Rory MacDonald - Individuation
131,171
Published 2016-06-17
Part 1 - Persona/Guardian Angel:
Every person has a built in facade - a persona (litterally a mask). Through the persona we codify ourselves in a form which we hope will prove acceptable to others.
The tendency is to build acceptable traits into the persona and to keep unacceptable traits hidden or repressed. These socially undesirable aspects of the maturing personality are usually relegated to the personal unconscious, where they coalesce to form another complex, or part personality, that Jung called the shadow.
Guardian Angel refers to the sport of MMA which pulled MacDonald through some hard times, gave his life direction and ultimately meaning. The religious aspect of this phenomenon is present throughout the video.
Part 2 - The Shadow/Inner Demons:
Jung felt 'shadow' to be an appropriate term for this disowned subpersonality for there is inevitably
something 'shady' about it, hidden away as it is in the dark lumber-room of the Freudian unconscious.
Unwanted though it is, it persists as a powerful dynamic that we take with us wherever we go as a dark companion which dogs our steps - just like a shadow in fact.
Although acting as a guiding light, MMA has managed to unleash the inner demons of MacDonald's character, personified in the Shadow-character he assumes before, during and after fighting. This is the other, violent side of him that he has not been able to suppress.
Individuation:
Usually called 'self-realization' or 'self-actualization', Jung called it "an expression of that biological process - simple or complicated as the ease may be - by which every living thing becomes what it was destined to become from the beginning"
It is a creative act of Self-completion. How does this extraordinary fusion occur? The answer is that it occurs in our sleep and that the process is immeasurably assisted if we record our dreams, reflect on them, and work on them.
All opposites are intrinsically irreconcilable: but conflict between any pair of opposites generates tension which motivates the psyche to seek a third possibility that transcends them both. If one can learn to bear the tension that oppositions invariably bring, then the problem is raised to a higher plane: good is reconciled with evil, love with hate, doubt with certainty, and a new synthesis will follow between conscious and unconscious, persona and shadow, ego and Self. Such reconciliations are attained neither rationally nor intellectually, but symbolically, through the transcendent function of symbols. The symbolism of the cross needs little amplification: it indicates the cardinal points of the mandala and is the Christian symbol of wholeness, representing the reconciliation of opposites through suffering, the memorial of Christ's individuation and atonement with God.
Through his opposite personalities, then, MacDonald achieves Individuation, i.e. completion of the Self, at the end represented through the Christian symbols and the mandalas. It is is a dream come true, so to speak.
Hopefully, you all enjoy it
All Comments (21)
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If there is one person who is just crazy enough to come back as an even more determined killer after coming so close to beating Robbie, its Rory.
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This is the best Rory tribute I've seen.
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Happy retirement to this absolute warrior!
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You managed to capture the unique personality of the water boy. I remember that scene where him and Ricci were drinking wine with those girls and one girl says "he's so cute you'd never know he was a fighter" and Rory goes: "I just need a body it doesn't matter who it is." Probably didn't get lucky that night.
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Been watchin it over and over again for months now
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Wow. That is some powerful art. Thank you, M. Schütt.
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One of my favourite all time mma fighters. Had the chance to meet him in Dublin. Very humble and friendly guy. I really hope he gets the bellator belt. He is by far the most skilled fighter in the bellator welterweight division. And some day he will come back and get that ufc belt. Good luck Rory ✌🏻👊🏻
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This is a masterpiece, a work of art. Killer instinct contained in a human vessel expressed through human appreciation.
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The edit on the question mark kicks was so cool, great video!
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One of the best EDITS EVER ! YOu're an artist
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This video is so underrated. Seeing rory say that he can't hurt others sfter the fitch fight was both relieving and painful. I was happy that rory had become what he was destined to be but sad to lose him as a fighter. Thanks for all the memories rory. You were an amazing fighter. The first true mixed martial artsist
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Really enjoyed it bro it was so fantastic and one of the best fighter's tribute i've ever seen
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What a complete video, thank you
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I love this man. rory is one of my favorite fighters and I loved how you captured him in this video! Awesome job you gained a sub
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this is beautiful
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More.....PLEASE?! That. Was. Incredible.
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MacDonald is of Scottish, Irish and Norwegian descent! VIKING all the way!
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Insane! great fighter and such a nice guy
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Great video and great fighter
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Arguably the greatest video ever made....
