Sri's Archetypes
I noted on 0819 that I was feeling a bit lost, and hypothesized that maybe I need to come up with a visceral-immediacy visual that would help my brain lock on to a particular archetype. It's easier to imagine what an archetype (e.g. an astronaut) would do in a situation.
The Best Girl
In my mind’s eye I’m always a girl, but it’s not very specific since it’s just the best version of me feeling comfortable in my own skin. Maybe a specific person will come to mind as I type.
The Engaging Shopkeeper
I can imagine myself behind the counter of a cool shop, with an array of interesting tools that dazzle with their powerful functionality and sublime form, serving a need with precision and exactitude. I like the idea of "empowerment tools" too. I like engaging with people, listening to them, and producing just the right item that addresses their needs on levels they didn't even know they were looking for!
The Magician
I’ve always liked the idea of being a magician, and wanting my job to have those elements of performance and wonderment. The way I approach every day experience is to look for hidden patterns that suggest secret connections that when properly catalyzed become surprisingly powerful. I love the multi-disciplinary approach to thinking and pattern reconciliation.
The Infectious Sunflower
I would like to be a person that has an inexaustable supply of positive empowering energy served with a heaping scoop of accessible know-how. Nurturing, pleasant to be around, inviting people to also be sunflowers. An infectious sunflower!
The Investigative Designer
I’m just thinking of this because of the previous descriptions fitting the pattern. This is not so much something I want to become these days, because that’s pretty much who I am NOW. There’s no need to expand on this.
The Reluctant Assassin
I feel the need to balance-out all the positive with a healthy dose of pragmatic self-defense. The world has plenty of pockets of unkindness, with people who are out to deceive or exploit those who tend to see the good in people. Being able to see these machinations and know what counters exist for them, as well as being able to take some kind of protective action, is a skill set that I would keep under the counter at the shop; this is the idea behind Defense Against the Dark Arts.
The Catalyzing Incubator
There is one thing I live for, other than petting cats, and that is being around people in the moment of catching inspiration and putting it into action. I love this energy and want to be part of it. A lot of what I’ve described above is about being a catalyst, but the idea of combining this with an incubator role is new. Basically, I want to be able to provide the practical resources that are necessary to actually start something that is self sustaining and financially empowering. It could be teaching. Maybe it’s providing a small project fund. Perhaps it’s donating some of my time to help scope and run a limited micro project.
The Job Creator
Ah, this is important! It occurred to me recently that my ultimate challenge is how to create a job that pays a living wage to another person, while still also supporting myself. The difficulty is that I am also newly-diagnosed with ADHD, ASD, etc, which explains a lot of the self-care practices that I’ve had to adopt over the years to deal with them. I’m extremely fortunate to even have work, but the conditions under which I work are also NOT conducive to the stereotypical How I Became a Success write-up you’d read in The Wall Street Journal or even Fast Company.
The Conceptual Curator
I like collecting knowledge. I also like collecting excellent examples of applied knowledge. These feed my understanding of the world and help me become a better magician/catalyst. The items that I collect demonstrate principles and concepts that I think are fundamental; to understand them is to be a better designer says I!
The Time Traveling Librarian
I had called this "The Best Girl, Again", but framed in terms of the "fashion trope/cosplay" I think as a time-travelling librarian, who is from the future and is a bit anachronistic in her dress. In practicasl terms, though, the idea is to purposefully have a personal style challenge that ALSO is the physical storytelling interface that tells people that I'm about something outside the mainstream. There is an undercurrent of magical realism to this idea that I find very appealing, and I want to be a conduit of such possibilities.
Sri's Constellation Groups
A friend of mine noted that the first archetype The Engaged Shopkeeper was an umbrella for many of the other ones, and I started to think of archetypes as constellations in the sky. I designated constellation groups that were arrayed along the major compass points:
The Northern Sky
The Engaging Shopkeeper is probably my north star and the anchor of a group comprised of "The Best Girl", "The Magician", "The Investigative Designer", "The Reluctant Assassin", and "The Conceptual Currator".
The Southern Sky
The Best Girl is the southern star, and the anchor of personality group constellations like "The Infectious Sunflower" and "The Time Traveling Librarian".
The Sky to the West
The Job Creator is the western star, part of a loose conglomeration of "The Catalyzing Incubator" and other unnamed business-related activities
The Mysterious East
I'm not sure what lies to the east...maybe this is the Neurodiverse cluster.
Directly Overhead
Directly overhead? The infinitude of possibility, I guess, a mixture of all the constellations influencing each other!
The Missing Archetype
As I noted on the August 20, there's an archetype that I never thought of adding: The Inventor/Creator! My entire business plan for becoming creatively-independent depends on being a productive inventor/creator so I even have something to put in my shop. And yet...it never occurred to me to add it. That suggested to me that it isn't that important to me compared to everything else, and this means it is a chore that I will not enjoy doing. While I love observing people being inventive, and I like testing my understanding through creating works based on it, I am a rather reluctant creator at best. I need to be driven by shared values and shared interests, and that implies that the missing archetypes are:
The Resort Manager
The various communities and resources I am stockpiling are to create empowerment, etc, for my guests. I want the best possible experience for anyone who finds themselves at my mysterious facility. I've actually always wanted to have my own bed and breakfast, which I imagined as a place where diverse interests could meet over wonderful meals. And there would be a professional kitchen, various outdoor ovens, a bowling alley, an indoor shooting range, and project space where people could bring in long-term projects like an artist colony but also including anyone working on any project.
The Adventure Club Host
I'm intensely excited when people are about to embark on life-transforming adventures and expeditions. It doesn't matter if it's a small one like "I'm going to get my ears pierced" or a big one like "I'm going to become a commercial pilot". I want my Adventure Club to cater to all people who are seeking change that might seem a little crazy to themselves, but not with this crowd. As the Adventure Club owner-manager, I have access to the Resort facilities and strive to be the consummate host for people who are about to start. I want to be there when people return from their adventure to rest and recuperate.
Here's a list of things that I think go with these kinds of archetype:
- caring hospitality
- being a good host so everyone feels welcome
- being a good conversationalist
- group project planning and management
- ensuring people are seen and heard and not overlooked
- recognizing contributions from everyone
- understanding psychology
- building a transparent and supportive organization
- being a good communication designer
These are all things that are REALLY IMPORTANT to me. In fact I spend most of my time thinking about this stuff and less time about making things. I get more excited sharing something I know to someone else who might be able to use it. In fact, I tend only to get excited about making things to prove to myself it works, and therefore be assurred that I am making a good recommendation instead of pulling something out of my butt.