Archetypes that push your buttons

I think he was a nutcase, and/or wanted something illicit going on, and this was his way of absolving himself.

We must run with a different crowd of Americans.

I don't know anyone, ulta-religious or not, that thinks a licensed massage therapist is really a prostitute.
It's understood this took training, licensure and is an important service providing pain relief, relaxation, a chance to relax not just the body, but the mind.

It's not hard to pick out the legitimate massage theripists from the prostitutes.

I think he was a nutcase, and/or wanted something illicit going on, and this was his way of absolving himself.

Anyway....

archetypes....I'd say the Victim.

The priest archetype pushes my buttons, too. I was once trapped next to a Roman Catholic priest on a ninety-minute flight. He spent the entire time trying to convince me to spend time getting to know God as I would get to know any other new person or friend. When I realized that the debate was going nowhere, I finally told him that I understood the analogy, but that I don't worship my friends as he worships his God.

Then I felt bad for letting him get my goat. Arjuna -- I wasn't as good about it as you were, though. I didn't engage in any critical self-examination later. You've got me going now, though.

Self-important, self-employed photographers. Nothing gets me steamed like those types. I just want to puke when i see their photos.

I can get myself into some turmoil over the image of the Victim too. Putting the Victim on a pedastal... like being a victim makes a person virtuous, when it fundamentally means powerless.

People who think they know it all...









































really annoy those of us who do.

When I was a massage therapist, a client succeeded in getting my goat... he pushed a button. He was a Holiness preacher I was seeing for neuralgia. On the third visit, he revealed that the real reason he'd been coming to see me was to save my soul... massage therapy is evil. I experienced just a split second of the feeling of losing control... as if it was a good thing there wasn't a baseball bat nearby.

Upon later reflection, I realized it wasn't him so much. It was the Preacher thing. It's an archetype that plagues my psyche. The control I have over it comes only from being aware that it's a door to wackiness for me. That helps me to distinguish between the actual person in front of me and the image. So I don't respond to the person as if he IS that image.

The image is partly my personal tendencies combined with images built over the last 500 years or so. Jung talked about the image of the man in the long black coat... a Catholic priest. I wonder if this is same archetype. Ever notice how in a supernatural horror movie, when you hear monks singing in the background... something really bad is about to happen?

What archetype pushes your button?

1) Ideologues of any and all persuasions

2) Socially/interpersonally innadequate men (it usually is men) who express that innadequacy in generally up-tight, agressive f*ckwittery

In my experience, 1) and 2) often co-occur.

perpetual grad students

academics who have never worked outside of the academic environment


<steam comes out of my ears when I have to spend time with them>

ehBeth wrote:

perpetual grad students

academics who have never worked outside of the academic environment


<steam comes out of my ears when I have to spend time with them>

I would have loved to be a perpetual grad student. DANG YOU REAL LIFE!!!

Those who represent Families. Such as "Family First" here in Australia.