[UA] Gothic Archetype

[David M Jacobs]

At 09:51 AM 6/03/02 -0700, Timothy Groth wrote:

>How about making him the True King of Goths?  It gives a wide range of 
>tones that you can swap between.  Also it probably won't be 
>expected.  They'll be thinking he's using some sort of unpleasant magick 
>or channeling something like the Demagogue (as was suggested by someone 
>else).  Instead they eventually find out that all of his followers really 
>want to be there and that he leads them because he's the most goth and 
>because he has what it takes to be a king.

His choice of Archetype would really depend on his motivation.

It's semi-OT, but I've been thinking of an archetype named Act-As-If.  If 
you've seen Boiler Room, then you'll know exactly what I mean: an 
inferiority complex made flesh.  To quote Ben Affleck: "There's an 
important phrase you use here; I think it's time you all learned it.  'Act 
as if,' you understand what that means?  Act as if you are the fuckin' 
president of this firm.  Act as if you got a nine-inch cock, okay?  Act as if."

Deep down, Act-As-If knows that he isn't cut from the same cloth as the 
Powers That Be — but that doesn't stop him from pretending that he 
is.  He's not out to deceive the world, he's out to deceive himself.  He 
lives big, he talks big, he doesn't have what it takes, but hell, you have 
to respect him, 'cause he's the rising star.  He wasn't born rich or 
good-looking, but he's better than Them; he's had to fight to take what's 
"rightfully" his, and he's gonna show them all.

The Rebel wants to tear down the system, and the Masterless Man exists 
outside it; Act-As-If wants to become the system, taking any short-cut 
necessary.  The Demagogue wants to rule; Act-As-If just wants respect.

If our goth lord, above, were an Avatar of Act-As-If, he may not feel the 
angst and nihilism of gothicness, he may not like the music, he may not 
even indulge in bad poetry.  He isn't cool because he's more gothic than 
everyone else; he's cool because he's him.  And you better goddamn respect 
him for it, or he'll kick your sorry butt into next week.



David M Jacobs
dmjacobs at zipworld.com.au
http://www.zipworld.com.au/~dmjacobs/
ICQ UIN: 17027598

"'Kevin,' David interrupted, 'what the Germans should have done
was show the Russians a dead cat and ask them to explain it.'

"'That would have stopped the Soviet offensive right there,' I said.
"Zhukov would still be trying to account for the cat's death.'"

— from Valis, by Philip K Dick
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