Finding Your Archetype.
“The best way to bring folks together is to give them a really good enemy,” declares the Wizard of Oz in Wicked in what has become the perfect explainer for our Trumpian times.
With his enemy list at hand, Donald Trump is the poster child for the Jungian RULER archetype. Not the benevolent kind. But, the evil overlord of a dystopian society with a clear message “If you want to stay safe, stay loyal to our Wizard”. MWA-HA-HA-HA!
As the RULER, Trump struts his power, authority & control. Only HE can vanquish our enemies. So far, a winning strategy.
Meanwhile on the other side of the aisle, Democrats suffered, struggled & sang Bonnie Tyler’s tune slightly off-key:
“Where have all the good men gone
& where are all the gods?
Where’s the streetwise Hercules
To fight the rising odds?
Isn’t there a white knight upon a fiery steed?
Late at night, I toss & I turn & dream of what I need.
I need a HERO.”
Dems believed that only a HERO could crush the nefarious forces facing the country.
Big mistake. “There’s no HERO coming to save us” now warn the pundits. Not Congress. Not the media. Not Jack Smith. Not Impeachment. Not 34 Felonies. Not the ballot box. And, certainly not this Supreme Court. So, it seems, we’re fucked.
But wait just a sec. Maybe the reason we’re fucked is we ache for the wrong archetype.
Dems, like many brands, want to be HEROES. In doing so, Dems, like many brands, choose the wrong archetype.
HEROES work to preserve existing systems. Seek justice. Fight for process, fairness, truth & the greater good. They embody courage, sacrifice & leadership while maintaining ethical boundaries. Kamala tried to be our HERO. But the electorate was not buying.
This time, in Ozian speak our heart’s desire was not a HERO–but a good-old Jungian OUTLAW. A fierce, daring, disruptive rebel. A Robin Hood. Feared by the bad, loved by the good.
OUTLAWS thumb their nose at rules. Create their own moral code. Push against convention. Challenge corrupt institutions. Call for radical change. Seek to remake broken systems rather than protecting them.
Against a power-hungry RULER, the OUTLAW’s raucous spirit would have better reflected the party’s legacy of bold reform, civil rights, labor rights & social justice. Celebrated our underdog, grassroots revolutionary traditions. & better positioned Dems as change agents rather than system defenders. And likely resonated with growing voter frustration with status quo.
As you can see, archetyping is tricky. Selecting an ill-fitting brand archetype can have serious consequences. Misaligned archetypes weaken messaging. Undermine credibility. Destroy trust. Screw up your strategy. Make it harder to make good decisions or inspire stakeholders.
Even cost you an election.
Trying to be a Jester when you’re really a Sage will only make you sound foolish.
Want to nail your archetype? Embrace your natural identity based on who you are–not what’s popular, trendy or who you long to be. Never force behavior. The ideal archetype should reinforce what your organization does instinctively. Reveal your true nature rather putting on a mask. But be nimble enough for growth & evolution.
Of course, a super easy step to find your archetype is to reach out to Insurgents. We buck the status quo to elevate our clients above the competition. Join the Insurgency!
