Carl Jung on the disadvantages of pioneer work

It became clear to me how great are the disadvantages of pioneer work: one stumbles through unknown regions; one is led astray by analogies, forever losing the Ariadne thread; one is overwhelmed by new impressions and new possibilities, and the worst disadvantage of all is that the pioneer only knows afterwards what he should have known before. The second generation has the advantage of a clearer, if still incomplete, picture; certain landmarks that at least lie on the frontiers of the essential have grown familiar, and one now knows what must be known if one is to explore the newly discovered territory. Thus forewarned and forearmed, a representative of the second generation can spot the most distant connections; he can unravel problems and give a coherent account of the whole field of study, whose full extent the pioneer can only survey at the end of his life's work.

This excerpt was taken from the foreword to a book called "The Origins and History of Consciousness" by Erich Neumann, published in 1954. Erich Neumann was one of Carl Jung's favorite and most creative students.

This article is the basis for Episode 1 of the GreatInsights Minicast, hosted by StJohn Piano, available here:
rumble.com/v3yllxs-carl-jung-on-the-disadvantages-of-pioneer-work.html

You can contact StJohn Piano on Tela here:
tela.app/id/stjohn_piano/a852c8