As some of you who read ribbonfarm regularly have probably already realized, this set of prompts has to do with the goat-crow-rat triangle mythos I'm trying to construct.
Conversation
Replying to
Huh, all three are “ugly, smart survivor” archetypes; but rats are contemptible, crows are scary, and goats are ornery/difficult.
2
4
Replying to
That's an interesting reaction to the ensemble, I'm going to make that a separate prompt
1
2
I just reread your two inaugural posts from back then (I had some older notes on this as well), & again had the sense that there was a good bit of value in the triangle, but the point was reinforced that you get yourself into trouble with the G/C/R stuff. A bridge too far?
1
1
While the (mountain) Goat concept makes some sense as to the scaling of cliffs/etc., they are also Trickster/"Special Child" w/ these abilities, i.e. it's specifically not striving.
But as is being pted out that's true for other "feral special children" too, such as Ratatouille
1
2
As Sarah says, "smart survivor" is definitely part of the Core Archetype. The crow is probably the least apt, as it is usually associated with "The Sphinx"/darkness/otherworldliness, and less with any sort of tribal/etc. "Public"
1
1
Thanks for the notes, good to get your reads in these. I don’t necessarily want to harmonize with the existing archetypal perceptions but just be aware of them as context. I think all 3 can be reprogrammed unlike sharper ones like snake, crab, or lion.
1
1
I think the modern practical perception of crows has shifted the most from the classic archetype. It’s now as much clever, tool-using urban bird as it is an omen of death or a witch familiar.
1
1
while that makers some sense, & I get the allusions that come up for you, it feels like you'd be working against the grain more than you need to? Note e.g. "The Crow" movie with the dark/ominous Brandon Lee death on set that several folks mentioned on your tread
2
I take cultural archetypes much less seriously than you , these prompts were ,ore about seeking inspiration than constraints, and I have other sources. For example, in Indian comics I grew up with, the crow was a clever hacker character in a popular comic
1
2
Crows were a favorite motif of my favorite daily cartoonist R.K.Laxman as well. In general, the connotations of crows for me are far more positive than for westerners. They are in indian culture more like cleverer pigeons than dark omens.
They are also much more common in urban settings. In Europe they’re slightly less urban.
Similarly for goats and rats, lots more creative inspiration in the actual global ethology and cultural footprint of the animals than within classical jungian archetypal readings of them.
"Clever hacker" angle again fits with The Trickster/SC. What in the uses you describe coincides with the social space for you?
1
Show replies


