The collective unconscious of a large portion of the population gravitated toward a figure who embodied that nostalgia and promised to make them "great" again.

Both cases show that when people feel lost, uncertain, and desperate, they look for saviors. And history shows that the people who step into that role are rarely what they seem.

(thoughts from chatgpt: Jung would likely place Trump under the Trickster archetype rather than the Hero.

The Hero archetype, in Jungian terms, represents a figure who embarks on a transformative journey, often overcoming great obstacles to bring renewal or enlightenment. While Hitler manipulated the Hero myth (specifically the "savior of Germany"), he was more of a shadow aspect of the Hero—an inflated ego driven by destructive grandiosity.

Trump, on the other hand, aligns more with the Trickster—a figure who disrupts, deceives, and bends reality to his will, often exposing the hidden weaknesses of a system. The Trickster thrives on chaos, controversy, and spectacle. Trump’s unpredictable nature, use of deception, and ability to manipulate public perception fit this archetype well. He doesn’t follow traditional rules but instead mocks and bends them, often getting away with behavior that would destroy most politicians.

That being said, the Trickster isn’t necessarily evil—he can reveal societal hypocrisies and force transformation, even unintentionally. In this sense, Trump’s presence in politics has exposed deep flaws in the American system, just as other Trickster figures throughout history have disrupted the status quo.

So while some of his supporters might see him as a Hero, Jung would more likely recognize him as a Trickster—a chaotic force that both reflects and amplifies the unconscious impulses of the collective.)