Archetypes and our attitudes to them.

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Sheikaman

28-07-2013

Originally Posted by On The Beach:
“All contributions greatly appreciated, especially those screaming adoration and love from the roof tops, Poppy!!!

I must defend my integrity here though so will answer your inquiry, Pettra ... in the most sincere and stark fashion ...

A long time ago, I allowed business success to absorb me and that passion wrecked my love story of a marriage and I entirely cracked up as a result! Subsequently, from then till now, through the lens of 'Beach', I've used public forums as a kind of distraction where I could throw out questions to the world and, in the process, learn a little bit more about myself and others.

Consequently, whatever style of writing you recognise in me, well ... it has developed over a very long time.

I don't need forums, (or Beach), anymore really but I do still enjoy engaging folk online and the only certain response I seek, as you put it, ... is to engage my reader with something slightly adjacent, interesting or different.

I don't always get it right but that is always my goal, none the less.

I'll not refer to the above again ... and you won't press me further. Just appreciate I'm genuine and wish to engage within your community.

Just trust me!

... or just pass my threads by.

I've edited a couple of typos since originally posting this.”

I thought your initial post was a load of purple prose and a bit rubbish to be honest. Do you really think we are all shallow idiots who can't see past first impressions and stereotypes?

It's quite patronising of you to suggest this and I for one won't be reading your first published novel.

NorfolkPoppy

28-07-2013

Originally Posted by On The Beach:
“This year, BB has a 'Secrets and Lies' theme but I'm wondering what the the final punchline will be when BB eventually winds up? I mean, the show included several apparent symbolic, archetype characters e.g Playboy. Model or Femme Fatale. Twins. Boxer. Socialite. Policeman. Hippy. Womaniser etc

Looking at the above line up, producers might have thought such characters would have been a genuine, good mix ... but what if they saw something else within the application forms?

Maybe, this year, they intended to educate a nation, (well, 1.8M viewers), to demonstrate that life never is truly as it appears ... and that it is easy for any of us to judge others merely by the labels, signs and tokens we place upon first impressions we hold as too sacrosanct to deviate from.

Anyway ... Do first impressions stick?

Some of us, as voyeurs, will have read the Socialite label and immediately branded that particular girl as a spoiled rich kid, (buying into the hype?), while others will have been prepared to look beyond to see something more ... and some of us might have scoffed at a HM's Playboy / Player label ... while others will have simply enjoyed the absurdity of the character.

And what about the Hippy? Was she a typical, peace and love child of the universe ... or just a girl dressed like one? ...

The (ex) Policeman? What of him? For some, his lifestyle, mannerisms and effeminate behavior will have blown any typical view of such a former upholder of the law right out of the water.

Or Sam? Well ... perhaps BB have left him out of the HL show, (and even ignored much LF material associated with him), to show us, as voyeurs, that being ignored and overlooked is a poignant, every day reality for millions of physically, (or mentally), impaired folk all over the world.

What about you, dear reader? Have you been tricked by your preconceptions, turned over by your own in built prejudices or joined the pitch fork wielding, torch bearing villagers marching en masse to chastise whatever monster has seemingly violated your psyche?

Or do you see housemates as disorientated game show participants just trying to survive the fascinating, alien and claustrophobic social environment that John De Mol first created back in 1997?”

Hello

Just found a window of opportunity to respond...found one last night but sat here reading the thread and therefore had more to think about.

The Archetypes analogy interested me. Having mixed and meddled in Tarot and Astrology, both using archetypes, I was surprised that I WAS surprised at the idea. And so, I sat out in the sun yesterday letting the ideas run through my brain.

Archetypes will always receive a response, negative or positive, just because they can be one dimensional. However, CH5 wants some response so that ticks a box. It also means that by using some jiggery pokery, CH5 can alter the response that HMs receive and that is ....

TRULY BIG BROTHER!

It crossed my mind to wonder whether the archetype/first impression was more about the HMs than about us. Initially the playboy went for the model, the cougar went for the young lad and the policeman went after the hippie. All well and good until....personality takes over and archetypes become people who have an agenda.

My belief is that Ch5 have upped the ante with BB, their raison d'etre is column inches and viewing figures - unsurprising. But HOW they do it is by having an archetype, letting him upset/please viewers, throw a few other things into the mix for him, attempt to sway the public with bad edits/past edits, watch the results and then do it all over again. They do it because a) they can and b) there are a lot of stupid people about.

My wondering is...why do people enjoy having someone to hate?

On The Beach

28-07-2013

Originally Posted by Scarlet O'Hara:
“There seems to be an assumption here that you're different to "us folks". That we don't watch BB to explore others' minds and then post here for the same reason. Apart from trolls, what other reason is there?

Some may not be as erudite or as articulate or as intellectual as others, but I'd say we share that motive in common, even if individuals aren't aware that's what they're doing. And we all, ALL of us, have our own idiosyncrasies or eccentricities.

Night.”

It'll be fine, Scarlet. I was tired and a little bit out of sorts yesterday after being on gull duty intermittently through the previous night. I've now decided not to intervene in the ruthlessness or mysteries of nature and, instead., just let fate take its own course.

I've now named one gull Hazel and the other one Gina and decided I'll let the viewers, (in my case, the tabby cat from the nearby restaurant), decide if it should be gull Gina or Gull Hazel that gets evicted from Beach cottage.

Thanks to everyone for all the brilliant, thoughtful, engaging contributions to the thread.

On The Beach

28-07-2013

Originally Posted by NorfolkPoppy:
“Hello

Just found a window of opportunity to respond...found one last night but sat here reading the thread and therefore had more to think about.

The Archetypes analogy interested me. Having mixed and meddled in Tarot and Astrology, both using archetypes, I was surprised that I WAS surprised at the idea. And so, I sat out in the sun yesterday letting the ideas run through my brain.

Archetypes will always receive a response, negative or positive, just because they can be one dimensional. However, CH5 wants some response so that ticks a box. It also means that by using some jiggery pokery, CH5 can alter the response that HMs receive and that is ....

TRULY BIG BROTHER!

It crossed my mind to wonder whether the archetype/first impression was more about the HMs than about us. Initially the playboy went for the model, the cougar went for the young lad and the policeman went after the hippie. All well and good until....personality takes over and archetypes become people who have an agenda.

My belief is that Ch5 have upped the ante with BB, their raison d'etre is column inches and viewing figures - unsurprising. But HOW they do it is by having an archetype, letting him upset/please viewers, throw a few other things into the mix for him, attempt to sway the public with bad edits/past edits, watch the results and then do it all over again. They do it because a) they can and b) there are a lot of stupid people about.

My wondering is...why do people enjoy having someone to hate?”

Trust you, Poppy, being the first person to post on this thread ... and the last ... just before I knock, (my own contributions), on the head!

Yep. I love Tarot ... because it allows me the same probing opportunity to discuss the meaning and possibilities that the Tarot nudges from my friend's psyche.

It is a fab way to relate to others and encourage those who might not always be forthcoming about thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc, to open up and engage in undiluted exploration of their own circumstances.

I do the same with the simple diagram of Maslow's Pyramid, (or hierarchy) of need and sometimes ask them, (or myself), how many layers, how many layers of bricks are intact ... and how many are missing!

And yes, for some, (though not I), Astrology encourages folk to ponder their place or their future in the same way.

You wrote, in reference to archetypes, "the playboy went for the model, the cougar went for the young lad and the policeman went after the hippie."

What a brilliant observation. It may seem obvious, having just read your thought, but I don't recall that point being raised at all until now.

I don't know why some folk find it so easy to hate, Poppy. Maybe it is because some folk find it so difficult to love and I'm sure there is an enlightening maxim somewhere that can bridge those two divides.

Had this been a different watering hole, I would have loved to have thrown out the question and mused over any replies but it just isn't so I won't even go there.

Thanks for your original welcome, Poppy. Your first post on this thread made it very easy to feel welcome here.

Over and out.

Beach. xx

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