Autism & the Structure of Reality (Part 1): The Self — Jung, Individuation, & the Cost of Fitting In

About this episode

This episode explores the concept of the Self through Carl Jung's work and the tension between personal identity and societal expectations in the context of autism.

Autism comes from the word self —but what does that actually mean? In this episode, we explore the concept of the Self through the work of Carl Jung and examine the tension between who we are and who the world expects us to be. This isn’t about diagnosing autism through Jung. It’s about understanding a deeper question: What happens when someone remains more connected to their internal structure in a world that prioritizes conformity? In Part 1 of this series, we begin with the Self. Drawing from Jung’s work, this episode explores: the difference between the persona (the social role) and the Self (the deeper organizing structure of the psyche) how identity is shaped through social expectations what happens when that shaping process doesn’t occur in the same way Jung believed that the goal of life is individuation—becoming who you actually are. But that process often requires moving away from the roles and expectations imposed by the external world. For some individuals, that tension is subtle. For others, it is constant. This episode does not argue that Jung explained autism. Instead, it uses his framework to explore a key idea: What happens when the pull toward the internal self…

People in this episode

Host: Ryan Sumner

Topics covered

• Autism
• Self
• Carl Jung
• Individuation
• Social Expectations
• Identity

Keywords

• Autism
• Self
• Carl Jung
• Individuation
• Social Role
• Identity
• Persona

More episodes of From the Spectrum: Finding Superpowers with Autism

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• Autism & the Structure of Reality (part 5): Why Schools & Systems Break on Difference · May 27, 2026 · 33 min
• Autism & the Structure of Reality (part 4): Illusion & Reality · May 20, 2026 · 28 min
• Autism & the Structure of Reality (part 3): The Mind, Perception, & Reality · May 14, 2026 · 27 min