The Unconscious Roles that Rule our Lives

Eric Stone
8 min readJan 10, 2022

Below the obvious façades people hide behind, are a multitude of archetypes. These archetypal roles inhabit people’s souls, and naturally their everyday behaviours — at home, at work, socially and personally.

© 2022 Artist Benichou

“It is ignorance that makes people serious.” Amy Stone

Archetypal Behaviour Patterns

Surprisingly, it seems that today, everyone has become a political journalist. Millions of individuals have proclaimed themselves as serious chroniclers of their time. Like real experts, they push their opinions, ideas, and agendas on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and the likes, without much regard for the facts, or the truth.

Because of these platforms, everyone is an authority and a specialist. Why it appears relevant is because these roles originate from unconscious archetypes. They have taken the collective unconscious hostage. Furthermore, a feeling or an opinion is not a fact. Nor is a consideration, an idea, or a perspective a fact either.

Why does it matter?

In life, we exist at two levels. One is conscious and the other unconscious. Our conscious self has no direct access to what the unconscious does. As an example, what you want “consciously” is irrelevant. What you think you are doing, is equally irrelevant. The archetype, or the master role you are engaged in playing, is what matters and what rules the show. Quite often, it is people around you that notice what you are really engaged in doing… while you “think” you are busy doing something else. There’s much irony in this statement.

For instance, your archetype might be “the boss or the bossy”, but you are the employee or secretary to the real boss, who happens to be “the timid” as an archetype. Many issues and problems can arise from such a predicament, especially if the two concerned individuals are unaware.

In truth, nothing is more attractive than someone who is completely engaged in, and committed to what they are doing — as long as they know what the archetypal role is! Body, mind and spirit are one. The unification of the three aspects of our persona energizes and motivates. The conscious side of us (our personality) is clear about the instinctive (unconscious) motivation inside us. Michael Jordan playing basketball is a great example. These beings exhibit a sort of commitment to the core, which becomes a way of life, rather than an unconscious and unproductive hobby. There is not nearly enough literature on the unconscious representing the instinctive and intuitive aspect of our being, rather than just a lack of awareness on the part of the conscious mind.

So, the question for anyone is:

What are the archetypes that you are truly embodying and in what situations? Moreover, with whom? Secondly, what are the archetypes that are “playing” you, without your knowledge?

Below the obvious façades people hide behind, are a multitude of archetypes. They inhabit people’s souls, and naturally their everyday behaviours — at home, at work, socially and personally. These behaviours and moods become their undeclared and unconscious purposes in life.

Much to their surprise, these people only produce results that match their true archetype, the one they do not have conscious access to, but is the determining factor. If one ignores these phenomena, one can become very frustrated, bitter, angry and unfortunately, seriously disappointed.

The following is an extensive list of the roles human beings embody, without giving it a second thought. The reason being that they are not aware of what archetype has taken over their course of action. Do you know which ones might potentially be yours? Circle the ones you believe might be the archetypes that rule. Look inside social, professional and personal situations and relationships.

Pause at each one. Let them in in order to see where these archetypal roles might be taking advantage of you.

The victim, the martyr, the journalist, the constant chronicler, the commentator, the interviewer, the reporter, the gossiper, the complainer, the enemy, the separatist, the communalist, the admirer, the bigot, the rival, the antagonist, the stickler, the cry-baby, the small-minded, the stubborn, the winner, the predator, the focussed, the flirt, the distracted, the ignored, the indifferent, the ruler, the bourgeois, the psychopath, the nymphomaniac, the inspector, the judge, the seducer, the womanizer, the Casanova, the coward, the mommy’s boy, the daddy’s girl, the competitor, the loser, the mister integrity, the non-gamer, the opportunist, the diehard fan, the gatekeeper, the counselor, the hermit, the rich, the new rich, the therapist, the expert, the committed, the perceptive, the realist, the vampire, the entertainer, the athlete, the poet, the editor, the assistant, the employee, the guide, the director, the authoritarian, the time waster, the dilettante, the caring, the fundamentalist, the aggressive, the philosopher, the administrator, the abdicator, the invincible, the dreamer, the philanthropist, the soldier, the yes man, the crusader, the missionary, the fighter, the champion, the proper, the specialist.

The underdog, the organizer, the witness, the entrepreneur, the professional, the amateur, the fanatic, the fuck-up, the fragile, the coach, the empath, the stunned, the supporter, the candidate, the lamb, the certainty addict, the deceitful, the righteous, the smart ass, the clever dick, the president, the manager, the chief executive, the executive, the master, the senior, the junior, the inexperienced, the captain, the principal, the child, the parent, the wiseguy, the caregiver, the informer, the frustrated, the promoter, the friend, the mate, the accomplice, the best friend, the voyeur, the extrovert, the exhibitionist, the blind, the believer, the investor, the angry, the bitter, the negative, the caretaker, the leader, the follower, the crude, the rough, the brute, the grotesque, the destabilizer, the absurd, the enlightened, the Jehovah witness.

The Buddha, the seer, the surrendered, the praying, the loud mouth, the big talker, the babbler, the daft, the lunatic, the resistant, the restrained, the shady, the vague, the evasive, the wizard, the magician, the eerie, the mysterious, the natural, the gifted, the talented, the bore, the creep, the hunter, the huntress, the super achiever, the jerk, the popular, the famous, the movie star.

The needy, the sleazy, the neighbor, the cop, the detective, the investigator, the attention grabber, the rigid, the quiet, the odd, the confused, the imitator, the pretender, the pretentious, the homosexual, the leech, the lesbian, the tough guy, the general, the bitch, the treacherous, the butch, the prosecutor, the defender, the crazy, the retard, the freak, the crackpot, the psycho, the dictator, the control freak, the manipulator, the supervisor, the aggressor, the oppressed, the loose canon, the down and out, the bully, the energy sucker, the producer, the fool, the witty, the sneaky, the passionate, the devious, the frank, the genuine, the truthful, the pimp, the doormat, the preacher, the lost soul, the butcher, the vile, the childish, the volunteer, the energetic, the killer, the rapist, the angel, the prick, the pacifier, the prudent, the fearful, the romantic, the panicky, the criminal, the thief, the overwhelmed, the stymied, the glamorous, the guy next door, the suitor, the contender, the hypocrite, the burnout, the savior, the game player, the zealous, the nostalgic, the punisher, the bored, the excited, the moralist, the confidante.

Natural Power by Artist Philippe Benichou

The sentimental, the damned, the guilty, the shameful, the shameless, the regretful, the remorseful, the resentful, the vindictive, the unforgiving, the obnoxious, the miserable, the repulsive, the secretive, the discreet, the smooth, the gambler, the sucker, the old, the youthful, the trickster, the liar, the criminal minded, the calculator, the kid, the democrat, the uptight, the cerebral, the know-it-all, the happy face, the co-dependent, the cheerleader, the motivator.

The good guy, the nice girl, the detached, the naïve, the jock, the innocent, the charmer, the saint, the conniver, the unlucky, the instigator, the stranger, the invisible, the covert, the perfectionist, the traitor, the friendly, the boss, the shit-disturber, the provocateur, the conductor, the holier than thou, the perpetrator, the timid, the weird, the tender, the mean, the straight-laced, the conservative, the guard, the guardian, the liberator, the guinea pig, the scapegoat, the good Christian, the shyster, the religious, the tired, the persecutor, the advocate, the resigned, the retired, the bystander, the uninvolved, the foreigner, the accused, the ambiguous, the straight forward, the denier, the false, the crooked, the bent, the honest, the honorable, the old lady, the arguer, the envious, the jealous, the rat, the prisoner, the lucky, the shy, the bold, the protector, the serious, the promiscuous, the nonchalant, the blamer, the insignificant, the addict, the accuser, the rejected, the loyal, the grandma in a mini skirt, the excluded, the chaser, the refuser, the beautiful, the disappointed, the adventurer, the daredevil, the extremist, the perpetrator, the sexual, the junkie, the lover, the guest, the client, the funny guy, the priest, the confident, the hopeful, the enthusiastic, the pessimist, the optimist, the wreck, the lame, the fatigued, the spirited, the abuser, the fight picker, the pig, the escape artist, the oppressor, the responsible, the irresponsible, the band leader, the egoist, the sarcastic, the cynic, the self-centered, the explainer, the fact giver, the audience, the spectator.

The suppressor, the scammer, the failure, the teacher, the student, the unsure, the immature, the juvenile delinquent, the successful, the golden boy, the Stoic, the liberal, the arrogant, the weak, the conceited, the clown, the fat boy, the fat girl, the free, the liberal, the thinker, the worrier, the pedantic, the finicky, the anarchist, the God, the outsider, the fake, the idiot, the savant, the sage, the handyman, the chef, the moody, the comic, the grumpy, the delicate, the dramatic, the touchy, the irritable, the macho man, the disruptor, the lion tamer, the perfect, the dad, the mom, the controller, the sadist, the giver, the taker, the joker, the depressed, the alpha, the manic, the anal, the cute, the sweet, the cult leader, the guru, the cruel, the pedant, the scholar, the selfish, the intellectual, the self-serving, the geek, the aristocrat, the blue collar, the fugitive, the petty, the small, the felon, the lip server, the feisty, the peacemaker, the artist, the star, the modest, the arrogant, the conniving, the sensitive, the maniac, the judgmental, the opinionated, the prejudiced, the racist, the corrupted, the tribal leader, the clean, the born-again, the vulgar, the vengeful, the troublemaker, the tourist, the newcomer, the rookie, the gang leader, the blasé, the overly confident, the Jewish mother, the smothered, the mediator, the provoker, the agitator, the aloof, the neurotic, the anxious, the paranoid, the fearless, the brave, the super healthy, the demagogue, and there are more.

Note: all my writings should be read with a critical eye, with perspective, and a certain amount of humor. They are essays in intuitive awareness, offered as creative musings. Sometimes, my aim is to provoke the spirit of the reader in order to inspire new ways of seeing.

Science uses intuition to establish new paths of inquiry and to advance possible theories. I favor a metaphysical exploration through my own intuition rather than fit-all reasoning.

I see myself as a traveling mystic. An emotional spirit filtering universal consciousness in the now. Not only that, but I feel that I am the witness of a great cosmic joke playing with my being on this earth. If I dared to put it in more poetic terms, I would say that inside the tremendous beauty and great mystery of living life on earth, I want to be the invisible hand that helps people’s souls relax, and more importantly, realize they are truly okay.

My Eyes and Spirit have Ways of Seeing that my Mind cannot Comprehend.

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Eric Stone
Eric Stone

Written by Eric Stone

In personal growth & development, great outcomes come from authentic shifts in perspective! These essays aim to catalyze awareness and empower creative thinking