[UA] New archetypes (rather long)

[Robert Dushay]

American types you may not know: Don Imus could well be channeling it,
along with David Letterman, Bill Maher, and other political humorists. Rush
Limbaugh might well be the godwalker.

--Bob Dushay

>
>The Jester
>
>Attributes: The Jester represents one kind of safety valve in every 
>society: sometimes it is necessary to *not* blow a fuse about an seemingly 
>unjust decision, made by an absolute ruler, but to release the strain 
>through laughter. Here the Jester steps into the light: since ancient times 
>people realized the value of some kind of bizarre mirror, mimicking the 
>ruler, mocking him and -sometimes- questioning his decisions, so that the 
>people could take some tension out of their relation to their öeader. And 
>sometimes Jesters make everyone see the errors in the kings ways, even the 
>king himself...
>In modern times the need to question authority remains, but the kings 
>changed: instead of a king, modern jesters normally mock modern society.
>
>Symbols: Make-Up, Mirrors, The Jesters cap, often accompanied by some kind 
>of mock scepter. In modern times the scepter is normally replaced by the 
>microphone.
>
>Taboo: The Jester may never gain substantial power himself: money(a bit) & 
>fame are ok, political clout isn't. He may never be a ruler himself.
>The Jester may not avoid a performance for personal reasons (even if it 
>means loosing the favor of his king :)
>He may not use information without a comment in his performance (even 
>though information itself can be a comment) or confront "wrongdoing" 
>directly  satire is everything
>(For example: Saying that a politician is incompetent would not be ok, 
>stating that we can be glad to have him, because he provides an excellent 
>entertainment would be.)
>
>Suspected Avatars: The clown Grok, the marx brothers... Jerry Seinfeld ?
>



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