Toward an Understanding of Dreams As Mythological and Cultural-Political Communication
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Toward an Understanding of Dreams as Mythological and Cultural-Political Communication by John Hughes M.A., University of Louisiana, Monroe, 2012 Diploma of Technology, British Columbia Institute of Technology, 2005 B. A., University of British Columbia, 2002 Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the School of Communication Faculty of Communication, Art and Technology © John Hughes 2020 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Spring 2020 All rights reserved. However, in accordance with the Copyright Act of Canada, this work may be reproduced, without authorization, under the conditions for “Fair Dealing.” Therefore, limited reproduction of this work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review and news reporting is likely to be in accordance with the law, particularly if cited appropriately. Approval Name: John Hughes Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Communication) Title of Thesis: Toward an Understanding of Dreams as Mythological and Political Communication Examining Committee: Chair: Stuart Poyntz, Associate Professor ___________________________________________ Gary McCarron Senior Supervisor Associate Professor __________________________________________ Jerry Zaslove Supervisor Professor Emeritus _______________________________________________ Martin Laba Supervisor Associate Professor _______________________________________________ Michael Kenny Internal/External Examiner Professor Emeritus Department of Sociology and Anthropology _______________________________________________ David Black External Examiner Associate Professor School of Communication and Culture Royal Roads University Date Defended/ Aril 20, 2020 Approved: ii Abstract The central argument of this dissertation is that the significance of both myths and dreams, as framed by cultural politics, is not reducible to polarities of truth or falsehood, or superstition in opposition to science. It is the socio-political webs that myths and dreams often weave that this dissertation explores. Along the way, it addresses an absence of literature that unburdens myths and dreams of the conventional requirement of being true. The dissertation ultimately contributes to a more complete comprehension of the capacity of these phenomena to act as largely unconscious catalysts for cultural political developments. To support my argument, I tell a story about the relationships between dreams and myth as they affect cultural politics. This story can be told in many different ways; in fact I found that multiple iterations were required to demonstrate the connection. The narrative also needs supporting elements to tell it coherently. In this spirit, the introduction and opening chapter sketch historical approaches to the study of dreams and myth, before providing an overview of these phenomena as they affected people living in Berlin during the Nazi seizure of power. Also included are adumbrations of psychological frameworks required to make sense of this process. With the table thus set, the method of telling the story involves several steps. The first is to show a relationship between dreams and cultural politics. Chapter Two does this from the perspectives of Holy Grail literature, shamanism, Nazism, and psychoanalysis. The next step requires demonstrations of cultural political connections to myth; Chapter Three accomplishes this in its examination of the Thousand Year Reich, Voodoo, and digital technology. The diversity of these examples is deliberate, setting the stage for Chapter Four, which shows that, even in the opposing keys of religion and science, dreams have connected to myth and this connection has, in turn, influenced cultural politics. Having established the link between dreams, myth and cultural politics, the last portion of the dissertation details the apparently prognostic dreams of Germans living under Nazi oppression, connecting their visions to Nazi myth and subsequent political developments. I then refer these dreams to the psychological frameworks introduced in the first chapter as a means of analyzing the visions, and of answering the question of the dreams’ ability to prognosticate. The dissertation concludes with a review of evidence and establishes the value of understanding dreams and myths in upholding prevailing culture patterns. Key Words: Dream; Myth; Culture; Prognostication; Nazi; Ideology; Psychology; Beradt iii Acknowledgements First of all, I would like to acknowledge everyone who has dreamed and wondered what their dreams mean. History is full of these dreamers and I say thanks to all of them. Without this universal interest my work on dreams—and their associated myths—would be meaningless. My indebtedness here is boundless, from dreamers of past ages powerless to act on their dreams to those whose dreams became expressions of unbridled power—my hope is that this work may serve as some small recompense. Thanks to those whose dreams expressed desperate plights, religious ecstasy and political prognostication. Your night visions made it possible to create a work whose scope spans thousands of years. I would like to thank three family members in particular for their encouragement over many years. My mother, Roberta Fischer, offered support through my misspent youth when things went so seriously astray that completing high school, never mind a doctorate, seemed unlikely. I would also like to thank my uncle, Jim Skinner, for his sage advice, patience, and spiritual teachings that he has offered me since I was a boy. And all the love and support from my sister, Jayna Carter, helped me through numerous rough patches. All of this was crucial in surviving a stretch of challenging years. I would never have made it this far without you Mom, Jayna and Uncle Jim! Of course, none of this would have been possible without the unwavering support of my supervisory team: Gary McCarron, Jerry Zaslove and Martin Laba. It took me a year to settle on a topic for this dissertation; the guidance you provided in formative stages of this project, Gary, was invaluable. Without your advice in the directed study course that you worked through with me, formulating the ideas so foundational to this work would have bordered on the impossible. Jerry, as the project progressed, the direction that you and Gary provided widened the scope of my thinking while keeping things on track. Thank you so much for that, as well as the extensive reading list that you provided for me. I would also like to thank my colleagues, Alberto Lusoli and the late Peter Zuurbier; working on academic projects with you guys was so important in putting my ideas to the test. Finally, my love, Cathy Morgan, back in my life after a long absence, I knew all those years ago that you saw in me the potential for a work such as this one. Thanks for believing in me and thanks for being here just when things are about to get interesting. iv Table of Contents Approval ............................................................................................................................. ii Abstract ............................................................................................................................. iii Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………………….iv Table of Contents ................................................................................................................ v Quotation........................................................................................................................... vii Introduction - Myth, Mystery and Political Dreams: Setting the Stage………..…….1 Starting the Conversation about Dreams………..…..……………………..…….1 The Ubiquitous Myth…...……………………........…...………………………...6 Synopsis of Chapters.....…………………….…..……………...………………10 Chapter I—The Story Begins: History, Politics and Psychology Converge on Dreams and Myth…………..………….…………...……..10 Chapter II—The Dream's Cultural and Political Horizon........................11 Chapter III—I Always Tell the Truth, Even when I Lie.…………..…...11 Chapter IV—Dream and Myth: The Nocturnal Vision Merges with Living Legend………….………………………………...……….12 Chapter V—Dreams’ Political Compass and an Ideological Myth’s Future…………………………….………………………………….…13 Chapter VI— Psychology of Beradt’s Dream Catalogue: Freud and Jung…………………………………...…………....……………….….14 Chapter VII—Dreams, Myth, Politics and Time Reconsidered……….15 Chapter 1 - The Story Begins: History, Politics and Psychology Converge on Dreams and Myth.……………………………………………………………………...16 Dream Stories……………………….……………...…...……………………17 On the Trail of Myth………………...……………………………………….25 Nazi Myths and Dreams…………………………………..………………….31 Psychologies of Dreams and Myths……..………………..………………….34 Chapter 2 - The Dream's Cultural and Political Horizon………….………………....42 Cultural Analysis of Dreams and Dream Symbols……………………………43 The Quest of the Holy Grail…………………………………………………..44 Amazonian Shamanism……………………………………………………….48 Dreamers under Nazi Rule……………………………………………………54 Psychoanalysis and Dreams……………………………………..……………57 Dreams' Cultural Power….…………………………………………………....63 v Chapter 3 - I Always Tell the Truth, Even When I Lie…………….…………..…….65 Cultural Analysis of Myth…………………………………………………….66 Myth of the Thousand Year Reich…………………..………………………..67 Haitian Voodoo……………………………………………………………….77 The Voodoo Faith……………………………………………………………..78 Voodoo Politics……………………………………………………………….80 Voodoo Revolt…….………………………….………………………………84 Myth of Digital Technology………………………………………….……….87 Myth as Power…..…………………………………………………………….94 Chapter 4 - Dream and Myth: The Nocturnal