2. Aldous Huxley and Psychology

What if the “self” you think you know isn’t one single person, but a crowd of selves constantly shifting, colliding, and negotiating within you? Aldous Huxley believed exactly that—and it’s one of the reasons his writing on psychology, relationships, and therapy feels so radical even today.In the latest episode of Themes and Variations: The Aldous Huxley Podcast, Tobias Harris, Emily Reed and Robin Hull (author of Aldous Huxley for Beginners) explore Huxley’s 1937 essay collection Do What You Will. The conversation dives deep into how Huxley saw human psychology not as a static structure, but as a fluid and multi-layered phenomenon. Think of it less like Freud’s id, ego, and superego—and more like a bustling auditorium of voices competing for the spotlight.The Crowd WithinHuxley’s life story explains why he was so fascinated by the fractured self. Born into the powerful Huxley-Arnold dynasty, young Aldous endured an avalanche of personal losses: the death of his mother, his brother’s suicide, and a devastating eye infection that nearly blinded him. These early experiences forced him to reinvent his understanding of relationships and individuality from scratch.Unlike Freud or Jung, Huxley was influenced by thinkers like William James, F.W.H. Myers, and even Buddhist philosophy. He believed that awareness—true, embodied awareness—was the key to transcending our “ordinary” mechanical selves and connecting with a deeper, more creative consciousness.Therapy: A Practical ApproachHuxley wasn’t interested in therapy as endless talk. He wanted practices that worked. His final novel, Island, is a blueprint for holistic healing—where mental health, emotional resilience, and physical well-being are treated as inseparable. One memorable scene features a character receiving “mental first aid,” a process of verbally unpacking trauma until it loses its sting—an approach that feels strikingly modern.Cinema, Social Media, and the Sleep of the MindWhile he appreciated the potential of art, Huxley loathed mass entertainment when it dulled human awareness. His essay “Silence is Golden” (from Do What You Will) skewers early “talkies” as tools of homogenized distraction. If alive today, he’d likely have a scathing critique of influencer culture and personal branding, which he might see as worship of our shallowest selves.The Amphibian HumanOne of Huxley’s most arresting ideas is that humans are “amphibians,” living both on the surface (our ordinary, everyday identity) and in a deeper oceanic consciousness. For him, real growth meant breaking free from the tyranny of the superficial “I” and learning to flow between these layers with awareness.Huxley’s voice remains urgent because he calls for something we still lack: a society built not on distraction and ego, but on awareness, balance, and genuine connection.Works by Huxley Discussed in This Episode:* Do What You Will (1937) – Read on Archive.org* Beyond the Mexique Bay (1934) – Read on Archive.org* Island (1962) – Read on Archive.org This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit themesandvariations.substack.com